Museum of the BIG BEND
A Feeling of Humanity : The Ken Ratner Collection
September 16 , 2016-March 26 , 2017
Gary Smith , Utah Farmer
Growing up in a Harlem housing project , Ken Ratner came from very humble beginnings . As a young boy , he felt empathy for the poor , the homeless , and those who lived on the edge . These experiences shaped both his career and the art that he collected : he was drawn to humanity . He initially collected works by the Ashcan School of artists--urban realists who documented street scenes of New York City in the early twentieth century .
After twenty years of collecting on the Ashcan School artists and their circle , Ratner felt the need to support the artists of today . In 2008 , or so , he attended a Sotheby ' s preview of important American paintings . There he came across two paintings by Gary Ernest Smith of western agrarian scenes that floored him . When he later learned of Smith ' s comment that " art is a way of addressing humanity ," it heightened his interest in Smith and other western painters who had a humane response to their environment .
A Feeling of Humanity is the result of Ratner ’ s focused collecting of contemporary western artists . His collection features thirty-seven artists and sixty-three works of art . The exhibit will open Friday , September
16 , at the Museum of the Big Bend , with an opening reception from 6-8 pm . All are welcome to attend .
On Saturday , September 17 , Ratner will speak about his collecting practices and his collection . That same day , the museum will host the third annual Heritage Dinner , honoring those who ’ ve made significant contributions to the Big Bend country and the Museum of the Big Bend .
Taylor Lynde , Morning Post
Silas Thompson , Dawn , Sawtooth Range , Idaho
Tony Eubanks , The New Blanket
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