Shared Space

Why people collect art is as simple and as complex as why people fall in love. The reasons are many. Seeking and gathering as acquisitive traits have been part of human nature since the beginning of time and may well have found their most perfected and emotional manifestation when applied to fine art. Some may do it to leave a mark or create a legacy. Others may do it for sentiment, decoration, memorialization, worship, vanity, wealth display or investment. The most interesting members of this class collect because they are drawn to the skill of the artist and the majesty of the work. Those collectors are a breed above and are best described as art appreciators. This volume, edited by well-known photography authority, Ray Merritt, presents an overview of the Cohen Family Collection. It seeks to show the works in their settings and, through informative and entertaining commentaries, to cast light on the breadth of the collection.