Hotel Advertising Transparency Act Introduced In Congress Requires Hotels To Include All Fees In Advertised Price For Rooms

Consumer reports a

Consumer Reports Supports Congressional Bill to Stop Hidden Resort Fees

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumer Reports has urged lawmakers in Congress to support legislation that would prohibit hotels from advertising the price of a room without including all mandatory fees charged during a traveler’s stay.  The Hotel Advertising Transparency Act of 2019, introduced  by Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) aims to protect travelers from fees that aren’t clearly disclosed in the advertised price.

“Travelers shouldn’t have to read the fine print to figure out all the fees they’ll be charged for staying at a hotel,” said Anna Laitin, director of financial policy for Consumer Reports.   “Hotels should be required to disclose all fees in their advertised rate so consumers won’t get stung with a higher bill than what they’re expecting to pay when booking a room.”

Hotels have come under fire in recent years for failing to clearly disclose mandatory fees to travelers.  In 2012 and 2013, the Federal Trade Commission sent letters to 34 hotels and 11 online travel agencies warning them that they may be violating the law by not including all fees in the advertised price for rooms.  However, the Commission failed to take any further action to stop the practice, which has continued unabated. 

In August, Consumer Reports called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and stop hotels that charge mandatory resort fees that are not included in the base, advertised rate for rooms.  An investigation by Consumer Reports this summer found that 31 of the 34 hotels previously targeted by the FTC continue to charge resort fees and none of those include the fees in the price quoted to consumers.  Similarly, none of the 10 online travel agencies that are still operating today includes the resort fees in the initial quoted price.

Major hotels have also been the subject of lawsuits challenging hidden resort fees.  In early July, the DC Attorney General sued Marriott for charging deceptive and misleading resort fees that hide the true cost of booking a room at the hotel chain.  Later that month, the Nebraska Attorney General filed a similar lawsuit against Hilton.

Air Gondolas Join Disney World’s Transit System

Gondolas move to various locations at Walt Disney World on the Disney Skyliner aerial tram, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Disney Skyliner gondolas opening to visitors on Sunday are the latest addition to one of the largest private transportation systems in the U.S. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Walt Disney World on Friday introduced its newest way to get around the Florida resort: an aerial cable car system that whisks visitors from hotels to theme parks three stories above the ground while going 11 mph (18 kph).

The Disney Skyliner cable cars opening to visitors on Sunday are the latest addition to one of the largest private transportation systems in the U.S. The almost 300 enclosed cable cars join 423 buses, 61 mini-vans (appropriately named Minnie Vans), 30 parking lot trams, 29 watercraft and 12 monorail trains.

In any given 24 hours, 350,000 people — the population of a medium-size city — can be on Disney World property, which is the physical size of San Francisco. Disney transportation workers need to move them efficiently from parks to hotels to Disney World’s shopping and restaurant districts with as little friction as possible.

“There are a lot of benefits to being in the air,” said Alison Armor, vice president of transportation at Disney World. “People are off the roadways. They’re moving very smoothly and very seamlessly.”

In a given year, Disney World visitors take 100 million rides on its entire transit system, said Thomas Mazloum, a Disney senior vice president.

With the Skyliner air gondolas, visitors get neon-colored cars painted with the images of almost two dozen Disney characters taking them on the three lines to five stations where they can access nine resorts and two parks. Disney World has four theme parks and more than two dozen resorts.

No more than 10 people are allowed in each cable car. A car will arrive every 10 seconds, allowing the cabins to handle about 3,000 people an hour.

By MIKE SCHNEIDER

Beijing Daxing: China's Huge New 'Starfish' Airport Opens Its Doors

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionChina's new mega-airport is the size of 98 football fields

China's new $11bn (£8.8bn) mega airport has opened its doors, days before the country's 70th anniversary celebrations.

The Daxing International Airport in the capital Beijing was formally opened by President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

The airport spans 700,000 square metres, or 98 football fields, says state media outlet China Daily.

Beijing's existing airport is the world's second busiest behind Atlanta, according to the Airport Council.

But officials say a new airport was needed to take the pressure off the overcrowded Beijing Capital International Airport.

Media captionWhat does the world's largest single-building airport terminal look like?

The Daxing airport - said to be the world's largest terminal in a single building - is expected to receive a large amount of the 170m passengers the city expects to welcome by 2025.

According to state agency the Global Times, seven domestic airlines were expected to begin operations out of the new airport on Wednesday. The first flight - a China Southern Airlines A380 - took off at 16:23 local time.

And international carriers including British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Finnair have already announced routes to Daxing.

The new airport, which is located around 46km (29 mi) south of Tiananmen Square, was designed by famed architect Zaha Hadid.

Source: www.bbc.com 

Tacoma Art Museum Presents New Exhibition Monet, Renoir, Degas, And Their Circle: French Impressionism And The Northwest

 



(Tacoma, WA)— Opening on September 28, Tacoma Art Museum will present Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Their Circle: French Impressionism and the Northwest, a new exhibition that examines how the work of French Impressionists and their immediate precursors made their way into Northwest public and private collections. It also will include selected paintings by American and Northwest artists to illustrate the spread of Impressionism across the country.

 “The purpose of this exhibition is deeply connected to the same passion that drove the French Impressionists, to transform the way we see,” said David F. Setford, TAM’s Executive Director and curator of this exhibition. “It does this in two ways. First, it puts rarely seen works from TAM’s European art collection into context and allows for an expanded visitor learning opportunity. In addition, it is also the first time that these Impressionist works from museums and private collections in the Northwest have been seen together. It will provide a lasting resource about French Impressionism and its historical impact for curators and collectors in our region and beyond.”

 Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Their Circle: French Impressionism and the Northwest was organized and curated by the Tacoma Art Museum, and includes approximately fifty (50) works of art. The exhibition is accompanied by a small publication including essays by Setford and TAM curator Margaret Bullock, as well as an online listing of French Impressionist works currently in Northwest public collections.

 The exhibition includes artwork from the following institutions: Frye Art Museum, Henry Art Gallery, Portland Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, and Seattle Art Museum. These works are complemented by selected loans from some of the major private collections in the Northwest.

 The exhibition will provide visitors the unique opportunity to enjoy signature works by Gustave Caillebotte, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley among others. Filling out the story, paintings from some of the most important precursors of Impressionism such as Eugène Boudin, Jean Baptiste-Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet, and Johan Barthold Jongkind are included. “To round off the exhibition, there will be a section of artworks which demonstrate the influence of French Impressionism on Northwestern and American painters – in other words, how East Coast and Northwest artists adapted and interpreted the brushwork and use of light and color in their own work,” notes Margaret Bullock, co-curator of the exhibition. This section will feature artists from the Northwest such as Edward Espey, C.C. McKim, Clara Jane Stephens, and Fokko Tadama, and American artists from further afield such as Cecilia Beaux, Childe Hassam, and Theodore Robinson.

“We are extremely grateful for the immense generosity of our regional sister museums in collaborating to create this exhibition,” notes Setford. “The treasures of French Impressionism that will be brought together for this exhibition demonstrate the depth and strength of the collections located in the Pacific Northwest.” Exhibition Dates September 28, 2019 – January 5, 2020

 Opening Celebration Friday, September 27, 5-8 pm 5-6 pm Exclusive Director’s Circle Members Preview 6-8 pm TAM Supporting Members Free, $10/non-members

Educational Programming Group Tours Ongoing, during the run of the exhibition

TAM’s interactive group tours provide expanded information about artworks on view in the galleries and the artists who made them, while encouraging groups to investigate art through lively discussions.

 These experiences last about 45 minutes and include museum admission for visitors to explore the galleries further on their own. Must be reserved a minimum of two weeks in advance.

 TAM offers a variety of options for groups of 10 or more which include public and VIP tours, as well as add-ons such as catering, exclusive early or late-night access, and Executive Director or Curator led tours. Pricing ranges from $12- $55/person. TAM Members and Military: Free For more information contact: GroupTours@TacomaArtMuseum.org/ 253.722.2460.

British Tour Company Thomas Cook Ceases Operations Leaving 500,000 European Travelers Stranded.

LONDON (AP) — British tour operator Thomas Cook has ceased trading and all its hundreds of thousands of bookings canceled after the firm failed to secure rescue funding.

The Civil Aviation Authority announced the film’s collapse early Monday. More than 600,000 vacationers had booked through the company.

CAA said 150,000 are British customers now abroad who will have to be repatriated.
350,000 German travelers are also believed to be affected.

The group’s four airlines will be grounded and its 21,000 employees in 16 countries, including 9,000 in the UK, will be left unemployed.

The debt-laden company had said Friday it was seeking 200 million pounds ($250 million) to avoid going bust, was in talks with shareholders and creditors to stave off failure

Cunard Announces 2021 Voyages

Extended season in Japan, maiden calls in South Korea and Denmark, more Transatlantic Crossings

Early booking benefits offer up to $1,000 per person Onboard Credit on select itineraries when booked by December 4, 2019

Voyages on sale for Cunard World Club Members starting September 24, 2019 and to the public on September 25, 2019

-- Luxury cruise line Cunard has announced its voyage program for the remainder of 2021, including an extended season in Japan and new voyages in Iceland, the Baltics, and North Cape. Cunard's iconic ships – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – will pamper travelers, offering an exquisite onboard experience as they visit remarkable cities around the globe.

Queen Victoria will offer a new 14-night itinerary in majestic Iceland, and will also sail a new nine-night Baltic itinerary with a maiden call at Aarhus, Denmark. Queen Elizabeth will spend more time in East Asia with five round trip Tokyo voyages, including a maiden call at Seogwipo in Jeju Island, South Korea, followed by two Southeast Asia sailings before heading to Australia. Flagship liner Queen Mary 2 will increase the number of the brand's signature Transatlantic Crossings in 2021, with short breaks in Europe, along with New England & Canada voyages.

"In 2021, Cunard will focus each ship in unique regions of the world to offer our guests more immersive experiences," said Josh Leibowitz, SVP Cunard North America. "Queen Elizabeth will offer an extended Spring season in Japan, Queen Victoria in Europe, and Queen Mary 2 will sail the unparalleled Transatlantic Crossing."

Queen Mary 2 Queen Mary 2 will continue to be the only ship to offer regularly-scheduled service between New York and London, making 23 Transatlantic Crossings from April through December in 2021, including Crossings from Hamburg, Germany and Le Havre (Paris), France. Queen Mary 2 will also sail her very popular New England & Canada voyages over the July Fourth holiday with an overnight in Boston, and in early October with overnight calls in Québec City. Other itineraries include the Norwegian Fjords, Caribbean, and short break five-night voyages in Western Europe.
Queen Mary 2 voyage highlights include:

• 23 seven- and eight-night Transatlantic Crossings, including those docking at Hamburg, Germany and Le Havre, France
• Western Europe Short Breaks, which can be added to a Crossing or booked separately; are five nights in length and feature stops in Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, St. Peter Port and Cherbourg
• Three seven-night Norwegian Fjord voyages roundtrip from London, in July and August
• The Fourth of July six-night Independence Day cruise, roundtrip from New York, with an overnight stay in historic Boston
• Two seven-night New England & Canada sailings between New York and Québec City on October 1 and 8, each including an overnight stay in Québec City
• A fourteen-night roundtrip NYC New England & Canada voyage
• Two Caribbean sailings roundtrip from New York including stops at a variety of islands; of which one will be a Thanksgiving voyage, and the other voyage during Christmas and New Year's holidays

Queen Victoria Queen Victoria will sail Northern Europe itineraries from May through November 2021, interspersed with a few Southern Europe voyages in late spring and during autumn, all of which are round trip out of Southampton, England. The ship will make one maiden call in Aarhus, Denmark, and will have overnight stays on various voyages in St. Petersburg, Russia; Reykjavik, Iceland; as well as Funchal and Lisbon, Portugal. Evening departures will be offered in Liverpool, England; Tromso and Narvik, Norway; and Funchal, Portugal.

Queen Victoria highlights include:

• Two new 14-night itineraries in Iceland, one featuring the British Isles ports of Belfast and Liverpool, and the other visiting the Scottish ports of New Haven and Invergordon; also calling at the Faroe Islands, Reykjavik, Inverness, and more
• A new nine-night Baltic itinerary calling at Aarhus (a maiden call) and Bornholm, Denmark; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; Kiel, Germany; and Gothenburg, Sweden
• A new twelve-night North Cape voyage calling at six Norwegian ports
• A thirteen-night British Isles voyage, calling at St. Peter Port, Liverpool, Inverness, Glasgow, Belfast, and more.
• Four 7-night Norwegian Fjord voyages
• Two 14-night Western Mediterranean sailings calling at Porto, Barcelona, Cannes, Gibraltar and more; one 19-night Central Mediterranean voyage featuring calls at Dubrovnik, Zadar and Sibenik in Croatia
• Two 14-night Canary Islands itineraries calling at Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote
• A four-night Western Europe cruise visiting Rotterdam and Bruges

Queen Elizabeth In 2021, Queen Elizabeth will offer an extended season in Japan with two additional Tokyo round trip sailings in the spring. The first will visit Western and Southern Japan ports of Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Busan and a maiden call at Seogwipo in Jeju Island, South Korea. The second will circumnavigate Japan with calls in Aomori, Akita, Kanazawa, Nagasaki and Busan. After her June-August Alaska season (details to be released later this year), Queen Elizabeth will return to Japan for three Tokyo round trip voyages and then sail to Southeast Asia with overnight stays in the iconic ports of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. In November, the ship will sail to Australia and New Zealand.

Queen Elizabeth highlights include:

• Five round trip Tokyo itineraries ranging from seven to nine nights in May, September and October
• Two Asia/Orient sailings, 8 and 10 nights; port calls include Nagasaki, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Da Nang, Singapore, and more
• One 15-night Asia/Australia voyage from Singapore to Sydney in November with port calls at Jakarta, Bali, Brisbane, among others
• One 11-night Australia voyage from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand with port calls at Melbourne, Dunedin, Bay of Islands, and more

2021 Early Booking Benefits Guests who book launch fares by December 4, 2019 will receive exclusive benefits including:

• Up to $1,000 per person Onboard Credit based on cabin category and voyage length; applies to the first two guests in a stateroom
• Free drinks and gratuities in Princess Grill and Queens Grill Suites

Use promo code ZEB.

World Club Member SavingsWorld Club Members receive a 5% past guest discount off launch fares, available for past guests only, until February 27, 2020. Use promo code PA1.

Value FaresCunard is offering Value Fares for the 2021 Program Launch. Value Fares feature the following:

• Up to 25% off public standard fares
• Reduced non-refundable and non-transferable 12.5% deposit (required within three days of reservation)

Fares are capacity controlled, subject to change, and may not be combinable with any other public, group or past guest discount. Bookings are on guarantee status, meaning that a cabin assignment will not be available at the time of booking. Guests are guaranteed the category booked or higher. Offer expires April 30, 2020; promo code is KG5.

Group RatesGroup rates are available at 5% discount off the Public Standard Fares at launch. Group rates will be combinable with Early Booking Benefits. Group space will be available on September 24, 2019.

More detailed information about the above promotions including disclaimers can be found here.

For more information about Cunard or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Advisor, call Cunard at 1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com.

For travel advisors interested in further information, please contact your Business Development Manager, visit OneSourceCruises.com or call Cunard toll free at 1-800-528-6273. 

CunardCunard is the operator of luxury cruise ships Queen Mary 2^®, Queen Victoria^® and Queen Elizabeth^®. Renowned for impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment, all three Queens offer luxury accommodations in Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill Suite and Queens Grill Suite staterooms. Cunard is the only line to offer regularly scheduled Transatlantic service between New York and London, and it continues to celebrate the freedom of travel on exciting World Voyage and Grand Voyage itineraries that visit Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Awarded '#1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line' by Travel + Leisure's 2018, 2017 and 2016 World's Best Awards and 'Best Service,' 'Best Onboard Enrichment' and 'Best World Cruise' by Porthole Cruise Magazine's 2018 Readers Choice Awards, Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines, a part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the largest cruise vacation company in the world. Together Cunard, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK) operate 102 ships visiting over 700 ports around the world and totaling 226,000 lower berths.

Social MediaFacebook: www.facebook.com/cunard
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cunardline
YouTube: www.youtube.com/wearecunard
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cunardline

New Research Reveals What Is Worth Shopping For Duty-Free And What Can Be Found Cheaper Elsewhere.

New research from Finder reveals what is worth shopping for duty-free and what can be found cheaper elsewhere. We found that items were up to 163% more expensive duty-free compared to non duty-free retail stores. 

Chocoholic travelers who prefer to snack and travel with a 500g Snickers Mini Pouch could end up encountering a 163% markup by waiting to buy the sweet treats duty-free for $14.50 instead of at a Target for $5.69. Forgetful packers who like to smell their best will find they’ll pay up to 90% on average more buying their perfume duty-free.

Research also suggests that skincare products are better value purchased at a retailer store – on average it was found to be 29% more expensive duty-free, with certain products being marked up almost 58%. However, Finder’s research found travelers looking to shop can find significant savings buying spirits duty free. On average spirits were 18% cheaper, with Absolut Blue Vodka 1L 80P 29% cheaper duty free than non-duty-free retailers.

Duty-free time pieces can also result in decent savings, with watches analyzed being an average of 17% cheaper than other retailers. Our research found that you could save 40% by buying the Fossil Virginia Watch duty-free at $105.00 instead of at the retail price of $175.00. 

Sunglasses and makeup were found to be almost neutral with sunglasses costing the same amount whether you choose to buy duty-free or not and makeup coming in as a close second with only a 4% markup. 

We compared duty-free prices, from two retailers: Duty Free Americas and Shop Duty Free, using two of the largest airports in America by passenger volume for our locations (Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago O’Hare international). We then compared prices of these items to matching, non-duty-free items from retail stores using the Atlanta and Chicago zip codes: 30301 and 60601. When a physical storefront was unavailable, we used the online price with the relevant zip code. Some items may have been on sale during the analysis period and sale prices were not taken into consideration to reflect overall general value of items. We recommend comparing current prices and check for items on sale before buying them duty free. Research found the best items to purchase duty-free are cigarettes, spirits, and watches, and recommends leaving perfume, chocolate, skincare and wine to other retail stores. 

You can find a full overview of the research, along with graphics, here: https://www.finder.com/sky-high-prices-duty-free

Commentary from CEO of US Finder.com, Jon Brodsky:

“Duty free stores are a bit like the gift shops at theme parks like Disney -- you’re often forced to walk through them in airports, most of it is filled with expensive stuff that you don’t want or need, and if you really do want it, you can literally whip out your phone and buy it less expensively on the internet. I remember the first time I came back from Australia to the US, and I wanted to buy some Tim Tams for the office (Tim Tams are a chocolate-covered cookie). The duty-free store at the airport was charging three times what it had cost me to buy them at a grocery store! I whipped out my Amazon Prime and just ordered some for the office instead.

“The secret to saving while duty-free shopping is definitely preparation before purchase. There are some deals in duty free stores, and doing a little research in advance can help. When my wife and I went on our honeymoon, we stocked up on alcohol at the duty free in Los Angeles before heading overseas because we knew that buying liquor in a hotel was going to be prohibitively expensive; we also didn’t want to put spirits in our luggage on the off-chance that they would break. In that instance -- and for a lot of liquor purchase -- duty free is a solid deal at 18% cheaper than average. I’ve also been to countries where giving cigarettes to locals is a more accepted way to tip people (Russia being the most obvious), and in those places, buying a carton for 17% off retail is essentially giving yourself some free money for tipping. 

“By looking at Finder’s research, you can see that buying small items, such as chocolates, duty-free can often cost you a significant amount more money – up to 163% more than you’d spend elsewhere. Make a list of everything you want to buy. After, look to see if the airport you’re flying out of lists their duty-free items online and compare the prices to retail figures so you know what will and won’t be worth waiting to buy at the airport. Or, even better, just buy chocolate at a grocery store or online and ship it. 

“Try never to buy gifts at duty free: items like perfume, chocolate and skincare are usually far overpriced and are often the worldwide brands. The fun of traveling is discovering new things, so go spend your money in a local boutique instead! When you’re doing that, just remember to get yourself the best rate on the local currency, either through comparing money transfer services if you’re spending cash or by getting a credit card or debit card with no foreign transaction fees”.  

French Bee, France's Leading Low Cost Long-Haul Airline, Announces $139 One Way On New Newark-Paris Route

 

French bee, France’s leading low cost long-haul airline has opened sales for its new route,Newark to Orly,  with fares beginning at $139 one way for flights starting June 10, 2020.

Tickets can be booked now on the company's website www.frenchbee.com (also available in English), from its call center (0825 205 205 205 from France and +1 833-376-7158 from the United States), at the airline's counter at Paris-Orly 4, as well as from travel agencies (from Thursday, September 19).

French bee offers 3 types of fares for its flights from New York to Paris:

     "Basic", starting at $139 including tax one way, including the lowest priced ticket and 12 kg of carry-on baggage.

     "Smart", from $209 including tax one way, including a ticket, 23 kg checked baggage and a meal.

     "Premium", from $469 including tax one way, with ticket, seat reservation in Premium blue class, two 23 kg hold baggage items, a meal and a snack.

Travelers will also enjoy the signature a la carte experience French bee is known for. After selecting Basic, Smart, or Premium ticketing options, guests have the freedom to travel precisely how they choose. Passengers can select luggage services, travel kits, lounge access (at Paris-Orly only), and even upgrade meals to include Aperitifs and Champagne for on-board celebrations.

The Barnes Foundation To Present 30 Americans, October 27, 2019–January 12, 2020

Kehinde Wiley, Equestrian Portrait of the Count Duke Olivares, 2005. Oil on canvas.
Courtesy of Rubell Family Collection, Miami.

10th anniversary of acclaimed exhibition, curated by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw

Philadelphia, PA.—The 10th anniversary presentation of 30 Americans, a major exhibition drawn from the acclaimed Rubell Family Collection and featuring works by many of the most important and influential African American artists of the past four decades, will be on view at the Barnes Foundation from October 27, 2019, through January 12, 2020. From the canonical to the cutting-edge, the featured artists explore issues of personal and cultural identity against a backdrop of pervasive stereotyping—of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class—addressing intersectional politics in unique and powerful ways. Curated by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, this exhibition includes works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Bradford, Nick Cave, Barkley L. Hendricks, Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, Lorna Simpson, Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, and Kehinde Wiley. The exhibition will be shown in the Roberts Gallery.

30 Americans at the Barnes is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal.

Having traveled the country for a decade in various iterations, 30 Americans is a pivotal exhibition that has transformed the reception of African American art across the nation and around the world. The Barnes presentation marks the first time 30 Americans has been shown in the northeastern US since 2011, when it was on view at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Featuring approximately 60 works of sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, and video, the exhibition presents American experiences as told from the artists’ distinct perspectives.

Exploring complex questions of identity, equity, race, and politics, 30 Americans will take on new resonance within the context of Philadelphia. A racially diverse city steeped in history, Philadelphia is rich with creative culture and a variety of traditions deeply rooted in many of the same journeys explored in the exhibition. This presentation is the first occasion many of these important works will be seen in Philadelphia, a poignant reminder that black artists have historically been excluded from museums and cultural institutions.

“30 Americans has been, without question, this century’s most impactful exhibition of work by contemporary artists of African descent,” says Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw. “More than simply an exhibition, it is a cultural phenomenon that has helped catapult the nascent careers of a number of the included artists, while also influencing and encouraging other artists and collectors across the country to pursue their individual visions.”

“We are very proud to present the trailblazing and highly influential exhibition 30 Americans here in Philadelphia, and to host an extended conversation about its significant impact over the course of the last decade,” says Thom Collins, Neubauer Family Executive Director and President of the Barnes Foundation. “We hope this presentation will also be an occasion for the Barnes to begin a public conversation about Dr. Barnes’s sustained involvement with and support for some of the now canonical African American artists who were his contemporaries.”

In the exhibition catalogue, the Rubell family explain the selection of the title 30 Americans, rather than, for example, 30 African Americans: “Nationality is a statement of fact, while racial identity is a question each artist answers in his or her own way, or not at all.” The number 30 was specified to acknowledge that the show represents just a selection of the talented artists who could be in it.

LIST OF ARTISTS:Nina Chanel Abney
John Bankston
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Mark Bradford
Nick Cave
Robert Colescott
Noah Davis
Leonardo Drew
Renée Green
David Hammons
Barkley L. Hendricks
Rashid Johnson
Glenn Ligon
Kalup Linzy
Kerry James Marshall
Rodney McMillian
Wangechi Mutu
William Pope.L
Rozeal
Gary Simmons
Xaviera Simmons
Lorna Simpson
Shinique Smith
Henry Taylor
Hank Willis Thomas
Mickalene Thomas
Kara Walker
Carrie Mae Weems
Kehinde Wiley
Purvis Young

EXHIBITION ORGANIZATION:
Works in this exhibition are from the Rubell Family Collection. Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw is organizing curator of 30 Americans and the curator of the presentation at the Barnes.

ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw is associate professor of History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania and affiliated faculty in Latin American and Latino Studies, Cinema Studies, and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. She received her PhD in art history from Stanford University and taught at Harvard University for five years before joining the Penn faculty in 2005. She has been a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery; received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Ford Foundation; and served as a distinguished visiting professor at the University of Washington. She is the author of numerous publications on art and race in the US.

In May 2019, Shaw was appointed senior historian and director of history, research, and scholarship at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. She is the first woman and the first African American to hold this senior position.

ABOUT THE RUBELL FAMILY COLLECTION:The Rubell Family Collection was established in 1964 in New York City by Mera and Don Rubell. It is now one of the world’s largest privately owned, publicly accessible contemporary art collections. In 1993, the collection was moved to Miami, where it resides within a 45,000-square-foot repurposed Drug Enforcement Agency warehouse. In 1994, the Rubells created the Contemporary Arts Foundation with their son, Jason Rubell, to expand the family’s public mission inside the paradigm of a contemporary art museum. In fall 2019, the Rubell Family Collection/Contemporary Arts Foundation will move to a larger, newly renovated building in Miami and will reopen in December as the Rubell Museum.

The collection is constantly expanding and features such well-known artists as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Cady Noland, Yayoi Kusama, Cindy Sherman, and Kara Walker. In addition to displaying internationally established artists, the foundation actively acquires, exhibits, and champions emerging artists working at the forefront of contemporary art.

CATALOGUE:Published by the Rubell Family Collection, the exhibition catalogue for 30 Americans features essays by Robert Hobbs, Glenn Ligon, Franklin Sirmans, and Michele Wallace. On the occasion of the exhibition’s 10th anniversary and its presentation at the Barnes Foundation, an essay by exhibition curator Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw will be included.

SPONSORS:This exhibition is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal

30 Americans is organized by the Rubell Family Collection.

Generous support for this exhibition comes from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Exhibition Fund, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, and Aileen and Brian Roberts.

Critical support for all exhibitions comes from contributors to the Barnes Foundation Exhibition Fund.

ABOUT THE BARNES FOUNDATION
The Barnes Foundation is a nonprofit cultural and educational institution that shares its unparalleled art collection with the public, organizes special exhibitions, and presents programming that fosters new ways of thinking about human creativity. The Barnes collection is displayed in ensembles that integrate art and objects from across cultures and time periods, overturning traditional hierarchies and revealing universal elements of human expression. Home to one of the world’s finest collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and early modernist paintings—including the largest groups of paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Paul Cézanne in existence—the Barnes brings together masterworks by such artists as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Vincent van Gogh, alongside ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and non-Western art as well as metalwork, furniture, and decorative art.

The Barnes Foundation was established by Dr. Albert C. Barnes in 1922 to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture.” Since moving to the heart of Philadelphia in 2012, the Barnes has expanded its commitment to teaching visual literacy in groundbreaking ways, investing in original scholarship relating to its collection and enhancing accessibility throughout every facet of its program.

The Barnes is open Wednesday–Monday, and tickets can be purchased on-site, online, or by calling 215.278.7200. Ticket prices and current hours are listed on our website.