Written by Lilli Donohue, Graphic by Lilli Donohue, Images courtesy of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
From the Pre-Raphaelite brothers to street artists, we often forget how so many famous artists ran in the same social circles. I, however, love finding connections between people I’m inspired by. Peggy Guggenheim seemed to have it all. She completely mixed her personal life with the business of art. She floated between many different realms of artists, from the Dadaists to Bauhausians and many more. She acquired at a rate of one painting per day on frenzied trips to Paris during World War II with just about $40,000. With that, she collected works by Brancusi, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst and Picasso, among others. I am constantly in awe of her foresight.
I envy her travels as well, especially with COVID-19 putting a screeching halt to my studies in Hong Kong and Lacoste. She was all over Europe until the war. Then soon after, she was sneaking her marvelous collection into New York after the Louvre declined to shelter the then-contemporary masterpieces.
I feel lucky to be in a place like SCAD, full of creatives. Learning about my fellow students is inspiring in its own way. School doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Guggenheim reminds me to covet friends, not just good grades or recommendations from professors. Her ability to blend friendships, business partners and lovers alike was astounding. She opened her own galleries in Europe and America. As an art history major I look forward to being a curator, I plan on making my career just as spectacular as her life.
I hope to develop the eye (and wallet!) to grow a huge collection. The art market has changed so much, but there is still a plethora of blooming artists who aspire to be as famous as any one piece in her collection. Despite her intense work ethic, she was able to flourish in her social life at the same time.
In a strange way, my idols are Peggy Guggenheim and Tony Hawk. One wouldn’t think they have a lot in common, but the similarities are absolutely there. Both of them are unapologetically themselves. Their authenticity is inspiring and reminds me it is okay to go against the grain sometimes. They are simultaneously rich and famous while also being very low profile. They are stars within their own circles, but iconic regardless.
If you are curious to learn more about Peggy Guggenheim, there is a wonderful biopic, “Art Addict,” which is shown in SCAD’s Art Since 1945 course. I often think about how many great works would have been lost without Guggenheim’s protection and perseverance in WWII.
