For immediate release
August 2, 2011
Contact: Wendi Hassan, 801.860.6396
Communications Specialist, Utah Division of Arts & Museums
Claudia Nakano, 801.859.8443
Communications Director, Utah Department of Community and Culture
Collectors Edition Exhibit at the Rio Grande Depot
Thursday, August 11 – Thursday, September 22
SALT LAKE CITY — The Collectors Edition Exhibit at the Rio Gallery in Salt Lake City will feature works of art from the perspective of the art collector. Participants will share a piece or two from their personal collection along with thoughts on their connection to the artwork.
The exhibit will open Thursday, August 11 and run through Thursday, September 22 during state office hours which are Mondays through Thursdays from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm until September 6 and Mondays through Fridays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm thereafter. A reception will be held Friday, August 19 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. during the Gallery Stroll. The Rio Gallery is located at 300 South Rio Grande Street (455 West) in Salt Lake City.
Most art exhibits are fashioned around the artists or the content of the works on display. This unique exhibit shifts the focus to the individuals who purchase original artworks and bring them into their homes and businesses. For these Utahns, art is not something they travel to visit, but something that breathes life, beauty and enrichment into their living and working spaces every day.
“Those who purchase art are a vital part of the artistic fabric of our community,” says Margaret Hunt, Director of the Division of Arts & Museums. “These are the patrons that make it possible for artists to work and earn a livelihood. We often miss out on the stories of how these individuals encountered the artwork, engaged with it, and then made it a part of their daily lives by purchasing and displaying it. And because these purchased works are now part of private collections, it is a particular privilege to have them loaned to us for public display at the Rio Gallery.”
Collectors Edition is about how artwork energizes a space. The pieces are paired with information about the owners’ connection to the work and their thoughts about collecting original art. For Wilson and Wendy Martin “it adds beauty, a sense of permanence and stability and invokes many memories,” and for Mary Dickson, “it’s what makes my house mine.” Selected works will include pieces by Alvin Gittins, George Dibble, Cassandra Barney, Randall Lake, Henri Moser, Alfred Lambourne, and Edith Hamlin.
The individuals showcased in Collectors Edition are as diverse as the works shown. Owners of a few pieces are featured alongside those with extensive holdings. The common thread is the value that original art brings to the collector, and the hope that visitors will be inspired to start collections of their own.
For more information visit artsandmuseums.utah.gov or contact Wendi Hassan at whassan@utah.gov, 801.860.6396.
About the Utah Division of Arts & Museums
The Utah Division of Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Community and Culture with a goal to promote innovation in and the growth of Utah’s arts and culture community. The Division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on programs and services can be found at www.artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236.7555.
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