A Snapshot of a Collector
In
collecting anything – stamps, baseball cards, old tools, wine, antique
cars, or art – there is always a certain danger that one will need
to build a space to hold the objects, all of them too good to let go and
none without value to the collector. This is one of the basic reasons museums
exist; offer the public small glimpses into the private domain of the collector.
Collectors are just like you and me. They are not all billionaires like Bill Gates, but they are all gracious and giving to sharing what they have gathered. German art collector Harald Falkenberg said, “I would never have started collecting to enjoy my treasures all alone.” We humans are compelled to share our stories, and a collection tells us the tale of luck and opportunity that can come a person’s way in a lifetime.
Robert J. Morrison has been incredibly generous in sharing his artwork with us. Mr. Morrison tells us that he has been collecting art since he was twelve. He works in advertising and marketing, and he lived and worked in New York City in the heyday of Pop Art. Combine these fortunate events with a good eye and a keen sense of humor, and the sum is equal to nothing short of amazing. Mr. Morrison began going to gallery openings and art happenings in New York, and he found himself face to face with many artists we now study and revere. His collection of art books by the demi-gods of Pop Art is extraordinary. These multiple image productions were born as experiments, and they are fascinating explorations of the themes we see in the art – common objects, advertising sensibility, and American culture on the loose like a wild elephant. Mr. Morrison, we thank you for sharing your collection with us and allowing us to imagine the sound of the Velvet Underground piping out of Warhol’s Factory and people outside wondering what was going on in there.
- Rusty Baker, Executive Director/Curator