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By Toni Robin
Last year, San Diego lost a dedicated businessman, family man, arts lover and philanthropist, Matthew C. Strauss. Together with his beloved wife of 70 years, Iris, Matthew Strauss made a collective mark on arts and culture, cancer research, and the Jewish community in San Diego. Now, selections from their private art collection, repeatedly highlighted in ARTnews Top 200 Collectors list, will be on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) in La Jolla. An Artful Life: A Tribute to Matthew C. Strauss honors the philanthropic legacy of this San Diego native by showcasing two dozen artworks for a limited-time special exhibition. From artists associated with Pop Art to today’s brightest talents, the exhibition shows the variety and dynamism of recent art.
Visitors to MCASD, located on the coastal bluffs of La Jolla, will be able to experience the vibrancy of contemporary art, as seen through the eyes of this impassioned art collector and generous philanthropist. An Artful Life: A Tribute to Matthew C. Strauss provides a public glimpse into the private collection which is recognized for its bold and expansive holdings of contemporary art. For more than 35 years, the couple built a collection that features art world luminaries. In the late 1980s, the Strausses began collecting in earnest. They began by looking. The Strausses decided to focus their attention on the art of the present day–contemporary art. The couple frequented galleries and visited museums, particularly the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. At MCASD they were introduced to artists, like Jennifer Bartlett, whose work would become some of their earliest purchases. They also traveled with MCASD’s patrons’ circle, where they were able to meet other collectors as well as artists. Matthew Strauss felt their collection made one look at art differently, by offering new perspectives of the world around us.
Through such research, travel, and intuition, Matthew and Iris shaped a collection that highlights developments in painting from the past four decades. The featured artists in An Artful Life, likewise, span generations: from figures who emerged on the American art scene in the 1960s, such as Robert Rauschenberg and Alex Katz, to younger talents, such as Damien Hirst and Mickalene Thomas and who were born in the 1960s. Abstract works by Frank Stella and Elizabeth Murray–part sculpture, part painting–seem to emerge from the gallery wall, while lush canvases by Cecily Brown and Kehinde Wiley update the tradition of figurative painting. The collection also reflects the international character of today’s art world. An Artful Life contains paintings by Sigmar Polke and Georg Baselitz, both who were active in Germany. Other global highlights include a signature “happy flower” painting by Japanese art star, Takashi Murakami, and a gold-backed floral composition by Beatriz Milhazes from Brazil. The exhibition also includes two distinctive, figurative sculptures. Antony Gormely creates a lead-covered figure that appears to be falling. The noted British artist often uses his own body as the basis for his work. Nick Cave creates mixed-media “sound suits,” which are intended to be worn in dancelike performances. Here, colorful crocheted squares form a fitted garment that is adorned with an outsized floral headpiece.
As the Strauss collection grew in scale and importance, so did their leadership in the arts community. Iris served on the San Diego Arts Commission. Matthew held leadership positions at MCASD, serving as a Trustee since 1991. As President from 2013-2016, he helped initiate the goal to expand the La Jolla location, spearheaded by Selldorf Architects. This project changed the face of the Museum forever, quadrupling the size of the existing gallery space to bring MCASD’s incredible permanent collection holdings to the public. It’s fitting that the upcoming exhibition will be displayed in the Iris and Matthew Strauss Galleries at the newly remodeled La Jolla location.
“My parents were passionate about art and their goal was to collect the best examples of contemporary art from the best artists, which is how they created a World Top 200 collection,” said Steve Strauss, MCASD Board President. “They also accepted the responsibility for being custodians of this art collection which they shared and exhibited with the public, including local art institutions, museums, colleges and universities.”
“Matthew and Iris Strauss’ generosity has bolstered MCASD’s vision to connect diverse audiences to the transformative power of art,” explained Kathryn Kanjo, The David C. Copley Director and CEO. “This small slice of their impressive collection is a window into a life devoted to contemporary art at the highest level. It’s fitting that these works will be on display in the Strauss Galleries, named in their honor, in our expanded La Jolla facility. We hope it inspires the next generation of art collectors.”
Joan and Irwin Jacobs are Presenting Sponsors of An Artful Life, alongside other sponsors including Barbara Arledge, Sheldon Morris and Catriona Jameison. Learn more and plan your visit at https://mcasd.org/.
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