A Private Affair Personal Collections of Contemporary Art
Gallery Guide
Introduction
Most people have experienced the joy of collecting, often during childhood, collecting things such as stamps, football cards or dolls. Many public museums and art galleries, including the Harris, are founded on significant donations or bequests from private individuals. A Private Affair showcases contemporary artworks owned by eleven private collectors from across the North of England and is the first of a series of three exhibitions at the Harris which look at people and their collections. In the summer, A Public Affair celebrates 130 years of fine art collecting at the Harris and next year we are curating an exhibition of artwork owned by major international collectors. A Private Affair has been curated in collaboration with the Contemporary Art Society, North West and includes a wide range of artistic styles and practice from the past 40 years. Artists of regional and national importance are represented including Tracey Emin, Thomas Demand, Gordon Cheung, Roger Hiorns, Patrick Heron, Haroon Mirza, Fiona Rae, and Rachel Whiteread.
Image: Peter Woods & Francis Ryan’s home including Lisa Milroy Blue Plate, 1993-2002 Photo: Simon Critchley
The collectors have generously agreed to live without their favourite artworks for the duration of this show. Many of the collectors don’t have a background in the arts, however they are all passionate about collecting and living with contemporary art. Engaging with artists, by visiting galleries and studios, is important to all the collectors. They also share a strong interest in supporting artists at different stages of their careers.
For further information and to see interviews with some of the collectors visit www.harrismuseum.org.uk
Greville Worthington
Greville Worthington is based in North Yorkshire and has around 100 works in his collection. Whilst studying geography at university in Edinburgh in the early 1980s he became immersed in the Scottish art scene. Meeting curators, gallerists and artists such as Ian Hamilton Finlay led him to begin collecting contemporary art. Developing relationships with artists remains really important to him.
Image: Greville Worthington Photo: Stephen Iles
Greville’s collection is diverse, although he describes four distinct phases: text-based work, neon, photography and painting. Many of the works are on display at his home in a specially converted church, while other works are kept in storage or are on long term loan to public galleries. Recent acquisitions include WWF, 2001, the painting by Inka Essenhigh on display in the exhibition. Greville plays an active role in the British contemporary art scene. Sometimes he works with artists to develop projects, which can lead to him collecting work. He also organises exhibitions outside the traditional gallery setting; he transformed The Telephone Repeater Station, Richmond into an exhibition space. He is a trustee of the Baltic, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Henry Moore Foundation.
Jamie Warde-Aldam, based in Northumberland, Jamie is a professional writer and a trustee of the Warde-Aldam art-commissioning agency Locus+. He has collected
contemporary art since the 1990s, buying work as often as he can. Everything is on display in his home except for his collection of artists’ books. It is important for him to live with the art.
Image: Windows in St John’s Church, Healey, Northumberland by James Hugonin and Anne Vibeke Mou, 2010 Photo: John McKenzie
Among the earliest of his purchases were two paintings by James Hugonin. His friendship with the artist continues: in 2009, he commissioned Hugonin and Anne Vibeke Mou to each make a church window in memory of his parents. The works displayed in A Private Affair highlight one area of his collection. Subtle, delicate and sometimes highly detailed, pieces like Julie Johnstone’s wall vinyl glimpsed in passing, 2008 and 109 Ramones Songs, 2006 by Graham Dolphin are fugitive but quietly unsettling. Scatter cards by Herman de Vries and Thomas A. Clark make the point that ‘You don’t need to be a millionaire to collect art’. Jamie says that contemporary art puts him on the spot and makes him feel alive. He advises, ‘Trust your instincts and be aware that, should you chicken out of buying something you love, it will come back to haunt you.’
Sezgin Ismail
Image: Apple, Mit Senoj, 2010 Berberis, Mit Senoj, 2010 Courtesy of the artist and Bureau, Manchester
Sezgin Ismail is based in Cheshire and began collecting relatively recently. She doesn’t consider herself to be a collector; she buys art that she wants to live with.
Sezgin’s working life is scientific but she has always been interested in visual arts and literature. Her collection combines these interests with many works having a narrative theme which she enjoys ‘embroidering’ a story around. Some works also have a nature or medical-based theme such as Rob Nicol’s Medicine Man, 2011. Before joining the Contemporary Art Society, North West, Sezgin felt that contemporary art was not very accessible. As a member she now has opportunities to see work as it is being created and to meet artists and other collectors. Meeting artists is important to her and helps her really understand the artwork. Sezgin also buys work that fits with her home and lifestyle. She recently acquired Mythopoeia – The Forest of Forgetfulness, 2011 by Iain Andrews – a beautiful piece of furniture which she uses and will continue to inspire her. Also on display is Wasp Nest, 2010, an animation by Alison Stolwood. She is currently deciding the best way to display the work in her home.
Bob Miller
Bob Miller is based in South Manchester and shares his collection with his wife, Hazel, who also collects. Bob has always been interested in contemporary art but only started collecting a few years ago. He had recently retired when he picked up a leaflet for the Contemporary Art Society, North West. After joining, he started going to organised events including visits to artists’ studios, exhibition openings and talks, and soon began buying work himself.
Image: Bob Miller at home with his collection Photo: Simon Critchley
Bob collects because he likes looking at art, living with it on a day-to-day basis and feels it enriches his quality of life. He does not have a specific direction for his collection but is keen to support Northern artists and galleries, buying from galleries such as The International 3 and Bureau in Manchester and Ceri Hand Gallery in Liverpool. He has met most of the artists in his collection at a studio visit or event, but he does not feel it is always necessary, as ‘good art stands on its own’. Bob looks for what he describes as the ‘tingle factor’ when buying art and recently drove to Gateshead and back in a day especially to buy a painting by Laura Lancaster, which can be seen on display in the exhibition.
Image: Wörtshatten (wordshadow) Alex Hoda, 2011 Courtesy Alex Hoda and Haunch of Venison, London
Ronnie Duncan
Ronnie Duncan, based in West Yorkshire, started collecting in 1948 and now has around 275 artworks.
He has a significant collection of work by Roger Hilton, Terry Frost, Alan Davie and other artists influenced by the artists in St Ives in the 1950s. Although his tastes have changed over the years, he has continued to collect work by artists at the early stages of their careers, when the work is more affordable. He believes it is important to know the artists in order to understand why they work as they do. His latest purchase is Wörtshatten (wordshadow), 2011 by Alex Hoda which is on display in the exhibition. Much of his collection is displayed around his home and office. As he doesn’t have enough room for everything, he puts on displays of his collection in a converted barn and often lends works to galleries. He has carefully considered the future of his collection, planning bequests to public galleries and to auction works to reinvest in the arts. His advice for anyone who is thinking about collecting contemporary art is to ‘look and look and look again, buy what you like in the hope you go on liking it and don’t be put off if you think you can’t afford it!’
Peter Woods & Francis Ryan
Image: Peter Woods & Francis Ryan at home with their collection, including Swans Christopher Stevens, 1985 Photo: Simon Critchley
Peter Woods and Francis Ryan are based in Liverpool and started collecting contemporary art over 40 years ago. They have always been interested in beautiful things and their home is a fascinating mix of furniture and contemporary art.
They describe themselves as ‘hoarders rather than collectors’. Their collection consists mainly of paintings and ceramics and the themes of the sea and nature feature heavily as well as work linked to their native Ireland. Peter and Francis are actively involved in the Liverpool art scene and know many of the artists in the city. They acquire work in many ways and frequently attend openings, degree shows and make studio visits. They are keen supporters of the biennial John Moores Painting Prize at the Walker Art Gallery, having purchased several works over the years, including Swans by Christopher Stevens in 1985. As soon as they saw it they knew immediately where they wanted to hang it. They take advantage of the Own Art scheme to make works more affordable, or have negotiated with artists to reserve works and pay over a period of time.
Sue & Ian Poole
Image: Ian & Sue at home with their collection including Untitled Richard Meaghan, 2001 Photo: Simon Critchley
Sue and Ian Poole are based in Liverpool and began collecting many years ago. Sue runs a nursery school and Ian was a physicist before he retired to follow a career in writing. Sue first became involved with the Liverpool arts scene when she went back to university to study for a Ph.D. She started attending graduate shows and exhibitions and events at the Bluecoat arts centre, and as a result developed friendships with local artists. Sue and Ian continue to collect work by artists at all stages of their careers as well as nationallyrenowned artists. It is important to them to have a relationship with the artists they collect, and they consider many of the artists personal friends, such as Richard Meaghan, Jago Max Williams and Martin Greenland. The work in their collection is predominantly painting, and they purchase work from the John Moores Painting Prize at the Walker Art Gallery. Sue and Ian generally have similar tastes and the artworks are part of their home, hanging alongside family portraits and candle sconces. They have never really considered their collection as an investment, although in recent years they have sold works at charity auctions which they hosted to support local, national and international causes dear to them.
Elkan & Cathy
Image: Elkan & Cathy at home with their collection including On Broadway Tony Wells, 2006 Photo: Simon Critchley
Elkan and Cathy are based in Liverpool and have been collecting together for many years.
Elkan bought his first print in London as a teenager. He is now a lawyer but has continued to regularly visit galleries and to buy work. Their collection includes work by artists in the North West, however they also pick up work on their travels. For example, the Keith Haring works were purchased in New York on various trips and they own several works bought during holidays in Mexico and Indonesia. Most of the collection is painting or prints which hang throughout their home, although they do have several sculptures in their garden. Five years ago, Untitled, 2006, by Debbie Azzopardi, was commissioned by Elkan. It was intended for the 20th anniversary of Cathy’s nursery school, although due to the subject matter Cathy felt it best to keep it at home where it hangs in their hall.
Mark Turner
Mark Turner is a GP based near Preston who has been collecting contemporary art for over 10 years. He doesn’t have a background in art but his interest was sparked at an exhibition of work by Liam Spencer at The Lowry in Salford. He subsequently began to buy works by the artist and now has the largest private collection of his work.
Image: Mark Turner at home with his collection
Mark’s taste has developed and changed as his knowledge and exposure to art has increased – he now collects more conceptual work by artists including Jamie Shovlin. He enjoys developing a strong relationship with artists and often buys many works by the same artist, such as Gordon Cheung.
Photo: Simon Critchley
There is simply not room to display everything at his home, which he shares with his partner Sharon and their family. Every wall is covered with paintings, with the family photographs on the mantelpiece and Laura Ford’s Boy Story II, 2001 guarding the living room. Mark is keen to allow the public to enjoy the collection too, and he regularly lends work to galleries, including the Harris. He sees his collection very much as an investment and will sell work to refine and develop the collection.
Tim Dickson
Image: Featuring Love Haroon Mizra, 2011 Courtesy of the artist
Tim Dickson, based in Sheffield, has a significant collection of works by well known artists, bought from them directly during the early stages of their careers.
He started collecting in the mid-1990s after spending years attending exhibition openings, making studio visits and meeting artists, curators and gallerists around London. He had no money to buy art at the time but became immersed in the world, meeting artists like Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. ‘I was curious to meet them, to find out what was behind their work. Buying art was really a bonus.’ He now has around 100 works and continues to develop relationships with artists, discussing their work at length before buying. He doesn’t have large sums of money and has prioritised acquiring art over holidays or new cars and focuses on smaller works such as drawings and prints. Ultimately, he buys what he likes and gets a lot of joy from the work on his walls, describing his collection as an extension of his personality. His advice to anyone thinking of collecting contemporary art is ‘to collect art that you love and not to be intimidated; the more knowledge you acquire the less intimidating it is’.
Image: Singapore Sling, Samantha Donnelly, 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Ceri Hand Gallery
Catharine Braithwaite
Catharine Braithwaite is based in Manchester as an independent marketing communications consultant specialising in the visual arts. She has been collecting contemporary art since the late 1990s and feels it is a logical extension of her work. She has around 20 works in her collection.  Her tastes have changed over the years and she is now braver about her choices and also about how much she’s prepared to spend. Many works are by female artists who, she feels, are producing interesting strands of work. She considers developing a relationship with the artist as a bonus but not essential. Her house is too small to display everything and she recently purchased Singapore Sling, 2011 by Samantha Donnelly without knowing where she was going to display it. It is really important for her to live with the art, but she also enjoys lending her work to exhibitions, feeling it is important for the artists to be shown publicly as much as possible. Her advice to potential collectors is to buy what you like, set aside an amount to spend every year, talk to galleries about the artists and the work they are making now and to join the Contemporary Art Society.
JOIN – For the expert
The Contemporary Art Society exists to develop public collections of contemporary guide to contemporary art across the UK for as wide an audience art and collecting as possible. It is also the UK’s leading authority on contemporary collecting. Whether you are completely new to contemporary art, already enjoy it, or want to collect it, its membership schemes offer the inside track on some of the most exciting artists and exhibitions. To find out more about the membership schemes in the North West and North East of the UK please contact either: Mark Doyle (North West) mark@contemporaryartsociety.org Tel: 07891 880 498 or Rebecca Morrill (North East) rebecca@contemporaryartsociety.org Tel: 07815 830 182 Image: Contemporary Art Society trip to Scotland, 2011 Photo: Ruth Medcalf
‘My biggest recommendation [to potential collectors] is to join the Contemporary Art Society. They run an amazing programme that gives you access to talks, curators, artists, studio visits, even to the Venice Biennale. It’s ideal if you don’t work in the sector like I do, as it really helps to give a proper insight into what good artists are out there and this is so valuable when thinking about making a purchase.’ Catharine Braithwaite
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Harris Museum & Art Gallery Market Square, Preston, PR1 2PP T. 01772 258248 E. harris.museum@preston.gov.uk www.harrismuseum.org.uk