The Art of Collecting Art - Inside Art with Michael Rose

The Art of Collecting Art - Inside Art with Michael Rose

 

There are all kinds of individuals who promote and support the work of artists. From teachers and curators to art dealers and those who buy artworks, it takes many people to create a vibrant art scene. An expansive new exhibition at WaterFire Arts Center charts multiple forms of art patronage utilizing the collection of Dr. Joseph Chazan, one of Rhode Island’s most prolific arts supporters. The impressive show, titled NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection: A Half-Century of RI Artistic Patronage, is on view at WaterFire Arts Center through September 1, 2024 and features more than 100 local artists.

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The exhibition focuses on artists who were profiled in NetWorks Rhode Island, a video series initiated in 2008 by Dr. Chazan alongside AS220 founder Bert Crenca and produced by videographer Richard Goulis. Primarily utilizing pieces from Dr. Chazan’s wide-ranging personal collection, the show illustrates both his interests as a patron and the production of artists across media working in Rhode Island over the last several decades. There are works in a remarkable array of media by dozens of the state’s most talented makers.

 

 

Of the breadth of the exhibition, co-curator and Chazan Collection manager Candita Clayton says, “The NetWorks exhibition is a testament to the richness and diversity of Rhode Island’s artistic landscape. Dr. Chazan’s collecting journey over the past 50 years highlights the work of both established and emerging artists and reflects local narratives and regional themes. Many of the works included are examples of an artist’s work from decades ago paired with more recent work providing the viewer with a unique opportunity to observe influences or themes over time.”

 

Dr. Chazan’s name is familiar to anyone who follows the arts in Rhode Island. Over many years of collecting he has championed numerous artists, buying their work and shepherding pieces by them into institutional collections. The show at WaterFire is an opportunity to explore the tastes of the state’s most significant art collector, and has also served as something of a launch pad for one of Rhode Island’s young curators - WaterFire staffer and Wheaton College alum Emily Gray.

 

 

Gray, a promising new talent on the art scene who co-curated the show describes her participation by saying, “Being part of this large-scale exhibition is incredibly meaningful for me as an emerging artist and arts professional. To collaborate with and showcase the work of 107 talented Rhode Island artists, many of whom I have seen as personal and artistic heroes who have significantly shaped the state’s artistic landscape, is an honor that is hard to overstate. In co-curating and orchestrating this exhibition with the great minds and talents of Candita Clayton and Barnaby Evans, I was able to hone my curatorial practice and strengthen my connections within the art community in this state while honoring the ever-evolving tapestry of contemporary artists in Rhode Island and their champion, Dr. Chazan. This exhibition is a celebration that I am humbled to have been part of.”

 

A recent opening reception for the exhibition was attended by hundreds of visitors, becoming something of a ‘family reunion’ for those long-involved in the local art community. The exhibition is as much a celebration of human connection as it is of the commercial aspects of art. One of the most poignant aspects of the exhibition is a looped video that features NetWorks Rhode Island profiles of artists who have passed away.

 

 

Summing up what she hopes viewers take away from seeing the exhibition, co-curator Gray says, “I hope viewers leave the doors of the Arts Center with a profound appreciation for the depth and diversity of artistic talent in Rhode Island. NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection exhibition offers a unique glimpse into the journeys and creative processes of hallowed Rhode Island artists, thanks to the incredible foundation of the NetWorks RI video portraits. I hope the exhibition inspires a greater recognition of the importance of artistic patronage and community support in nurturing creativity. What Dr. Chazan has done for this state as a supporter of the arts is monumental.”

 

 

Rhode Island is home to hundreds of talented artists but their work requires support from their whole community, including individual collectors. Dr. Chazan’s patronage is a remarkable example of how to actively underwrite artists. WaterFire’s current show should inspire those who are interested in the work of local art makers to actively support them, encourage them, and collect the artworks they create.

 

 

NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection: A Half-Century of RI Artistic Patronage is on view at WaterFire Arts Center through September 1, 2024. Located at 475 Valley Street, the Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm and Thursdays until 9 pm. Learn more about the exhibition and related programs at www.waterfire.org.