Fraternity-Testvériség, 2008 (86. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2008-07-01 / 3. szám
FEATURE Q. What message does Hungarian art convey or can’t one draw any such conclusions? A. We are not sure there is a ‘message’, other than surely the many artists who created such a beautiful body of work, which when considered as a collective whole, must have come from a well educated, appreciative and nurturing society — which was, in our opinion, very much the case during the period of our interest, 1890-1935. Q. You have to be compatible in that you are both focused on Hungarian art of a certain era, but if Jill were not to approve of a special selection that Kirk made, how would you resolve such a conflict? A. We didn’t always resolve it, but our individual likes and dislikes helped expand the other person’s sensibility. In fact, some of the pieces that one of us liked, but the other didn’t, have now come to be ‘favorites’ of the original dissenter, and visa versa. Q. Jill, do you look at different aspects of a work than Kirk because, as a female, you bring a different perspective to a piece? A. Yes, 1 do have a different perspective at times, but fortunately we have been able to agree on most acquisitions. Q. Jill, out of your entire collection, what is your favorite work and why? Kirk, I have to ask the same of you. Is there something special that drew you to your favorite piece or was it just a “gut” feeling that this one piece “spoke” to you in a special way? A. We can answer this one together: we do have pieces that each of us particularly likes, but neither of us has one ‘favorite’ piece. Q. Tell the readers how your love of Hungarian art meshed with Ambassador’s Brinker’s own art collection. A. Ambassador Brinker’s collection and ours are different in terms of artists collected, but are ‘similar’ in the context that they were both assembled out of genuine love of the work. Q. I’m struck by your knowledge of Hungarian geography, your pronunciation of Hungarian place names, and your many recollections of meeting Hungarians whom you’ve befriended. Part of the joy of listening to your collecting stories is that as you travel throughout Hungary, you find quality works in the most out- of-the-way places. Share with the readers one or two of your collecting adventures that resulted in a treasured piece you least expected to find. A. To be honest, we have acquired nearly every piece in our collection in Budapest, so we do not have any stories about finding an important piece in a small town or out-of-the-way antique market. Regrettably. Q. You compare your collecting to an “Odyssey,” an apt metaphor, but what pitfalls have you encountered? Any disappointments, delays (as Ulysses found), or heartbreaks along the way? A. We have a wonderful collection which we love and treasure, but ‘as collectors’ we always remember the beautiful pieces - which are many - that we were simply not able to acquire. FRATERNITY - TESTVÉRISÉG 19
