Scantland collection showcases contemporary artists at Columbus Museum of Art
A young Columbus entrepreneur and his family are donating a wealth of contemporary works by rising international artists to the Columbus Museum of Art.
Pete Scantland, founder and CEO of Orange Barrel Media, is committed to finding and purchasing “a collection that captures this moment in time in art history and tells a global story.”
“The works are relevant for audiences today,” Scantland said. “People of my generation and younger will see themselves in the collection.”
The Scantland family – Pete and his wife, Michelle; his twin brother, Matt, and Meara Scantland; Susan and Rob Littleton; and parents Alan and Peggy Scantland – so far have donated two large selections of contemporary art. The first group of 27 works was shown in 2021 at the museum. The second group of 33 works is on display now through Oct. 8 in the exhibit “Present 23: Building the Scantland Collection.”
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With each gift of works, the family also donated $2 million toward museum projects and endowments.
There will be more gifts of art and money to come, said Pete Scantland, who is the board president of the Columbus Museum of Art. The Scantland family is giving the works to the museum not at some future date but now because of how powerfully they believe the works speak to contemporary audiences.
“Present 23” is located in the top floor of the museum’s new Walter Wing. Before entering the exhibit, viewers will see in the hallway a colorful abstract painting by Laura Quin. “Bellweather” is typical in its huge size (about 15 by 8 feet) of many of the works in the collection. Pete Scantland likes to go big.
“What I’m trying to do is collect what I think is the best example of each artist,” he said. “In many cases, they put their most into their biggest works.”
Among some of the other sizeable works: Heather Jones’ textile painting, “Chasing Down the Days” that resembles a traditional Amish quilt; Ghana artist Kenturah Davis’ “The Bodily Effect of a Color (Leigh),” created Chuck Close-style with oil paint applied with a rubber stamp to create tiny squares that coalesce into a portrait; Tidawhitney Lek’s “Remember the War,” reflecting her Vietnamese parents’ experiences during the Vietnam War; and Hayley Barker’s gorgeous pastel woodland landscape, “Riverwood 3.”
If there are commonalities in this exhibit, they have to do with frequently edgy subject matter and a boldness of materials and colors.
Ghana artist Patrick Quarm references Goya’s “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters” with the three-dimensional painting “Dream of Reason,” an acrylic oil on African print fabrics. The main subject is a man sleeping, his head on a desk, while behind him letters spell out GRIM!!
Detroit artist Jamea Richmond-Edwards presents a family portrait – herself included – in the busy, sparkly, glittery scene “Girl in Urban Oasis.”
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And in “3 Oracles,” Los Angeles artist Sayre Gomez pays homage to decaying commercialism with the hyper-realistic painting of an LA warehouse.
The artists, most of whom are under 45 and many of whom are in their 20s, are from more than 10 states and more than 10 countries.
Scantland, 43, earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Elon University in North Carolina. A photographer, he toyed with idea of becoming a professional artist.
“I knew I wanted a career that allowed me to work with artists and I also knew I was a better entrepreneur,” he said.
With Orange Barrel Media, an outdoor media company that focuses on projects involving art and architecture, Scantland said he stays close to and invested in the world of art.
He began collecting as a college student but said that his “mature collecting” has been going on for about seven years. Many of the works he’s bought were purchased specifically with the museum in mind.
“One of the interesting things about the museum is that there’s been a focus on themes of equity, social justice and human rights,” Scantland said. “Many of the works we’re collecting tell that story.”
In the press release announcing the opening of the exhibit, Columbus Museum of Art Executive Director and CEO Brooke Minto said that the Scantland Collection aligns with the museum’s intent to “champion artists who drive meaningful conversations … allowing visitors to engage more deeply in the cultural dialogues shaping our world.”
Despite the two gifts of art works to the museum, Scantland and his wife, Michelle, still have many more paintings hanging in their Upper Arlington home.
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The pursuit of contemporary art continues.
Scantland said he attends numerous art shows, pays close attention and learns a lot about upcoming artists from other artists. He talks to dealers, to friends and he has had numerous conversations with another prominent Columbus art collector, Ron Pizzuti.
“There are a lot of interesting ways to collect art, but I focus on who I believe are the most interesting artists of my generation. I can grow with them as a collector,” Scantland said.
At a glance
“Present 23: Building the Scantland Collection” continues through Oct. 8 at the Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays. Admission: $18; $9 for seniors, students and ages 4-17; free Thursday evenings through Sept. 14; free for children 3 and younger. Call 614-221-6801 or visit columbusmuseum.org.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Collection donated by Scantlands on exhibit at Columbus Museum of Art
