Contemporary Collecting

by James Rondeau

Published 5 July 2010

Donna and Howard Stone, two of Chicago’s premier art patrons, have collected works of art in all media for more than 30 years, building one of the most distinguished private collections of contemporary art in the country. Much of what they have acquired relates to advanced Minimalism and Conceptualism in the art of the 1960s and 1970s, and the various kinds of artistic practices that these movements inspired in contemporary art.

Contemporary Collecting is a compelling and detailed look at the entire collection and highlights pieces included in the exhibit, which features works by artists Dan Flavin, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, Gerhard Richter, Robert Ryman, and Franz West. Included in the catalogue are an introduction to the impressive collection by James Rondeau, an essay by Judith Russi Kirshner on notable works in the collection, and an in-depth interview with Donna and Howard Stone about their history as collectors.



Distributed for the Art Institute of Chicago


Exhibition Schedule:

The Art Institute of Chicago(06/25/10-09/19/10)


One of Chicago's premier art patrons and an architecture and interior design critic, Judith Neisser has amassed a remarkable collection of international contemporary art. More than 100 works are presented in this captivating, inside look at the Neisser family collection, highlighting paintings, sculpture, and works on paper from the 1960s to the present. Special emphasis is given to Minimalism and Conceptualism, most notably objects by Sol LeWitt, Robert Ryman, Donald Judd, Brice Marden, and Blinky Palermo. Other artists practicing in distinct traditions, such as Eva Hesse, Cy Twombly, and Rudolf Stingel, have been wonderfully integrated into the collection based on shared themes such as seriality, the monochrome, reductive geometric forms, and the grid. Included in this generously illustrated book is an in-depth interview with Neisser about her distinctive collection.



Distributed for the Art Institute of Chicago


Exhibition Schedule:

The Art Institute of Chicago
(02/13/11-05/22/11)