FOUNDATION NEWS
MEMBER PROFILE Advice for ArtsThrive Collectors ALEX HAUGER’S LOVE OF ART HAS
same artists who are in the permanent
Are they doing something really new?
BEEN INGRAINED IN HIM since he was
exhibition.” Standout exhibitions for
The second way to collect is simpler—
young. His parents are art collectors,
Hauger include the When Modern Was
buy what appeals, and know that your
Museum Foundation donors, and
Contemporary exhibition, which played
purchase is going to a great cause.
ArtsThrive supporters and attendees.
into his sensibility as an avid collector
“When you are looking at a piece, do
When he was 16, the family traveled to
himself. His tastes trend toward Young
you really like it? Also keep in mind that
Rome and the Vatican, and Hauger points
British Artists (YBAs), who, according
ArtsThrive is really for pure art lovers as
to seeing Rafael’s School of Athens as the
to the Tate Museum, began to exhibit
much as its for collectors. If something
moment he became truly interested in
together in 1988. Damien Hirst, who
makes you say, ‘wow! I want to look at the
art. He pursued an art history degree at
emerged on the art scene in the
object every day,’ then you should buy
University of Colorado, Boulder, and then
1980s, is considered the ringleader,
it. ArtsThrive is really the essence of art
completed a Masters in Art Business at
curating a pop-up exhibition in an
collecting: buy it because you love it, and
Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York. He
empty warehouse. Hauger also likes the
you’re supporting the Museum.” Hauger
worked in Aspen, Colorado, at Galleries
minimalists works of Donald Judd, Dan
also advises would-be collectors not to
Maximillian, where he became enamored
Flavin, and the conceptual works of artists
pigeon-hole themselves into a theme,
with prints and printmaking. “The gallery
such as Lawrence Weiner.
a place, or a type of artist, but instead
in Aspen sold fine prints from modern
With ArtsThrive opening in October,
masters to contemporary, and working
Hauger offers advice to would-be
there about I got excited about prints,”
collectors on purchasing art. He says
he says. “I was interested in dispelling
there are two schools of thought:
the common misunderstandings about
One is to consider the staying
printing—that’s it’s just a photo print-out.
power and collectability of
I really tried to help people understand
works by looking into an artist’s
[the printing process], such as lithography
resumé. Where have they
and etching and photogravure.”
shown? How long have they
Hauger’s involvement with the
let the art you purchase drive your theme. He says, “It will develop organically.”
been around?
Museum Foundation began about five years ago when he returned to Albuquerque and joined the Shaken Not Stirred organizing committee. From there, he became more involved in the Foundation, and a year ago he was asked to join the Board of Directors. “My parents have been involved with the Museum. … They are avid collectors. One of the cool things growing up was that my parents own some works by the
Alex and Nadine Hauger
AlbuquerqueMuseumFoundation.org
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