The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collection

Mission

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collection, established with the belief that the arts play a vital role in experiencing, interpreting, understanding, recording and shaping culture, supports the mission of the university by acquiring, documenting, preserving and exhibiting works of art.

The Permanent Collection makes works of aesthetic and historic significance accessible through an extensive exhibition and loan program that: Places art work in public spaces across the university; Places work on loan with other institutions or organizations; Provides the basis for an extended exhibition program in the center's galleries; and Establishes the university as active center for research in the visual arts.

Permanent Collection Overview

The collection came into existence around 1975 with the purchase of two-dimensional works on paper from a program known as the Appalachian Drawing Competition. Over the past 31 years, the collection has been slowly pieced together through the drawing competition's purchases, gifts from artists, gifts from ASU Faculty, as well as local and international patrons of the arts. The collection was housed under the Catherine J. Smith Gallery when the gallery was transferred to the Office of Cultural Affairs. When the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts opened its doors in 2003, the collection of approximately 300 works of art were transferred and newly named the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collection.

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts has increased its holdings over the past 5 years and currently maintains an inventory of over 1,000 works of art that includes over seventeen separate collections. The collection is comprised of an eclectic group of two-dimensional, three-dimensional and larger outdoor sculpture. The majority of the collection can be found throughout university facilities in administrative offices, conference rooms, private offices and the New York Loft. The future of the permanent collection will have a large impact on the education of patrons and the university. The Turchin Center's Registrar's Office is currently finalizing plans for the reorganization of the intra-campus loan program that will take effect late fall of 2006. This newly developed design will focus on the importance of this fundamental program by:

• Allowing the collection to be appropriately documented and preserved;
• Employing the work as an integral component of the TCVA's exhibition program;
• Make the visual arts accessible on a daily basis to students, staff and faculty;
• Create a more user friendly program for participating on-campus organizations;
• Assist institutions and organizations in achieving their exhibition and educational goals; and
• Continue to build a collection that provides students, staff, faculty, artists and outside researchers with visual arts materials important to advanced study.

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collections

Within the larger collection are the following individual collections:

• The Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Polson Collection (Private Collection)
• The Dr. Polson Collection (Private Collection)
• The Marvin Hayes Collection - Gifted by Mr. Roger Fife
• The Charlotte Halpert Collection - Purchased from the Halpert Biennial Exhibition with funds from Mr. Sol "Buddy" Halpert in honor of Charlotte Halpert
• The Dave & Kay Decherd Collection - The Counselors Suite by John Doyle
• The Joni & Peter Petschauer Collection (Private Collection)
• The Muriel Rosen Collection - An Appalachian Summer Festival Retrospective Posters
• The Karl Mann Collection - Gifts by Mr. Karl Mann and Edna Cowan & John Moony
• The Outdoor Sculpture Collection
  • The Be Gardiner Outdoor Sculpture Collection
  • The Robert & Joan Beber Collection (Private Collection)
  • The North Carolina Percent for Art Program
  • The Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Loan Program
• The Cuban Photography Collection - Works by Ramon Cabrales Rosabal, Rufino de Valle Valdes and Tito Alvarez
• The Dr. H. G. Jones Collection - Inuit Art (Private Collection)
• Dr. Artine and Teddy Artinian Music in Art Collection
• The Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World Collection - Gifted by Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Polson
• The International Collage Exchange Collection

Programs of the Permanent Collection

1. The Permanent Collection employs the work as an integral component of the TCVA's exhibition program by providing material for rotating exhibits within the TCVA's galleries. These exhibits are important in relaying the depth of the collection, in providing educational opportunities, and in illustrating the importance of creating, maintaining and exhibiting a collection. Past exhibits have included:
   • 8th International Collage Exchange (ICE 8)
     November 3, 2006 - February 3, 2007
   • Works from the Turchin Center for the Visual Art's Permanent Collection
     March 3 - June 3, 2006
   • A Celebration of Music in Art: Works from the Dr. Artine and Teddy Artinian Gift to the Turchin Center for Visual Art's Permanent Collection
     April 7 - May 20, 2006
   • An Artist as Collector: Selected Works from the Permanent Collection Gifted by Dr. Margaret Polson
     February 3 - March 18, 2006
   • Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World; Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Collection of Dr. Margaret Polson
     December 27, 2005 - March 18, 2006
   • The Omnipotent Dream: New Works from the Joni & Peter Petschauer Collection
     October 3 - December 13, 2003
   • Selected Works from the Turchin Center Permanent Collection
     September - October 2003
   • Works from the Permanent Collection at Appalachian State University
     October 2003
   • Go Figure! Manifestations of the Human Form in Contemporary Art: New Works from the Joni & Peter Petschauer Collection
     May 3 - August 30, 2003
2. Intra-campus Loan - The Permanent Collection has a Loan Program that makes works of art available to any public campus space provided that collection administrator determines the environment is safe for installation. Works are never installed when there is a probable risk of damage due to physical environment (humidity, light, etc), vandalism or theft. Currently, between 90 and 95% of works suitable for installation are on campus loan.
3. Exhibition Loan - The Permanent Collection (through specific collections or through curated exhibitions) is made available to other organizations to assist in meeting their exhibition goals. This process typically involves a loan fee, and provides the TCVA with earned income, and enhances the reputation of both the TCVA and ASU. The Turchin Center staff is available to assist in curating exhibitions or portions of to meet the needs of institutions.
   1. Full Collections Available for Loan
      1. The Dave & Kay Decherd Collection - The Counselors Suite by John Doyle
      2. The Dr. H. G. Jones Collection - Inuit Art (Private Collection)
      3. The Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World Collection - Gifted by Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Polson
      4. The Cuban Photography Collection
      5. The Karl Mann Collection - Gifts by Mr. Karl Mann and Edna Cowan & John Moony
   2. Portions of Collections Available for Loan
4. Research Program - Objects from the Permanent Collection are available for study by student, staff and faculty of ASU as well as by other visual arts researchers. Participants may visit to study the works in person, or (in future months) access digitized images and pertinent information via electronic media.

Fundraising Programs of the Permanent Collection

1. The 8th International Collage Exchange Exhibition Fundraiser - (November 3rd, 2006 - February 3rd, 2007) - This fundraiser is a unique program designed to raise the funds necessary to appropriately frame and mat this new collection with archival materials. From appreciating and understanding the media, purchasing a collage from a select group of collages, to adopting a collage in order to support framing costs, this fundraiser offers several options that will allow visitors to participate on multiple levels. Patrons who participate in adopting or sponsoring a collage or group of collages through a tax deductible gift will not only receive a letter of adoption and a personal "Thank You" from the Turchin Center Staff, but their name will permanently be linked with the sponsored collage each time it is displayed during an exhibition or through the loan program. Patrons may also choose to become a Benefactor and adopt the entire collection in their name. Special discounts will be available for all TCVA Members. For complete details on the Fundraiser please join us during the opening reception, visit the Center, or visit our website after November 3rd.
2. The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts accepts tax-deductible cash gifts and GIKs to support the cost of framing matting portions of this collection with archival materials. Contact the TCVA for giving opportunities.

Artwork Gifting Inquires

The Turchin Center currently accepts inquiries about gifts to the Permanent Collection, however the center is not designed with a focus on collecting. The Turchin Center takes very seriously its commitment to the ethical care of works gifted, and therefore has a limited collection policy that allows for appropriate archival care, storage, and usage. To inquire about possible gifts to the collection, please contact the center at 828.262.3017 or visit turchincenter.org.