February Issue 2002
Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC, Highlights Charlotte Couple's Passion For Regional Art
Ken W. Carder
Together with the Gallery of Art & Design at NC State University the Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC, presents Passionate Collectors: Sonia and Isaac Luski, an exhibition of works from the private collection of Sonia and Isaac Luski of Charlotte, NC. "Passionate Collectors" will be on view through Apr. 21, 2002, and includes new works added to the exhibition after its opening last Sept. at the Gallery of Art & Design in Raleigh, NC.
With works ranging from glass and ceramics to paintings, works on paper and furniture, the Luskis' collection is certainly a feast for the eyes. But perhaps even more fascinating are the stories behind each piece, as well as the intensely personal collecting philosophy that drives the Luskis in their search for new art - particularly works by North Carolinians and other regional craftspeople.
The Luskis settled in Charlotte after immigrating to the US from Cuba in 1960. They brought with them their three children and as much artwork as they could carry - which, Sonia Luski says, "wasn't much."
Over the years that followed, the Luskis established a successful real estate business that made it easier for them to develop their art collection. It was a gradual process that took a pivotal turn around 1963, when they met Herb Cohen - a ceramic artist who, at that time, was the curator at Charlotte's Mint Museum of Art - and fiber artist José Fumero. Cohen and Fumero took the Luskis on their first trip to the Penland School of Crafts, a national center for craft education located in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. This, the first of many trips to Penland, gave the Luskis their initial introduction to NC art and crafts.
Bob Trotman
Instead of developing a collection of art from other states or countries, the couple sought out regional works, particularly those created by Penland artists. They pursued with great passion works by NC glass artists such as Mark Peiser, Harvey Littleton, Jon Kuhn, and Richard Ritter. But while glass was (and still is) a primary focus, it is not the only medium they chose to collect. Passionate Collectors highlights the Luskis' overall dedication to regional art, featuring paintings, wood and metal works in addition to glass.
It also reveals the personal relationships that have developed between the couple and the artists they work with. Unlike many collectors, the Luskis refuse to buy from art dealers, preferring instead to purchase works directly from the artists. This process helps the Luskis build friendships that they consider as valuable as the art they collect.
"We become friends with each artist we support," Isaac said. "We have been there for them in the good times, and we have been there for them in the bad times. We worry about their needs; we worry about their well-being."
"Isaac, especially, was the one who had that need to go and visit them again and again," added Sonia. "If we don't like them, they're not in our collection."
Today, their collection totals more than 500 pieces. As long as their favorite artists continue to produce new work, the Luskis will continue to add to their collection, even if it means storing certain pieces to make room for new ones.
"(Collecting) is a sickness," Isaac says. "Once you start, it is hard to stop. We don't have a lot of room, yet we constantly acquire new pieces." His wife added that their favorite piece is "the one we haven't gotten yet."
Though they know collecting might be easier if they limited themselves to only one or two types of art, Sonia and Isaac agree it would be too difficult to narrow the scope.
"You have to have everything to be whole," Sonia says. "You can't be fanatic about one thing. We like everything."
For more information check our NC Institutional Gallery listings or call the Museum at 828/327-8576.
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