DRAPED RECLINING MOTHER AND CHILD This bronze sculpture by Henry Moore sits proudly near the front entrance of the Johnson & Johnson World Headquarter in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
In 1983, the new Johnson & Johnson World Headquarters building in New Brunswick, New Jersey, opened its doors. It was designed by renowned Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei. James Burke, our chief executive officer then, also instituted the Corporate Art Program as a means for the Company to educate, engage, and inspire employees while connecting with the local community.
The Corporate Art Program presents exhibitions and sponsors programming related to social, cultural and artistic issues relevant to Johnson & Johnson and our key stakeholders. We also provide employees access to museums and cultural institutions in the metropolitan area.
The Corporate Art Program is a two-pronged entity, comprised of two rotational exhibition spaces and a permanent collection. Each year in the World Headquarters Gallery, we host six exhibitions, each of which revolves around themes of healthcare, New Jersey cultural history, and social responsibility. Additionally, for nearly 20 years, we have hosted an annual Employee Art Exhibition, where employees and their immediate family members submit artwork for inclusion in an exhibition juried by members of the neighboring arts community. Read more about this year’s exhibition here. In addition, in our Rotunda Gallery, we support the local art scene by exhibiting the work of New Jersey artists.
Our corporate art collection is holds more than 3,000 pieces of art, most of them photographs or works on paper. Most of the collection is currently hanging throughout the World Headquarters building and our New Brunswick campus. Employees can also borrow pieces from the collection to hang in their offices. While highlighting the work of living and local artists, our collection also includes works by famous artists such as Andy Warhol, Alex Katz, Chuck Close, and Henry Moore, whose bronze sculpture Draped Reclining Mother and Child sits proudly in front of our main entrance. We also own a piece by New Jersey-based sculptor George Segal, known for using Johnson & Johnson gauze bandages in his figurative installations.
The philosophy behind our Corporate Art Program is rooted in our long-standing belief that a beautiful work environment produces productive and happy employees. First pioneered by General Robert Wood Johnson and reflected in Our Credo, this initiative began in the 1920s. Our Corporate Art Program has continued this initiative and tradition, striving to foster a dynamic workplace by filling the walls of World Headquarters with artwork that is pleasing to both the eye and the mind.
It is indeed art for everyone.