This past Thursday night, alumni and representatives of THE EKARD COLLECTION attracted a large crowd to the Samek Gallery as they discussed their role as active art collectors. As I glanced around the room, I was thrilled to see, not only the usual suspects, but students from a variety of disciplines truly engaged in the conversation. This sense of diversity in the crowd was especially interesting as the representatives of THE EKARD COLLECTION opened up the floor for questions. From students and professors covering the floor of the gallery came conversations on a variety of topics, including the economics of collecting, their process in selecting and storing works, and even their opinion on ephemeral works.
What allowed this type of interdisciplinary conversation to occur was the representatives of THE EKARD COLLECTION’s ability to relate to the Bucknell community. Their knowledge of the contemporary art scene was extremely impressive, but they still managed to include the audience members with very little experience in art and art history. This message was communicated early in the discussion, as both representatives of THE EKARD COLLECTION admitted that, while they had been exposed to art growing up, neither had received any formal art or art history education. They also covered the fact that they had initially started their collection as an investment, and had not planned to retain such a large amount of works. In living with the art, however, they agree that they have grown attached, and find great enjoyment in getting to know the artists and the concepts behind each piece. Both messages helped to reinforce their point that art collecting is not reserved for a specific group of individuals. They encouraged us to begin collecting, no matter how small or large the scale, and will hopefully inspire students from different academic backgrounds to engage in our programs. As an art history major, I am especially interested in attracting a variety of students, as it leads to a more refreshing and interesting dialogue.