To collect is a natural human instinct.
Some individuals gather around themselves objects that depict more about their personality than we can imagine: people can amass comic book collections, fabric scraps, bottle tops and even thousands of Facebook ‘friends’.
For some though collecting can become akin to an artform, particularly when the collection is art itself. And Perth’s Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) is playing host to a very special art collection direct from Venice: the Peggy Guggenheim collection.
‘Every collector sees his or her own collection with their eyes really, and as such every private collection is driven by the passion of the collector,’ said AGWA director Dr Stefano Carboni.
‘I don’t think anyone can tell you the best way of doing it. I don’t think it would be fair to say what is a good collection, as long as it satisfies the private collector.
‘At a public level the aim of the collection is a different thing. As the director of the state gallery I have a duty towards the people of Western Australia to implement an acquisitions policy that is sound and that allows the collection to grow in a certain way and that becomes a good asset for the state.’
Part of Dr Carboni’s vision for the state gallery is the introduction of Great Collections of The World, the first of which is the highly commended Peggy Guggenheim: A Collection in Venice.
The exhibition focuses on Peggy as a collector while looking at the acquisition of each individual piece. In doing so, the overall aim is to highlight her personality and adept skill at collecting.
‘I think it’s a great privilege for AGWA to have a selection of some of the greatest works in the collection,’ Dr Carboni added.
‘The Peggy Guggenheim collection itself is not a very large collection. The original number that she left to the Guggenheim Foundation when she died was about 260 works and they recently have been acquiring works that were part of the collection in the past, so it is now back up to about 400 works.
‘Thirty five of these are on view in the art gallery now. So we’re talking about a good 15 per cent of the original collection.’
Of course, this is theoretically part one of a five-part vision Dr Carboni has for AGWA. And while the specifics of future instalments cannot be confirmed at this point, they can certainly be hinted at.
‘I am working with world renowned institutions to see if it is possible to create with them projects of small scale but very high quality and with a specific focus and do it on a regular basis every year,’ Dr Carboni explained.
‘The idea is that every spring come early summer from now on – and we’re looking into the next five years at least – there will be a great institution in town.’
Where exactly will be coming to visit?
‘Well, last year I travelled in Europe and the United States in particular so definitely we’re looking at a number of institutions in these areas.
‘What I would like to be able to do is to offer a variety of things. I’m happy that the first one is an exhibition of 20th century art. But I would really like to expose the public here in Perth to different periods and geographical areas.
‘We’re close to signing the contract for the next one and it definitely won’t be 20th century art.’
This means that, over the next five springs (including this one), Perth audiences can come to terms with some of the most amazing – and inspiring – ways that humans actually collect.
Peggy Guggenheim: A Collection in Venice runs until January 2011 at AGWA. www.peggyguggenheim.artgallery.wa.gov.au
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
