From The President

ronald

Many years ago, I read a book by Pierre Cabanne called The Great Collectors. In his text, Cabanne describes the collector’s impulse as a kind of addiction. I must confess that I have been afflicted with this addiction right from the start. My absolute love for and dedication to collecting art has been one of the guiding passions of my life.

It is impossible for me to imagine my life without my works of art. It is equally impossible for me to imagine this journey without the graceful assistance and tireless dedication of many people. I owe a special debt of gratitude to one of my mentors, the late Serge Sabarsky. In the ten years before Serge died, we shared the dream of one day creating a museum together. Though Serge did not live to see this dream realized, I like to think that what the Neue Galerie has become, with its quality and dedication to excellence, would have fulfilled his expectations and made him happy. I also wish to acknowledge and thank my curator, Elizabeth Szancer Kujawski, and Neue Galerie director Renée Price.

Most private collections are never seen in their entirety during the lifetime of the owner. Although it was not possible to place every item in my collection on display here, the key works in each field are represented. It is my hope that visitors will stroll into the Neue Galerie during this show and be as inspired as I was, such a long time ago in this great city.

Ronald S. Lauder
President, Neue Galerie New York