Buy/Collect: Arts Patronage in Minnesota

The relationship between artist and patron is certainly more complex than simply that of vendor and client. A patron not only invests in a piece of art, but sometimes even influences an artist's career in ways perhaps too subtle for the casual art fan to comprehend. "Buy/Collect" will explore this fascinating dynamic, and how it has affected the Minnesota art community. The show utilizes a specific example: the art collection of patron/newscaster Robyne Robinson. Together with co-curator Yuri Arajs, she's selected 12 pieces from her collection, inviting those artists to write explanations of the role patrons have had in their careers. Local artists in the show include Amy Rice, Ben Olson, Frank Gaard, Terrence Payne, and many others. The show kicks off with an opening reception from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 11. Related panel talks on the relevance of arts patronage and its growth and decline in Minnesota are slated for 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, Sunday, April 19, and Saturday, April 25. For more info visit buycollect.blogspot.com.
April 11-25, 2009