Collection made public at Kinsey Institute

In the small art gallery in the Kinsey Institute early Friday evening, a crowd of people gathered for the opening reception of the "Identity -- Sexuality -- Gender: Contemporary Art from the Collection of Thomas Robertello" exhibit. \nThe exhibit was composed of a selection of pieces from the private collection of Thomas Robertello, world renowned flutist and professor at the IU School of Music. \nRobertello mingled with the crowd, conversing and occasionally glancing over to catch the reactions of visitors passing by the displays. He later said he was especially interested in watching the visitors looking at the work titled "Paperweights" by John Delk, an arrangement of clear-domed paperweights, each with a used condom against a different background.\nRobertello spoke before the crowd on each piece, giving a sense of the lives and histories of the artists represented. \nInternationally recognized artists such as Amy Cutler, Peregrine Honig, Robert Horvath and Nikki S. Lee were among those whose works were shown.\nRobertello said the way men and women interpreted work was interesting to him. He said most people wouldn't just say, "Huh, this would look great over my sofa," when considering buying any of the pieces. All of the art that can now be seen in the exhibit through Aug. 5 have similar themes, all related to sex, gender or identity.\n"(The) context of the show puts a different spin on the pieces," he said. \nThe exhibit itself came into being almost by chance, Assistant Curator Gary Milius said . This was the first exhibit borrowed from an outside collector because the KI generally uses the gallery to exhibit its own collection of donated art. \nA mutual friend of Robertello and of the KI's curator, Catherine Johnson-Roehr, had introduced the two because of their similar artistic interests. A meeting then took place at Robertello's home where his collection resides, and the idea of having an exhibit came up in conversation. \n"I wasn't really thinking about it, and (the exhibit) just happened ... it was a great and unusual opportunity," Johnson-Roehr said.\n Robertello said he will watch an artist develop for a couple of years before he decides whether or not to purchase a particular piece. \n"I am not an impulse buyer," Robertello said. "I tend not to know why I collected something until later." \nThe other pieces in his collection not exhibited in the show relate to his music. He describes the other pieces as "beautiful and lush" with different subject matter and themes than that of the show. \nRobertello's interest in collecting art began in his early twenties when he saw a piece he wanted but couldn't afford. To alleviate this problem, he began to paint himself and in so doing realized the value of work that goes into a piece of art. Robertello was eventually able to start collecting small works on paper but later moved onto "more interesting, conceptual art." \nNow, most of the art in his collection is contemporary paintings and prints with some photography and sculpture as well. \nAlong with his private collections, Robertello is highly involved in the arts elsewhere. He also owns the JET art gallery in Washington, D.C., which exhibits emerging and mid-career artists of all media.\n"JET's artistic program embraces a diverse group of local, national and international artists," Robertello said.\nRobertello is in his eighth year of teaching at IU.\n"I feel very pleased that the Kinsey Institute recognized the importance of the work," Robertello said. "I feel very proud to support it." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Liz Wepler at ewepler@indiana.edu.