Is a collection a portrait of its owner?

Ekpe Udoh, a Nigerian-American basketball player who grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, believes so. If all works in a collection have been curated by a single person, they are a reflection of this person’s taste, personality, desires, fears, and loves. As a young athlete, Udoh’s passion for art grew and developed alongside his world travels.

It began when Udoh visited an art gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. A painting by Kevin Williams stopped him in his tracks. From there, he went on to visit the artist’s studio and purchased his first “serious” painting. “That’s how I became a collector.” mused Udoh. “For sure, I have always enjoyed going to museums and galleries, especially when I was playing for the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles in 2014-2015. I was also encouraged to pursue my interest by one of my friends’ and his sister who ran a gallery in San Francisco, but Kevin Williams opened a new world for me and in doing so, opened my eyes”.

Ekpe Udoh likes to quote James Baldwin, portrayed by Kevin Williams: “Yes, indeed, all art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique”.

Ekpe Udoh’s carefully selected collection of portraits features artists such as Taha Clayton, Jeffrey Henson Scales, Frank Morrison, and of course, Kevin Williams.

Please join ARTSPACE at the opening reception, which will be held on January 5th from 5-8 pm in the main gallery. The exhibition will be on view until Saturday, February 18th alongside Ranelle Zurmehly’s exhibition, Inspiration in Detail.

Featured Image: “Baldwin” by Kevin Williams