Page 7 - David Bermant Foundation

Walt HopmansDAviD williAm bermAnt 1919–2000David Bermant was a longtime good friend of mine as well as my son-in- law. We agreed and also disagreed on various points of philosophy as well as art. Mostly we agreed, and when we didn’t, we needled each other mercilessly and laughed a lot. The man’s sense of humor seldom left him.David’s two great interests were building shopping centers—which he did with enthusiasm and success both on the East Coast and in California—and collecting art. The art dearest to his heart was of a technological nature. The title of one of the several major shows he sponsored, P.U.L.S.E. (People Using Light, Sound, and Energy), is a clue to the sort of unique work he felt was the art pertinent to our time. It was art that utilized modern science and technology and did something other than hang on a wall or stand on a pedestal. And he felt that such art should be shown in public places, not just in museums and galleries.Many pieces from his extensive collection are on loan or contributed as gifts to the City of Santa Barbara and to UCSB. At the airport, in the County Building, in themain library, in public schools, and at several locations on our beaches can be seen examples of his unusual, colorful, moving art pieces. To make sure the artform he loved should continue to flourish beyond his lifetime, he established and funded the David Bermant Foundation: Color, Light, Motion.6IN MEMORIAM