The Art of Collecting, the third installment of the Napa Valley Museum’s ongoing series, Napa Valley Collects, curated by Doreen Schmid, is now on view through May 31. While the show includes some gender blending, new media, and a few Old Master works, that only begins to summarize what art collectors and aficionados are calling the best group art exhibition in Napa Valley in decades.
The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see significant work from outstanding private Napa Valley art collections. It showcases a broad range of art collecting styles. It also introduces Napa Valley residents and visitors to some new art world talent, juxtaposing classic and modern master work with contemporary, vernacular and new media art in aesthetically pleasing, provocative and humorous ways. Part of Arts in April‘s (http://www.napavalleycollection.com/events/arts-in-april) month-long cultural immersion into Napa’s arts, wine and food at multiple venues, the exhibition is on view at the Napa Valley Museum (http://napavalleymuseum.org) in Yountville April 2 – May 31.
Photo credit: Deborah Oropallo, Captain Keen, 2014, courtesy Catharine Clark Gallery
This third Napa Valley Collects exhibition explores several themes under the broad rubric of The Art of Collecting. An art collector’s evolution can occur through affiliation with a period. Some collectors focus on a movement such as Abstract Expressionism, Bay Area figurative artists, or fine art black and white photography. Other collections are highly eclectic and emotionally, or narrative, based. Identity is a sub-theme, offering investigations that occur in both medium and subject.
Blue chip and burgeoning artists include Bay Area figurative, Funk and Abstract Expressionist luminaries such as Richard Diebenkorn, David Park and Jay DeFeo. Other standout works include a piece from Deborah Oropallo’s Guise series, a Kara Walker cut-paper silhouette, one of Warhol’s Flowers, a de Kooning sculpture, a Bob Thompson mythic masterpiece, an Albrecht Dürer 1497 engraving, videos from Swiss and German artists, and contemporary and classic photography.
Some of the opening night comments from collectors, aficionados and “opinion makers”: … Most engaging, inspiring and impressive show! … Noticeably raised the bar. Bravo! … The selection of work provided much interest and was a learning experience. The space was thoughtfully divided, the artworks “in conversation” one with another; there was a real sense of discovery. We heard lots of positive comments! …The Kramlich’s video art at the far end was mesmerizing! We spent a lot of time in front of it, and had some nice conversations with other viewers. I think this is also what you look for in mounting an exhibit—interaction, conversation, comment.
NAPA VALLEY COLLECTS is at the Napa Valley Museum April 2 – May 31.
55 Presidents Circle, Yountville, CA 94599