Collectors Visit Part II: Works in Conversation

I originally thought my visit to a local private collector’s home back in August (see blog entry #1) had been a one-time thing.  But, luckily for me, I had the opportunity to return to his home this past week with the curator I have been working for.  My first visit provided fascinating insight into his proclivity for particular works of art.  Upon revising his five Caro works, we ended up discussing how his works function in conversation and the integral relationship between different mediums in his collection.  Moving beyond his initial attraction to a work and choice to purchase it, I asked him about his choices of display… essentially, his curatorial choices. 

First of all, he maintains an “aesthetic core” throughout his collection, revolving around the treatment of form.  To him, form can be the way light, color, or shadow are used, for example.  What I found particularly interesting (and surprising given the breadth of his impressive photography collection) was that his interest in form started with his penchant for sculpture.  As he says, he “would collect only sculpture, if it didn’t get so expensive.”  His most prized possession is the first work he ever collected, 45 years ago: a stunning bronze Jean Arp sculpture displayed in his living room.  He continued to collect sculpture, but soon moved toward photography, due to the relatively more reasonable prices of this medium.  Yet, he continued to be attracted to photographs that had a “sculptural quality.”  He can point to any photograph in his collection and remark on the aspect of sculpture he sees within it.  I have never heard the relationship between different mediums spoken about quite so eloquently, which got me thinking about the exhibition I have been planning at the Phillips…

Originally, the future Caro exhibition was to feature works solely by this artist.  But as the collector said, photography and sculpture really work together in his collection to provide “interest for the eye.”  Furthermore, he “does not provide a catalog, but rather a conversation.”  Duncan Phillips, himself, wanted to provide this crucial aspect of conversation.  In planning a future exhibition, we do not want to loose the element of conversation between different artists and mediums that so successfully functions in their home.  In fact, he recommended incorporating some of his African sculpture pieces into the show, because he thinks they work so well with the Caro pieces.  After speaking with the curator about this, we are considering using different aspects of their collection and turning the exhibition’s focus more into a “collector-based” show, rather than just on a single artist and single medium.  It is really interesting to consider the relationship between artists, mediums, and the museum space, itself, in making these curatorial decisions.