Page 10 - David Bermant Foundation

experience that I will never forget. Althoughmost of the artists were not known to meat that time, David walked me to each piece, demonstrated its unique qualities, and discussed each artist as if he were describing Rembrandtor Degas. As I listened to each descriptive word,it became clear to me that David Bermant truly understood the aesthetics of each work and believed totally in the creators of each piece. As I think back on that day, I believe that I grew as a museum and art professional. It was my first step in coming to appreciate that serious and important art was being created off of the main street andby artists who took risks in new and exciting technological media. At that time they performed before an audience of one: David Bermant.One of my proudest moments as director of the Butler Institute of American Art was hosting one of the first comprehensive exhibitions of the Bermant collection. It was an eye-opener for most museum visitors who had never experienced art that looked and acted that way. This was also the impetus toward the creation of an art and technology wing, the Beecher Center, here at the Butler Institute, which was funded by the state of Ohio and a local community foundation, the Beecher Foundation. But a key part of this unique venture was the creation of a gallery equipped to handle anyand every type of technologically based artwork, the David Bermant Gallery. Nothing could have been more appropriate than to name a gallery of visionary art after the greatest visionary of that artistic genre, David Bermant.(continued on page 10)DWB with John Harris’ “Mirrored Dome” ................DWB with Nam June Paik’s “Participation TV”................DWB with knopkierie he got from Zulu warrior on African safari................DWB with knopkierie9