Collections, Where the Collector Becomes the Artist.

A Tribute to my friends and mentors Gilbert and Lila Silverman

I found this definition of a collection in a Google search which I think works for this blog.

Collection: an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, exhibition, or as a hobby. Some examples include

·       A collection of objects, paintings, or drawings

·       A collection of furniture

·       a collection of poems

·       a collection of photographs

·       a baseball card collection

Marc Schwartz explained that he began buying prints to build a high-quality collection in a recent blog. My path was more organic, where one thing led to another. One day someone referred to my “collection.” It was a little bit surprising.

I think an interesting thing about a collection is

·       You won’t know if anyone else values it or finds it interesting until it’s well underway, if not complete.

·       The better the story, the more critical the collection may become.

·       Collections can be assembled around many different topics; some might include the artists, subject, period, reason for creation, practical purpose, etc.

·       Collections are created just because

a single person or couple collected numerous pieces to meet their taste.

A collection may be highly sought-after, like Marc Schwartz’s beautiful collection, but there are many more collections of no interest or little interest to others.  Like I said above, this isn’t defined until it’s well underway or complete.

Some people see trends and build collections based on their vision. Building a collection that others didn’t see might create a movement. Sometimes, a collector’s early focus may have been dismissed as fringe, but eventually, as the collection builds, they may earn others’ respect. My good friends Gil and Lila Silverman were brilliant in making two unique collections and collecting “mainstream” pieces. They saw beauty in things ignored by others until the time when their vision more fully evolved. They were early followers of Fluxes, and they created a collection of instructional drawings. Few would have realized that these two collections would end up in major museums, yet they are well represented in MOMA, the Israeli Museum, and the DIA.

That is a long way to say; we all get the latitude to flex our creative eye as we build our own unique collections. The creative process behind collecting is more than buying decorative objects for our homes. When you analyze many collections, you realize that building a collection is an artistic endeavor in and of, itself. Like all creative endeavors, you may end up with something great, or you may end up with a pile of scrap. You won’t know until you are done.

My collection was not started with an intentional focus. I thought I was buying a series of art, objects, and furniture that fit my aesthetic. However, the combination of art, furniture, and environment did create a highly personalized reflection of me. When I reflect on the photos of my condo included in Detroit, The Dream Is Now, published by Michael Arnaud; it accurately reflects the collision of my passions.

A curator I knew in Detroit said that the difference between hoarders and collectors is simply curio cabinets. Again, this is true on many levels, and it is a warning I think of often.

Many of us had matchbook collections in various colors and designs in college. Others may have collected vintage ashtrays, plates, or figurines. Depending on the display, story, and esthetic, it may be attractive to others, but more likely, they are for our enjoyment.

I have been impressed by people who build collections anchored on a recurring event. In Saugatuck, we see a beautiful sunset each night over Lake Michigan. We say “that the sunset is the most beautiful ever” as we take a picture. I’ve thought about adding a little more discipline and taking the same view of the sunset every night to see how the sun’s rotation changes the exposure. Some grouping of some of these shots might make a collection.

On another occasion, I considered the idea of buying the most expensive piece of art from the Wednesday night art show at the Detroit Brew Pub for one year.  Since no work was more than $300, the cost would have been manageable, and I wanted to be able to look back at the best pieces from 52 of Detroit’s emerging artists.  In the end, I did not act on the idea when some friends thought it was crazy, and I didn’t have enough confidence in my skills to execute it.

I enjoy the creative process of building a collection, and I am not afraid of failure; one day, I may find an idea worthy of pursuing. At the Palm Beach Modern Art Show in late March 2022, I found it interesting that an artist offered groupings of syringes filled with colorful liquid. It wasn’t my taste at $350 per syringe, but they were selling.

I think this idea of building a collection adds a unique aspect to the process. While I haven’t found a successful concept that surfaces the previously undiscovered, I never lose sight of the inspiration I learned from Gil and Lila Silverman.