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For me, collecting art has always been driven by history. In particular, the tumultuous history of the Twentieth Century: from the First World War to the Russian Revolution, from the Weimar Republic to the struggle for civil rights in the United States. The Twentieth Century was marked by remarkable social change as well as the ongoing struggle between autocracy and democracy. Since populism and autocracy are again front and center, the lessons of the Twentieth Century take on new urgency. As a result, my collection serves as a vital teaching tool for the education of present and future generations. Last week, we hosted a class of some twenty undergraduate and graduate students from the Institut für Kunstgeschichte und Archäologien Europas, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. Located in the former East German city of Halle (near Leipzig), this institution suffered under the totalitarian regime of Walter Ulbricht and the insularity and constraints of the ensuing German Democratic Republic. It now draws students from throughout Germany and facilitates their travel abroad. We share with you here photos from that inspiring visit, which serves as a model for the manner in which we aim to deploy the collection as an educational tool going forward.
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