In Conversation with Jennifer Duncan, Director of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE)

For nearly four decades, the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE) has championed the role of American art in U.S. embassies around the world. As a long-time partner, Crozier has played a key role in supporting FAPE’s mission by overseeing the coordination of crating, storing, and installing its collections. We spoke with Jennifer Duncan, Director of FAPE, to discuss the foundation’s history, its relationship with Crozier, and their ambitious agenda.

Jennifer Duncan, Director at FAPE

Q: For readers who might be unfamiliar, can you give us an overview of FAPE and its mission?

Jennifer Duncan: FAPE—Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies—is a public-private partnership with the State Department that brings American art to U.S. embassies worldwide. More than 250 artists are represented in our collection, and we have placed works in over 140 countries. Since 1986, we’ve raised more than $215 million in art and monetary contributions. FAPE’s Collection offers visitors a glimpse into American culture, sets the tone for diplomatic negotiations, and helps our diplomats find common ground through the universal language of art.

Q: How did FAPE’s partnership with Crozier begin, and what has it meant to the organization over the years?

Jennifer Duncan: We’ve been working with Crozier since 1994, and it’s hard to overstate how important that relationship is to our program. We depend on Crozier for expert handling and storage, to crating our international shipments, to complex installations. One of our biggest projects was at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York (USUN), where we installed over 200 works in 2010. That project truly underscored how essential Crozier’s logistics expertise is to what we do. Crozier has also generously donated their installation services for the display of FAPE’s Original Print and Photography Collections at our annual State Department dinner. The works greet our members and artists as they enter the building, and the installation sets the tone for the evening which celebrates cultural diplomacy and art. FAPE provides a layout for the display and Crozier’s expert team ensures that each piece is professionally handled and secure. They also offer advice when something might not work. FAPE benefits not only from Crozier’s art handling expertise, but also from their artistic eye since most of their employees are artists themselves.
Our most recent project, and one of the more challenging, was at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City last fall. We installed Frank Stella's Hanoi Star in the garden. The D.C. and NY offices were wonderful to work with and extraordinarily patient. There were a lot of logistical changes. The result was a breathtaking installation of the last public sculpture the artist created before he passed away in 2024. FAPE is honored to share the work with the MoMA community before it is permanently placed at the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2029. The project would not have been possible without Crozier and Syd Bae who put up with me and my daily calls, most of them after hours!

Frank Stella, Hanoi Star, 2024, at The Museum of Modern Art’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. Aluminum, stainless-steel base, 19 feet high x 23 feet wide x 19 feet deep. Gift of the artist with additional funding provided by Bank of America, Agnes Gund, The Honorable Ronald S. Lauder and Mrs. Jo Carole Lauder, Nancy and Howard Marks, and the Ford Foundation. Photograph courtesy of FAPE.

I don’t think people understand the logistics involved with sending a collection overseas. It takes the Crozier office, the warehouse team, a truck, and the crate shop before it ever reaches a U.S. embassy. We couldn’t do what we do without Crozier Jennifer Duncan, Director at FAPE

 Q: Can you tell us about the GIFT FOR THE NATION 250 Collection?

Jennifer Duncan: This is one of our most ambitious projects to date, timed to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and FAPE’s 40th year of operations in 2026. GIFT FOR THE NATION 250 has two parts. First, we will bring 25 site-specific works to new or existing U.S. embassies around the world. Hanoi Star is part of that Collection. Additionally, we are acquiring 250 works of art either through a donation or a monetary gift to purchase. So far, we’ve received more than 150 gifts which we've begun to distribute so they can be enjoyed in their diplomatic homes instead of sitting in storage.Early contributions include a sculpture by María Elena González at the U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, paintings by Sam Gilliam (State Department, Washington, DC) and Jamie Wyeth (Ambassador’s residence in Dublin, Ireland), works on paper by Raquel Rabinovich and Sarah Sze, and photographs by Diana Walker (U.S. Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay) and Carrie Mae Weems.Several other major pieces, including works by Alex Katz, Julian Schnabel, and Bill Conlon, are currently stored at Crozier. It’s an exciting time.

Alex Katz, Yellow Flowers, 2019. Gift of the artist. Image courtesy of FAPE

Q: What does Crozier’s role look like in this next phase?

Jennifer Duncan:Crozier will continue to be essential. From storage to fine art handling, to installation, they’re with us every step of the way. Plus, I always feel like they have FAPE’s back. They realize we are a non-profit organization, and I deeply appreciate them collaborating with us to maximize our partnership and save costs. The Crozier team is formidable.

Q: What’s next for FAPE?

Jennifer Duncan:This July, we look forward to installing our 25 for 250 site-specific commission by Emilia and Ilya Kabakov at the U.S. Embassy in London. We are also collaborating with Crayola to include an educational initiative in our 2026 efforts. FAPE is extremely fortunate to have partners like Crozier and Crayola to ensure American creativity has a global voice.

From left: Cassandra Vadas, James Hendy, and, Syd Bae from Crozier. Image courtesy of FAPE.