Berkeley Art Museum to Receive Major Gift of Women Artists' Works

Promised bequest of nearly 150 pieces from Cooper Rosenwasser Collection expands BAMPFA's holdings of modern and contemporary art by women.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) announced it will receive a bequest of nearly 150 artworks from Penny Cooper and Rena Rosenwasser, two Berkeley-based collectors who have focused on collecting modern and contemporary art by women. The gift comprises works in all media by pioneering female artists such as Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Mona Hatoum, and Carrie Mae Weems.

Why it matters

The bequest gives BAMPFA a rare opportunity to significantly increase the representation of women artists in its collection, addressing a longstanding imbalance in the art world where women's creativity has been underrepresented in major museum holdings.

The details

Since 1977, Cooper and Rosenwasser have exclusively collected art by women, much of it acquired early in those artists' careers. The promised bequest to BAMPFA includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, and photographs. The museum is marking the gift with a special exhibition titled 'Rhapsody: Works from the Cooper Rosenwasser Collection,' showcasing 65 pieces from the collection.

  • BAMPFA announced the bequest on Monday, February 24, 2026.
  • The 'Rhapsody' exhibition will be on view from March 4 through June 28, 2026.

The players

Penny Cooper

A criminal defense attorney and advocate for social justice who, along with her partner Rena Rosenwasser, has focused on collecting art by women.

Rena Rosenwasser

A poet and cofounder of the Bay Area–based feminist publishing house Kelsey Street Press, who has collected art by women alongside Penny Cooper.

Julie Rodrigues Widholm

The executive director of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA).

Lynda Benglis

A pioneering American artist known for her innovative sculptural works, whose pieces are included in the Cooper Rosenwasser Collection bequest.

Carrie Mae Weems

A renowned American artist whose photographic and multimedia works exploring race, gender, and class are part of the Cooper Rosenwasser Collection bequest.

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What they’re saying

“Museums have a responsibility to reflect the full breadth of human creativity, and for too long our collections—like those of institutions across the field—have fallen far short of that promise.”

— Julie Rodrigues Widholm, Executive Director, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (artnews.com)

What’s next

The 'Rhapsody' exhibition featuring works from the Cooper Rosenwasser Collection bequest will be on view at BAMPFA from March 4 through June 28, 2026.

The takeaway

This major gift to the Berkeley Art Museum underscores the ongoing efforts to address the longstanding underrepresentation of women artists in museum collections and exhibitions. It represents an important step towards greater gender equity in the art world.