The Conversation Continues

For more than 40 years, James Cottrell and Joseph Lovett have been building an exceptional collection of contemporary art. It is a collection that not only represents many prominent artists of the period, but also reflects the collectors' passion for discovering new talent and making commitments to challenging work before it is critically proven. Their high regard for the artists they collect is often demonstrated by long personal friendships and a practice of collecting an artist’s work in depth over time.

Cottrell and Lovett began collecting seriously in the late 1970s. Important early acquisitions include paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring collected before these artists were widely recognized. Also included are early paintings from a body of work done in the late 1980s and early 90s by Deborah Kass that helped to establish her career. Among other significant artists represented are David Hockney, Malcolm Morley and Robert Mapplethorpe. Inspired by their friendship with French artist, Roland Flexner, Cottrell and Lovett have also collected works by leading contemporary European painters such as Miguel Barceló, Daniel Dezeuze and Noël Dolla.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.