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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Aggie

Whenever she is asked “Why are you a philanthropist,” Agnes “Aggie” Gund almost always answers with a single word: “Guilt.” Gund is now, and always has been, acutely aware of her privilege. She has devoted her life to giving back, working to fund AIDS research, abortion rights, and other charitable organizations. Her place in America’s cultural realm is magisterial. From 1991 to 2002, as the president of MoMA’s board of trustees, Gund made a fierce case for the inclusion of female and minority art. According to the writer Bob Colacello, Aggie was responsible for the museum’s “golden era.” Directed by her daughter Catherine, this film provides fascinating insight into an enigmatic life. —E.C.