Agnes Gund, collector and philanthropist who helped transform MoMA, has died, aged 87

Agnes Gund, the renowned American arts philanthropist and MoMA president emerita, has died at age 87, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of cultural transformation and social activism through art.

Gund revolutionized the art world through her five-decade relationship with the Museum of Modern Art, where she served as president from 1991 to 2002, championing diversity and accessibility while helping raise funds for the museum's major expansion. Beyond traditional philanthropy, she pioneered using art for social change, most notably selling Roy Lichtenstein's "Masterpiece" for $165 million to establish the Art for Justice Fund, addressing mass incarceration issues. Her educational initiatives included founding Studio in a School in 1977, bringing contemporary artists into New York City public schools, and launching the Gund Gallery at Kenyon College.

• Transformed MoMA's collection by advocating for works by women and artists of color while donating around 100 pieces from her personal collection
• Sold masterpiece artworks to fund social justice causes, including criminal justice reform and reproductive rights organizations
• Founded educational programs connecting thousands of students with contemporary artists and museum practices
• Received the National Medal of Arts and served on boards of major cultural institutions nationwide