An art collector donated 43 paintings that feature Southeast Asian artists to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the university said Tuesday.
Pierrette Van Cleve presented "Memory/Commitment/Aspiration" -- composed of paintings she owned -- at the university in September and donated the exhibit and additional pieces to UALR later in the fall.
After seeing the enthusiasm for the works among students and a period of reflection after her mother's death, Van Cleve decided to donate her collection to the university, gallery Director Brad Cushman said.
"There was a time of reflection, and she said 'you know, I think it's important to have my collection at a university where it can be studied,'" Cushman said Tuesday.
Cushman said he plans to propose that the university create a traveling exhibit featuring the works. Ideally, the exhibit would travel throughout Arkansas and expose people to the art from Southeast Asia, which includes the countries of Cambodia, India, Tibet and Vietnam.
The art addresses the oppression of the peoples of Southeast Asia and enlightens Arkansans to their plight, according to a news release from the Windgate Center of Art + Design at UALR.
"So of course we were excited because that gives us an international voice to our collection that we didn't have," Cushman said Tuesday about the artworks.
In the news release, Van Cleve said that, as a collector, she is drawn to works of art about freedom, equality and fights for justice.
"Today, more than ever, it is very important to teach cultural diversity and give students a perspective beyond their immediate surroundings," Van Cleve said.
Cushman will incorporate the artwork into the gallery's more than 1,600-piece collection, sometimes rotating the new pieces into permanent exhibits at UALR, he said. Additionally, some of the works will be displayed throughout the campus.
Metro on 03/28/2019