"Art collecting is a passion—the collector finds a work of art, falls in love with it and cannot let go"
While an artwork's story starts well before its birth, the narrative of that oeuvre continues long past its point of creation. Its beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, yet its rich history lies in the hands of the beholder – aka the art collector.
© Fontana
The practice of collecting art dates back almost 2000 years, to Hellenistic Greece, then developed in its modern form during the Renaissance and has become even more prevalent today. Private art collections play a very complex role in art history; individual collectors took risks, supported contemporary movements like the avant-garde, and even took stances that were crucial to the styles and success of individual artists. Today, the polyphony of voices that make up the community of art collectors (or 'narrators') is coming together to create distinct narratives that invite the 'reader' into the complex art world – whether through an artistic vignette, memoir, or collection of short stories.
© PR
"Art collecting is a passion—the collector finds a work of art, falls in love with it and cannot let go" – a process which repeats itself over and over again. "Red over Yellow: a Selection from a Private Collection," opening on June 21 at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, narrows in on this passion as it radiated through one particular art collector. The collection features 70 paintings, drawings, and sculptures by artists who emerged between the 60s and 90s with an emphasis on American, German, and Italian artists (including works by Ellsworth Kelly, Carl Andre, Frank Stella, Gerhard Richter, and Sigmar Polke).
© Louise Bourgeois
Come be a part of the narrative this month.
Exhibition opens June 21. Sam and Ayala Zacks Pavilion, Tel Aviv Museum of Art (tamuseum.org.il)