I was out by U of L today and dropped by the Speed, I highly recommend the exhibits being shown there at the moment.
I am a fan of contempary art and was delighted with the Vogel exhibit. The Vogel's story is a book in itself. They started collecting in 1962, she was a librarian and he had a similar job (there goes my memory). Over the years they amassed a large collection often befriending the artists at the same time. As I understand it they donated part of that collection to the National Gallery in 1991. Since then they have collected another 2500 pieces which they have divided into 50 lots of 50 pieces and donated one lot to an art institution in every state. The exhibition is their gift to us.
The pieces are a diverse lot and some really challanged me and made me think about what is considered art and it's place in modern life.
Leading into the gallery is a show of some of the Speed's own holdings. It provides a perfect introducton to the Vogel show.
Downstairs there is a show of recent donations and acquisitions. I found it wonderfully eclectic, from old master works to modern artists. The best part for me were the brief bios of the benefactors which gave lives to the often unknown names I see printed under the titles of art pieces.
It is a wonderful way to spend a thoughtful hour or two, and how lucky are we that it is still FREE!