On Collecting Art: John & Dominique de Menil- the collection

On Collecting: John & Dominique de Menil- the buildings

The Menil Collection, 1987
Renzo Piano

Rothko Chapel w/ Broken Obelisk, 1972

Barnstone and Aubry

Cy Twombly Gallery, 1995

Renzo Piano and Richard Fitzgerald

Byzantine Fresco Chapel, 1997

Francois de Menil

Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall, 1996

On Collecting Art: Eli & Edythe Broad

For the Broads, collecting began in the 1980's and during a resurgence of a figurative art trend. Their collecting vision is representative of the California pop aesthetic of abstraction and the flattened picture plane.

White Squad V, 1984
Leon Golub



And Thus... (present tense), 1996
Kara Walker

As their collecting matured, they began to explore the growing accessiblilty of contemporary art, always keeping an eye on its relavance to the mirror of the social outlook of the modern Los Angeles context.

Away From The Flock, 1994
Damien Hirst




Untitled (for Leo Castelli), 1977
Donald Judd





Actual Size, 1962
Ed Ruscha

Untitled (Your body is a battleground), 1989
Barbara Kruger







Recently, the Broads have completed construction on The Broad Contemporary Art Museum at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art designed by Renzo Piano. Their collection represents some of the greatest "blue chip" artwork available in the Contemporary Art world and receives worldwide recognition as such.







Tulips, 1995-2004, and Balloon Dog (Blue), 1994-2000
Jeff Koons

Back Seat Dodge '38, 1964

Edward Kienholz

On Collecting Art: Duncan Phillips

The Repntant St. Peter, c. 1600-1605
El Greco


Deer In The Forest, 1913
Franz Marc

Asheville, 1948

Franz Marc

Duncan Phillips was a pioneer in history of American Art collecting. The legacy of his efforts make up a remarkable dialogue of French Impressionist and American modernism of the early part of the 20th Century.

Luncheon Of The Boating Party; Auguste Renoir

Phillips was ambitious in his appreciative endeavours of art. In the 1920's he pursued collecting, founding a museum, and art criticism. The results were are rich contribution to American scholarship and a national treasure trove of important paintings and scultptures.

For Phillips, the collection and the writing existed in a symbiotic relationship- verbalized aesthetic ideas as counterparts of the visual perceptions that initiated a profound movement adding insight and sympathy for pictorial and decorative art that continues to be a sincere, inspiring gift.

"I bring together congenial spirits among the artists from different parts of the world and from different periods of time and I trace their common descent from old masters who anticipated modern ideas. ...Thus I demonstrate two things-- the antiquity of modern ideas [and] the modernity of some of the old masters, and I prove... that art is the universal language which defies classification according to any chronological or national order" -Phillips Collection In The Making

Spare Parts on Broadway

Spare Parts
2947 N. Broadway
Chicago
773.525.4242
http://www.shopspareparts.com/

I've typically blogged about small pockets of retail "clusters" in the city, but as I get around I find some singular places that stand out much more worthy of their attention than their neighbors. While there are plenty of places on Broadway that deserve attention, SPARE PARTS (2947 N. Broadway) is one that I was quickly able to see the quality of selection and editing to make this a unique accessories boutique that I hope my readers could appreciate. While I think some of the selection is marginal, there is some of the selection that is exceptional!!!
No doubt the Beatrix New York backpacks and lunchboxes caught my eye as an alternative to Hello Kitty or that frog (Kyropi? or whatever it is...) These guys are soooo cute! Great gifts that any young person would cherish. They have all types of animals to give a distinguished sense of personality to each piece. I know it's out of my typical sense of aesthetic to mention kids' backpacks, but they really are worth the effort to share with--.
SPARE PARTS also carries a TON of local artisan jewelry and vintage men's furnishings. The stand-out designer for me was Etta Kostick. She uses a creative process of stained glass and solder to make some really neat looking earrings and bracelets. Definitely conversation pieces and an "envy-inspiring" part of your jewelry collection. (Side Note: After I left Broadway, I saw Etta's work in one of the "blue chip" galleries of River North!)
The store is independently owned, by down to earth peeps, so leave the pretense in your Audi, and let Vanessa and Donte' show you around their humble place of awesomeness. Shop local and help your neighbors fulfill their dreams!

Selections from Gaston Phebus

Bruegel

Vanessa Beecroft

Proust: la figure des pays