Collector donates 43 works of art from Southeast Asia to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock
Brad Cushman (right) visits with art collector Pierrette Van Cleve (left) in the Windgate Center of Art and Design. Photo by Ben Krain. An art collector who donated a painting in honor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock鈥檚 art gallery director last fall has followed up her first donation with a collection of 43 international paintings representing contemporary art from Southeast Asia.聽聽Pierrette Van Cleve visited 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in September 2018 to present a series of lectures to art students about the 鈥淢emory/Commitment/Aspiration鈥� exhibit, which featured work from the Pierrette Van Cleve Collection and served as a backdrop for a new art history course, Global Contemporary Art, taught at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock last fall.糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Art Gallery Director Brad Cushman curated the exhibit, which addressed the moral and political oppression of the people of Southeast Asia and India. Van Cleve has traveled throughout Southeast Asia, establishing personal relationships with artists in many countries. As a collector, she is drawn to stories about freedom, equality, and fights for justice.鈥淭he artwork needs to be at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock,鈥� said Van Cleve. 鈥淭he global focus of my collection will bring an international voice to the art collection at the university. The artists in my collection are not as well known in this country. Today, more than ever, it is very important to teach cultural diversity and give students a perspective beyond their immediate surroundings.鈥�The artists hail from Cambodia, China, India, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam, and additional countries. Artists represented in the collection include Leang Seckon, Prom Vichet, Oeur Sokuntevy, Anida Yoeu Ali, Linda Saphan, Amy Lee Sanford, Surjit Akre, Shaw Ghosh, Preyawit Nilachulaka, Liu Yan, Xiong Lijun, Jiang Jung, H.M. Thang, and Phan Thahn Minh.Van Cleve was so impressed by her visit to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in the fall that she donated a painting, 鈥淢y Surrounding People鈥� by Phan Thanh Minh, to the university in Cushman鈥檚 honor.
Art collector Pierrette Van Cleve stands in front of the painting, “My Surrounding People,” that she donated to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in Brad Cushman’s honor. Photo by Ben Krain.
鈥淚t was my gift to the university as well as a nod to Brad鈥檚 decision to show this collection of Southeast Asian contemporary art,鈥� Van Cleve said. 鈥淚 also wanted to honor Brad鈥檚 years of curatorial vision, his dedication, and the gallery which bears his name.鈥�Last fall, Cushman began to make arrangements to send Van Cleve鈥檚 collection back to San Diego when he received the stunning news. 鈥淚t was at this time that Pierrette Van Cleve offered to donate the majority of the works that had been in exhibition plus other works as well. A donation of one work of art turned into a donation of 43 works of art. I was stunned,鈥� Cushman said. 鈥淧ierrette had recently lost her mother and was in a reflective mood. We talked about the importance of having her collection at an institution where it could be used to educate future generations.鈥� Van Cleve鈥檚 collection will be shown in future exhibits in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Art Gallery. Additionally, there are plans to produce a research catalog regarding the history of the artists and paintings from the collection.For more information, contact Brad Cushman at [email protected] or 501-916-5103.In the upper right photo,聽Brad Cushman (right) visits with art collector Pierrette Van Cleve (left) in the Windgate Center of Art and Design. Photo by Ben Krain.聽
