Art in Embassies Inauguration at the Ambassador’s Residence

Januay 20, 2011

Ambassador Kounalakis views a 3-D image of Andy Warhol’s art projected on a 3-D TV in the company of Zsolt Gál of Samsung Hungary (Embassy photo by Attila Németh)

On January 20, 2011, Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis hosted a reception at her residence to inaugurate the State Department’s Art in Embassies collection.  In this program, State Department curators collect donations of art from individuals and institutions from all over the United States.  The donated art is then made available on loan to be displayed in the official residences of U.S. ambassadors around the world.

Works by Andy Warhol, Jim Dine, Wayne Thiebaud and Stephen Antonakos are currently being displayed at the Ambassador’s residence in Hungary.  3-D images of Andy Warhol’s art were projected on 3-D TVs during the reception, courtesy of the Samsung Corporation.  Art historians, artists, gallery owners, art collectors, art managers and fashion designers attended the reception, in addition to political leaders and members of the business community.