The Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University is saddened to share news of the passing of Sidney Eskenazi, a dedicated philanthropist and longtime champion of Indiana University and the arts. Sidney’s death closely followed that of his beloved wife, Lois Jean Eskenazi (née Cohen), with whom he shared a deep commitment to philanthropy and civic leadership. Together, Sidney and Lois supported numerous initiatives benefiting Indiana University and the state it serves, including the Eskenazi Museum of Art, IU Bloomington’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, IU Indianapolis’s Herron School of Art & Design, and the Eskenazi Hospital and Health Foundation in Indianapolis.
"Sidney and Lois Eskenazi made an enduring and transformative impact on the arts at Indiana University. We mourn Sidney’s passing and Lois's, and we honor their remarkable lives by carrying forward the legacy they built. Through the Eskenazi School of Art and the Eskenazi Museum of Art, their vision will continue to ensure that art remains a vital presence on the IU campus and throughout communities across Indiana," shared Wilma E. Kelley Director Mindy Besaw.
Learn more about Sidney’s life of philanthropy and leadership, and read a statement on his passing by IU President Pamela Whitten, at this link from the Eskenazi School.
About the IU Eskenazi Museum of Art
Since its establishment in 1941, the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art has grown from a small university teaching collection into one of the most significant university art collections in the United States. A preeminent teaching museum on the Indiana University campus, its internationally acclaimed collection includes more than 47,000 objects representing nearly every art-producing culture throughout history from around the world.
The Eskenazi Museum of Art recently completed a $30 million renovation of its acclaimed I. M. Pei–designed building. The newly renovated museum is an enhanced teaching resource for Indiana University and southern Indiana. The museum is dedicated to engaging students, faculty, artists, scholars, alumni, and the wider public through the cultivation of new ideas and scholarship.
CONTACT: Genevieve Risner, Marketing and Communications Manager
