Mohammad Kibria

Collection of Lee Kimche McGrath

Acquired from an estate sale, DC Metropolitan Area, 2015

Lee Kimche McGrath (1934 - 2002) was a central figure in Washington, D.C.’s cultural and diplomatic art circles, bringing art to international audiences in the US throughout the late 20th century. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated McGrath as the first director of the Institute of Museum Services, and she later revitalized the US State Department’s Art in Embassies program as its director. Through her leadership and the founding of Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE), McGrath helped place significant works of American art in U.S. embassies worldwide, and her work is remembered for bringing fine art, public institutions, and cultural diplomacy together.