A collective of artists and cultural professionals has penned a letter urging New York City’s Jewish Museum to spearhead efforts to preserve the Wilbur J. Cohen Building in Washington, DC. This building, which features murals from the New Deal era by Jewish artists like Ben Shahn, Philip Guston, and Seymour Fogel, is at risk due to plans by Trump officials to hasten its sale, potentially leading to its demolition. The letter, co-authored by artists Elise Engler, Joyce Kozloff, and Martha Rosler, calls for immediate action to protect these cultural treasures.
The Cohen Building, a Stripped Classicist structure completed in 1940, once served as the Social Security Administration’s headquarters and now houses Voice of America and the US Agency for Global Media. Murals by notable artists such as Guston, Shahn, and Fogel depict scenes resonant with the social safety net promise, including images of mothers, unemployed workers, and the elderly. With several petitions in motion, including one by The Living New Deal with over 7,000 signatures, the co-authors emphasize the Jewish Museum’s potential leadership in advocating for the murals’ preservation.
On January 9, the letter was dispatched to the museum’s Director James Snyder and Board Chair Shari Aronson, both of whom have expressed their backing. Snyder conveyed the museum’s dedication to safeguarding art and architecture as shared cultural legacies, stating their alliance with other art world leaders to protect these historic works. The letter has garnered over 380 signatures, including prominent figures like artist Joan Semmel and Jenne M. Currie, daughter of muralist Ethel Magafan.
Engler, who had been researching the murals before a December visit to Washington, envisions the building’s potential as a museum dedicated to New Deal history. In the face of pressing global issues, the fight to save these murals highlights the connection between cultural heritage and human rights. The letter’s authors hope their initiative will contribute to a larger movement against historical erasure, inviting fellow artists to join in protecting their artistic legacy.
