27 Exhibition
I never could have imagined 27 years ago when I started on this collecting journey how central this passion would be to my very being and how essential it would become for both Ellen and me to surround ourselves with works of art, particularly photographs, that surprise, engage, and nourish us. I’ve often said ours is more a collection of stories than images or objects. Virtually every work in this exhibition is tightly bound up with a story, some quite elaborate, of an artist, a place, an experience, or all of the above. Many mark a lesson or milestone in my collecting education. This collective history has indelibly shaped my life, my work, and my legacy.
The concept for this exhibition was to look at the arc of my collecting practice since I started in 1998 by way of showing 27 of the earliest works to enter the collection alongside the most recent 27 acquisitions. It has been a total joy to see the old and new playing together and to have Cassilhaus regulars smile at the chance to see an old friend back on the wall. I wish I could tell you there has been some grand epiphany and the deep psychological proclivities and motivations of Frank’s psyche have been laid bare. But the reality is the work I select and the impulse that elevates one piece over all others has stayed remarkably consistent over time and that the collection holds together with an undeniable unifying gestalt. Classic black and white, contemporary color, and alternative processes work are all well represented across the full 27 years with a bit more color in recent years. There is also much more work by local and regional artists in the mix in recent years as I have come to know them personally.
Selecting a work of art to join the collection can be complicated! Beyond the obvious and primary aesthetic and emotional impact considerations, there is a complex matrix of concerns including provenance, backstory of the image/object, relationship with the artist or gallerist, career stage of the artist, technical process, existence of other work in the collection by the same artist, cost, and physical size. I have a three-day rule-I like to have three separate encounters with a work before I purchase so I can distinguish love from lust. With the exception of work donated to auctions, I have never sold or deaccessioned a piece from our collection, and we do not have work that I regret purchasing. I have never purchased a work of art with an eye toward investment or value appreciation and I celebrate hanging the work of an unknown local artist next to an established master.
As always, many thanks are due for help pulling this exhibition together. Heather Evans Smith created our wonderful show graphics (and a stunning piece in the show!). Caleb Rivera produced this beautiful gallery guide. Cici Stevens was integral in so many ways to get the show on the wall. So many artists, gallerists, curators, and museum professionals have mentored me along the way, and I am deeply grateful. A deep bow to the 50 artists who created these works that feed my soul. And to Ellen, my love and collecting partner, here is to 27 more.
Frank Konhaus, Collector and Curator
November 2025