Chase Donates $125,000 of Louisiana Artwork to Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

NEW ORLEANS -- Chase is donating eight works by Louisiana-affiliated artists valued at nearly $125,000 to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

"Donating these works will give more art enthusiasts the opportunity to view them while enhancing the Ogden Museum's treasures for our community," said John Kallenborn, president of Chase's New Orleans region. "By sharing our art resources with the New Orleans community, we hope to encourage exposure to the arts and provide a meaningful educational experience for adults and students alike."

Artworks donated include:

--Ida Kohlmeyer's No. 1 Blues, oil on canvas from the 1960s. This early work is a wonderful example of Kohlmeyer's signature style that combines color, energy and gesture to illuminate the imagery of the unconscious mind. Kohlmeyer, who died in 1997, is arguably New Orleans' most famous artist of the 20th century. Kohlmeyer studied and worked in New Orleans alongside contemporary icons like Hans Hoffman and Mark Rothko.

--Elemore Madison Morgan's Canal Closure from 1984, a superb example of his oeuvre in terms of size and composition. The Baton Rouge native is known for his large-scale, colorful modern landscapes of Louisiana.

--Robert Gordy's Color Form Study #2 from 1970, an important large-scale example of Gordy's mastery of the dynamics of shape and color. Born in Jefferson Island, La., Gordy lived and worked in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

"The Ogden Museum is pleased to add these significant works by major Louisiana artists to our Collection," said J. Richard Gruber, Ph.D., Director of the Ogden. "In addition to complimenting the Ogden's permanent collection, this gift enables us to share the art with our growing public audience."

Gruber adds, "Chase's commitment, as a new civic and corporate partner, to The Ogden Museum reflects the type of leadership role corporations, businesses and foundations can and should play in the current environment in New Orleans and the Gulf South. This important contribution comes at a critical moment in rebuilding the culture of New Orleans and is all the more appreciated."

Chase, the U.S. consumer and commercial banking brand of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), has more than 110 million credit cards issued and serves consumers and small businesses through more than 2,600 bank branches, 7,600 ATMs and 280 mortgage offices as well as through relationships with over 15,000 auto dealerships, and 2,500 schools and universities. Chase has 176 branches and 300 ATMs in Louisiana. It serves more than 25,000 commercial banking clients, including corporations, municipalities, financial institutions and not-for-profit entities with annual revenues generally ranging from $10 million to $2 billion. More information about Chase is available through www.chase.com.