Lifestyle
Curating An Art Collection For NM Walnut Creek
PAT DINTINO Burlesque, 2011 oil on canvas. Located on the 2nd Floor in the Personal Shopper office.
LINDA FLEMING Ice, 2011/2012 steel, chrome Edition 2 of 3. Located on the 2nd floor in Couture.
Neiman Marcus is excited to open its 42nd store on March 9 in Walnut Creek, California. Fine art has been an integral part of the store environment since 1951 when Stanley Marcus acquired “Mariposa”, a large-scale mobile by Alexander Calder, currently hanging in the Beverly Hills store. That purchase inaugurated the Neiman Marcus art collection which continues today throughout all of the stores.
ROBIN KANDEL Lakewater 10, 2009 acrylic on panel. Located in between cosmetics and ladies shoes.
LISA ESPENMILLER all 2012 acrylic and ink on canvas over panel. Located on the 2nd floor in the Customer Forum.
The company’s collection contains more than 2,500 pieces in all mediums, ranging from paintings by historically significant artists like Rufino Tamayo and Jean Dubuffet to textiles from around the world. Since 1998, the collection has focused on contemporary, non-representational painting and sculpture, by artists living in, or associated with, the individual communities in which the stores are located. This direction has allowed the stores to support the creativity and distinction within each region, establishing community bonds while maintaining a cohesive viewpoint. Artworks are acquired primarily on the occasion of new store construction or in the case of a remodel.
ALBERT DICRUTTALO Array, 2012 Bronze and steel. Located on the 1st floor in Men's Furnishings.
KIMBERLY SQUAGLIA Bespoken, 2012 Acrylic, oil and resin on panel. Located on the 1st floor in Men's Furnishings.
Since 1992 the collection has been guided by in-house corporate art curator, Julie Kronick. Julie previously worked at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and at the legendary Leo Castelli Gallery. Her refined sense of quality and integrity extend to every piece in the art collection, each of which has been thoughtfully considered and selected with care. Having just returned from installing the new artwork in Walnut Creek, Julie exclaimed, “the store is gorgeous; I am so pleased with all of it!”
ESTHER TRAUGOT Second Nature, 2012 hand-dyed cotton thread, wood, sticks. Located on the 1st floor in Men's Furnishings.
STEUART PITTMAN Young, Full of Daring, 2009 oil on shaped construction. Located on the 1st floor in the entry from parking, between men's and cosmetics.
The Walnut Creek store has 85,000 sq. ft of retail space on two floors plus a third level for administrative offices. There are approximately 160 artworks comprised of paintings, sculpture, works on paper and limited edition prints from 30 Bay Area artists, in addition to the site-specific, kinetic sculpture by Ned Kahn commissioned for the exterior of the building. Half of the interior works are commissions and half were existing pieces. Some artists are represented by more than one work. For instance, the wall piece by Deneane Niebergall consists of 112 small paintings on wood panel.
DENEANE NIEBERGALL Supranatural 112, 2012 acrylic on wood panel. Located on the 2nd floor in Children's.
Niebergall detail.
Julie begins her research for a new store 9-12 months in advance of the opening. She begins by building a network of resources in the particular region, contacting galleries, museum curators and other art professionals. [Full disclosure: I was one who collaborated with Julie in this capacity.] She gradually develops a potential list of artists whose work is consistent with the sophistication, style and price level appropriate for the collection.
MITCH JONES Docutone Series, 2008 oil and mixed media on canvas. Located on the 1st floor in Men's Clothing.
AMY TRACHTENBERG Sleeping Beauty Situation, 2012 Old-growth redwood, picture molding, pine, zippers, metal, shellac, acrylic and spray paint mounted on wood structure. Located on the 1st floor in Handbags.
An extended process ensues in winnowing the many choices down to the few artists whose work will be purchased or commissioned. When works are commissioned, Julie engages the artist in a dialogue concerning color, scale and composition. A commission may offer the artist an opportunity to expand the potential of his or her work. In Walnut Creek, Freddie Chandra was given the challenge to create a painting that spanned two walls at right angles to each other. After several proposals from the artist, with Julie’s expert feedback, a spectacular commission resulted and Chandra achieved a “first” in his own work.
REX RAY Prednigazzia, 2012 collage and resin on panel. Located on the 1st floor in Precious Jewelry.
JUDITH FOOSANER Breaking and Entering #12, 2012 acrylic on paper on canvas. Located on the 2nd floor in Contemporary.
Placement of the individual pieces is another important ingredient in the acquisition process and the visual harmony of the stores. Some pieces can work well in several locations while others feel right in a particular area. Robin Kandel’s painting was specifically designated for Cosmetics. Julie recognized that its intense color, scale and the layering of the paint would be a strong statement in that location. She notes, “from the distance the painting reads clearly and yet up close additional dimensions are revealed.”
FREDDY CHANDRA Confluence, 2012 Acrylic paint, UV-stabilized resin and varnish on cast acrylic panels. Located on the 2nd floor in Designer.
BRIAN CARAWAY Mead Me Again, Maybe One Mile High, 2012 acrylic, pen and ink on panel. Located on the 1st Floor in the entry from parking lot into Cosmetics.
Since inception, the art collection has been envisioned as its own entity. It is separate from fashion and beyond decoration. The collection is part of the identity and culture of the stores. People who work in the stores are educated about the philosophy and history of the collection. Wall plaques throughout the store identify the works and often describe the artist’s intentions. The art adds to the seamless experience of the store for the clientele. The tradition of quality and value, beginning with fashion and extending into all aspects of the stores, is the legacy of Stanley Marcus and the unique sensibility that distinguishes Neiman Marcus from everyone else.
JENN SHIFFLET Radiance, 2012 acrylic and oil on canvas. Located on the 2nd floor in the Cafe.
JENN SHIFFLET Illuminations, 2012 acrylic and oil on canvas. Located on the 2nd floor in the Cafe.
Neiman Marcus Walnut Creek opens to the public on March 9.
