Bloc Magazine Spring 15

A ndy Warhol’s pop art can create a feeding frenzy among collectors, with one of his Elvis paintings recently fetching £50million at auction, yet the legend himself preferred to collect chintzy china cookie jars to display in his own home. The first ever major exhibition of private works owned by post-war and contemporary artists shines a light on the pieces that modern maestros find beautiful and what has inspired them to create. From Warhol’s cartoonish collection to Damien Hirst’s macabre selection of skulls, taxidermy and dead bug wall hangings, the show is a must-see for art lovers everywhere. The Barbican, London’s top performing arts centre, has assembled an eclectic body of work showcasing everything from the exhibitionist to the touchingly intimate. Magnificent Obsessions: The Artist as Collector features works owned by Arman, Peter Blake, Edmund de Waal, Howard Hodgkin, Dr Lakra, Martin Parr, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Pae White. Their collections, curated for the gallery by Lydia Yee, range from mass-produced memorabilia and popular collectibles to one-of-a-kind curiosities, rare artefacts, and natural history specimens. Curiosities from the collections appear alongside at least one key example of the artist’s work to provide insight into their inspirations, influences, motives, and obsessions. DEEPLY PERSONAL Jane Alison, Head of Visual Arts, Barbican Art Gallery, said: “It is a joy to have brought together the treasured private collections of the fourteen artists in one place. “The thrill of collecting is something we can all relate to, and I am sure visitors will enjoy this deeply personal and endlessly fascinating show.” Each collection varies in size from fewer than 20 to more than 3,000 items. They are installed in separate spaces within the gallery reflecting each artist’s aesthetic style, display techniques and live-work environment. Despite the fact the artists taking part are internationally recognised, their own collections have (until now) remained behind closed doors and less well known. French-born artist Arman, for example, developed an interest in African art as a student. His habit of assembling collections of like objects became a hallmark of his accumulation sculptures in the 1960s. His collections include important examples of African art and Japanese samurai armour. Meanwhile Pae White’s collection of more than 1,000 scarves by the American designer Vera Neumann and Martin Parr’s British postcards reflect the lighter side of the artists’ nature. ANDY WARHOL PAE WHITE WWW.BLOCHOTELS.COM // 33