Melva Bucksbaum is a devoted art patrons, philanthropists and collectors of contemporary art.
Personal: Married to Raymond Learsy First husband, shopping center magnate Martin Bucksbaum died in 1995. Three children.
Background: Since 1995, Melva has been actively managing the Martin Bucksbaum Family Foundation, and is currently a Director of the Robert I. Goldman Foundation. In 1996, Melva and her family endowed the Martin Bucksbaum Professorship in Urban Planning and Design, a chair position in the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Melva also endowed the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. In 2000, Melva and her children inaugurated the Bucksbaum Award, which is given to an artist of distinction and promise selected from those artists represented in the Whitney Biennial. Each artist receives $100,000 and is honored with a show at the Whitney. In 2004, Melva and her daughter, Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan, gave two major outdoor installation sculptures by Joel Shapiro and Sally Pettus to the Des Moines Art Center, to be placed on loan to the City of Des Moines.
Board member, The Drawing Center Board member, American Friends of the Israel Museum Board member, The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Board member, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Board member, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Member of the Visiting Committee to the Museums and the Committee of Collections of Harvard University Member, Christie's American Advisory Board Member, International Council of the Museum of Modern Art Member, The International Committee of the Tate Gallery Trustee, Aspen Institute National Council Member, Aspen Music Festival
