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Section: Arts
Exploring the Collection of Charles Penney
By Julia Burke; photos by kc kratt
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Charles Rand Penney.
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The name Charles Rand Penney is one of the Western New York artistic community’s most beloved, and important. His collection is extraordinary, and now audiences have a chance to see, and even bid, on it.
On October 4, noted art collector Dr. Penney will sell his collection of approximately 275 works in an exhibition at the Buffalo/Niagara Marriott. Accumulated over a period of forty years, the collection primarily features WNY artists and spans a variety of media including photographs, sculpture, prints, paintings, and ceramics.
Though Penney donated a significant portion of his collection to the Burchfield-Penney in the early 1990s, “He kept some of the collection for his continued enjoyment, and being the inveterate collector he is, he continued to acquire pieces,” says Dean Brownrout, an art dealer specializing in the art of Western New York who is working on the event. “He just celebrated his 86th birthday, and has become less acquisitive. Over the past few years, Mr. Penney has sought to find homes for many of his various collections.”
Penney’s Niagara Falls prints, for instance, went to the Castellani Museum in Niagara Falls, while a selection of his New Guinea artifacts went to the South Australian Museum. “Penney is trying to place many of his collections while he still has the energy to facilitate this. It’s a responsible thing to do,” says Brownrout.
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Martha Burchfield’s Summer Roadside (c. 1960).
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James Litz’s American Express (1995), painted wood.
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This particular Penney collection is notable for its emphasis on artists who rose to fame in WNY, such as Martha Burchfield, Ralph Avery, Robert N. Blair and Cindy Sherman. Penney seeks to disseminate these works locally rather than place them in museums. “He felt it would be best served by remaining in public hands,” says Brownrout.
The works in the collection date from 1915 to 2005 and highlight what Brownrout considers a truly diverse selection of the region’s best art, with nearly two hundred artists featured. “One of the exciting effects of the collection, and what makes Mr. Penney such a great collector, is the evidence of his discernment, revealed by his selections — they also highlight his broad tastes and interests,” he says.
Brownrout notes that the selection of original photographs in the collection is particularly intriguing. “Many of these pieces were purchased at the annual CEPA Gallery auction,” he says. “Penney would often purchase the most important offering from each year’s event, to both support the institution, and to acquire a vital and significant piece.” Consequently, the collection includes a number of prominent Western New York photographers as well as several nationally renowned photographic artists who chose to donate to CEPA.
Brownrout considers this sale, which is open to the public, appropriate for novice collectors as well as art connoisseurs. “There really is something for everyone at this sale,” says Brownrout. “The bulk of the works in the show are priced under $1,000, with several pieces priced at $50 to $500. It’s a great event for a first-time buyer or starting collector to find a piece of art with a terrific, and documented, history. And there are also several pieces that are certain to excite the experienced collector.”
The Charles Rand Penney Western New York Art Collection exhibit and sale, presented by 20th Century Finest, will take place on October 4 at the Buffalo/Niagara Marriott Hotel from 1 to 6 p.m. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.20thcenturyfinest.com.
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