Raleigh and Spring Hope, North Carolina
NORTH CAROLINA
The Gutierrez Collection is one of the most diverse, private collections of contemporary visual art in the Southeastern United States. Onay Cruz and Jeff Childers have dedicated their lives to supporting artists and building a meaningful collection to share with the world. The Collection aims to create a space where art becomes a platform for dialogue and understanding across a broad spectrum of identities and perspectives.
To accomplish this they are intentional in highlighting artists that belong to underrepresented communities. They feel that not only the works themselves, but the ideas these artists lay bare through their art, are deserving of a larger audience. This requires intentional creation of opportunities for the works to be seen publicly in North Carolina and around the globe.
Notable artists represented in the collection include: Amoako Boafo, Angel Otero, Anna Segovia, Ayana V. Jackson, Beverly McIver, Carmen Neely, Chirstina Camacho, Cynthia Bringle, David LaChapelle, Gisela McDaniel, Hayv Kahraman, Hernan Bas, Jarrel Gibbs, Jeffrey Gibson, Jun Kaneko, Karen Lamonte, Kehinde Wiley, Maia Cruz Palileo, Mickalene Thomas, Preston Singletary, Raphael Barontini, Samuel Fosso, Tobares Strachan, Yukimasa Ida, Zanele Muholi and Zohra Opokao.
The Gutierrez Collection will be featured in an upcoming exhibition at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC. Works from the collection are also on view at the North Carolina Museum of Art and other prominent museums around the United States.
COLLECTOR'S NOTE
“ Jeff and I started collecting art together around 2013. Initially, it was mostly ceramics and local artists from North Carolina. Prior to that we were always collectors of things that brought us joy - a lot of craft, furniture ,etc.”
Onay Gutierrez
What inspires you most about building a meaningful art collection?
“What inspire us the most about building this collection is the opportunity to amplify the voices of underrepresented artist, sparking crucial conversations about the complexities of our present times.
We are driven by the desire to:
- Showcase diverse perspectives, challenging societal norms.
- Capture the essence of contemporary issues, from social justice to personal identity.
- Preserve snapshots of our era, for future generations.
- Empower emerging artists and foster creativity.
- Create a platform for marginalized voices to be heard."
What are the primary themes in you collection?
“Our collection focus is in the present, contemporary moment -- to showcase the art of our time. The primary themes are diversity of artists and materials, LGBTQ+, Latin and LatinX, African diaspora, and art by women""
It is impossible to choose favorites in your collection, what works would you consider the foundations of your collection?
“This is a very hard question but there are couple pieces that have a lot of sentimental value to me. One of them is Kehinde Wiley's Mrs. Hale as Euprhosyne (2005), which is on view at the NCMA. This was the first work that we purchased when we made the decision to move our focus to more national and international artists. Also, Hernan Bas' Faced with infinite he reloaded his rifle (2009) and Ayana V Jackson's photograh It is only when you lose your mother that she becomes a myth (2020)."
You continue to inspire and support artists from all over the world and have many artist friends. Would you share a story about an artist that you have gotten to know well?
“Meeting artists and sharing meaningful conversations are always the highlights of my art trips. Learning about artists' life experiences and backgrounds allows me to better understand their work and the narrative of their projects. I met my dear friend Ayana V. Jackson in Paris at the opening of the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery. I was captivated by her work--visually beautiful and deeply intriguing. Ayana talked about the research and process she goes through to create each body of work. I was impressed by her extensive knowledge of history and her tireless commitment to her craft. Definitely, getting to know Ayana as a friend, as well as an artist that I admire, has enriched my view of contemporary art and artists' commitment to excellence."
Photography by Ben Alper
