The Mattress Factory is a contemporary art museum located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was a pioneer of site-specific installation art and features permanent installations by artists Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, and Greer Lankton. The museum's roof itself is a light art installation and part of Pittsburgh's Northside evening skyline.
Barbara Luderowski purchased a derelict Stearns & Foster mattress warehouse in 1975. The museum achieved non-profit status in 1977. Over the next forty years, Luderowski would attract upcoming installation artists to fill its rooms. The Mattress Factory along with its neighbors City of Asylum and Randyland are credited with playing a role in Pittsburgh's revitalization.
History In 1975, artist and Mattress Factory founder Barbara Luderowski purchased a former Stearns & Foster mattress warehouse at 500 Sampsonia Way in Pittsburgh's Central Northside. Originally, she used the warehouse as a space to live, work and build a community of artists and intellectuals. The community grew and in 1977—after two years of hosting art exhibits and a small food co-op—the Mattress Factory was established as a legal non-profit educational and cultural corporation. Its first exhibition of installation art opened five years later on May 8, 1982, and the museum has since grown to be an integral part of the Pittsburgh arts community, known for its artist residency program, educational programming, and unique exhibitions. In 2008 then-Curator of Exhibitions Michael Olijnyk joined Luderowski in leading the museum as co-director.
Over the years the Mattress Factory has acquired more properties for various purposes, including: 1414 Monterey Street, which became a new gallery space Two buildings on North Taylor Street that became artist residences 505 Jacksonia Street, which is now used as a parking lot for museum visitors, and the adjacent lot, which now houses Winifred Lutz's Garden Installation, 1993 516 Sampsonia Way, which opened as gallery space in Fall 2013
Sexual Misconduct Allegations In September 2018, a report published in Pittsburgh's WESA detailed five employees' allegations of sexual misconduct and the mishandling of the situation by the Mattress Factory and its director, Michael Olijnyk. The complaint was filed with the National Labor Relations Board, and in early January 2019, a settlement was reached and the investigation was closed.
Long-term exhibitions , the Mattress Factory hosts 20 long-term installations. The following is a list:
NameArtistYear Handrail A Collaboration 1993 Danaë James Turrell 1983 Pleiades James Turrell 1983 Ship of Fools: Discovery of Time Bill Woodrow 1986 Untitled Jene Highstein 1986 Bed Sitting Rooms for an Artist in Residence Allan Wexler 1988 Trespass William Anastasi 1991 Catso, Red James Turrell 1994 Untitled (Calisthenic Series) William Anastasi 1997 Music for a Garden Rolf Julius 1996 Ash Rolf Julius 1991 Red Rolf Julius 1996 Acupuncture Hans Peter Kuhn 2016 Repetitive Vision Yayoi Kusama 1996 Infinity Dots Mirrored Room Yayoi Kusama 1996 It's All About ME, Not You Greer Lankton 1996 Garden Winifred Lutz 1997 610-3356 Sarah Oppenheimer 2008 Unbrella Vanessa Sica & Chris Kasabach 2009GroundDove Bradshaw1994
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