The Collector’s Eye Exhibition

Opening Reception: January 5th from 5 to 7 pm

Is a collection a portrait of its owner?

Ekpe Udoh, a Nigerian-American basketball player who grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, believes so. If all works in a collection have been curated by a single person, they are a reflection of this person’s taste, personality, desires, fears, and loves. As a young athlete, Udoh’s passion for art grew and developed alongside his world travels.

It began when Udoh visited an art gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. A painting by Kevin Williams stopped him in his tracks. From there, he went on to visit the artist’s studio and purchased his first “serious” painting. “That’s how I became a collector.” mused Udoh. “For sure, I have always enjoyed going to museums and galleries, especially when I was playing for the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles in 2014-2015. I was also encouraged to pursue my interest by one of my friends’ and his sister who ran a gallery in San Francisco, but Kevin Williams opened a new world for me and in doing so, opened my eyes”.