Joan and Milton Bagley’s affair with Latin American art began in Sante Fe, New Mexico in the 1980s, when they fell for the colorful sculptures and paintings created by Mexican artists. The couple spent the next decades forging friendships with gallery owners, artists and collectors worldwide, resulting in their amassing more than 60 works by Latin American masters. “We never anticipated the importance that living with art would make in our lives,” Milton says. “It’s been a long, happy road we’ve traveled together — and it’s not over yet.”
For the past 30 years, the Bagleys have showcased their collection in their residences. But now, the couple offers it for public viewing on a much larger scale. From Sept. 6 through Nov. 26, 2006, the Boca Raton Museum of Art presents the exhibit, “Masters of Latin America: Selections from the Joan and Milton Bagley Collection,” which honors the history and culture of Latin American art.
Through more than 60 works never before exhibited, the Bagleys’ impressive collection chronicles the artistry of esteemed Latin American contemporary masters such as Cuban artists Wifredo Lam and Julio Larraz; Colombian artist Fernando Botero; Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Elena Climent; and other artists from Nicaragua, Uruguay and Chile.
Such pieces as Botero’s corpulent “Cavaliere” sculpture and Larraz’s oil on canvas titled, “The Review,” portray the depth of the collection, and represent the genre’s growing popularity.
“The Museum is responding to the taste and knowledge of the community,” says Mary-Anne Martin, a gallery owner who sold pieces to the Bagleys for their collection. “The world has grown smaller and tastes have broadened to include what was once deemed unfamiliar.”
For more information, call 561/392-2500 or visit the website, www.bocamuseum.org.