Member Highlights: Charlotte and Marc Zawel
Kehinde Wiley, John, 1st Baron Byron (detail), 2013. Oil on canvas. Juliana Cheney Edwards Collection, The Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection and funds donated by Stephen Borkowski in honor of Jason Collins.
Kehinde Wiley, John, 1st Baron Byron (detail), 2013. Oil on canvas. Juliana Cheney Edwards Collection, The Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection and funds donated by Stephen Borkowski in honor of Jason Collins.
Member Interview with Charlotte and Marc Zawel
Charlotte and Marc Zawel joined the Museum Council in 2012 to meet other young professionals with a love of art. Marc is the co-founder of AcceptU, an admissions counseling group, and Charlotte is a native of the Boston area with a background in marketing. She convinced Marc, who grew up outside of New York City, to join her when she moved back to her hometown for grad school. They recently sat down with Hadley Powell, vice chair of Membership for the Museum Council.
What do you do for work or hobbies?
We love to travel to places near and far. A recent favorite was the Seychelles; we decided to bring our two kids, ages 1 and 3, and we survived! Of course, we also love art—visiting local galleries, participating in the Museum Council, and serving as Overseers at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. We primarily collect contemporary prints, photography, and other works on paper.
Which aspects of the Museum Council surprised you when you joined?
We have been pleasantly surprised by how much we have learned about art that we would not typically gravitate toward. We have also loved getting to know different curators; we had no idea how approachable everyone would be! We co-chaired the Summer Party in 2016 and had a blast working with staff across the MFA—from graphic designers to event coordinators.
Which Museum Council events have you particularly enjoyed?
The annual Connoisseurship Seminar and Dinner, the Summer Party, and Halloween at the MFA are all favorites. In 2015, we went on the Museum Council trip to the Havana Biennial in Cuba and had a great time immersing ourselves in the country's exploding contemporary art scene.
What is your favorite piece of artwork in the Museum's collection?
Charlotte: I can't pick just one! My top two pieces are Frank Weston Benson’s Calm Morning (1904), which has been a favorite since childhood, and the French alcove bed (1787) in the European decorative arts gallery—who can resist that aqua silk!
Marc: I can't decide between Jason Middlebrook’s Vertical Landscape Painting (2011) and Kehinde Wiley’s John, 1st Baron Byron (2013).