Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections

Minnesota Top Corporate Art Collections

Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections are in places you may not expect.  This article will show you where they are so you might be able to view them. Then we will show you how you can start your own collection.  But first, let’s take a look at why art is so important and take a look at some great national collections.

It is established that Corporate Art—or incorporating artworks and pieces in the workplace – boosts employee productivity, uplift their spirits and encourage employees to perform at their best.

Research has also suggested that artworks in the workplace contribute to creativity and intellectual stimulation.  This more active mentally simulated workforce may lead to better output and inspire out of the box solutions and and ideas.

Many of the world’s finest artworks are owned and managed by corporations. In fact, these artworks have become part of the companies’ assets. However, these beautiful corporate art collections are seldom publicly accessible, kept behind heavy mahogany office doors, or in ironclad safes.

Corporate art collections—or the corporate art trend is hardly a new phenomenon. The first recorded initiative of starting an art collection for a corporation was made by David Rockefeller in 1950. The businessman decided that the Chase Manhattan Bank should start acquiring art.

A decade later, Flemings bank, which was eventually sold to Chase Manhattan in 2000, began building up a notable collection of Scottish art, now housed in the Fleming Collection in London’s Berkeley Square. Today, Deutsche Bank boasts the largest corporate art collection in the world, with more than 57,000 paintings, photographs, prints and drawings, including Gerhard Richter’s Abstract Painting (Faust), which hangs in the firm’s lobby on Wall Street.

Forbes Magazine recently listed the world class corporations that house the biggest and most expensive art collections globally. Here are some of the companies that made it to the cut:

UBS Art Collection

The UBS Art Collection which is proud of its almost 120,000-piece collection which includes pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lucian Freud, Roy Lichtenstein, Brice Marden and Christopher Wool. The corporation’s massive collection was named one of the most impressive corporate art collections of all times.

As this is an asset and treasure of the company, the whole collection is insured for hundreds of millions of dollars. Some of the artworks were also featured at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Tate Modern in London.

“Art gives the business personality,” explains Stephen McCoubrey, one of the curators in charge of the UBS Art Collection. “When you walk into these rooms, they are pretty much all done by the same handful of fit-out architects from one company to another. What makes them unique – what makes this the UBS office and not the Credit Suisse or Goldman Sachs office – is the art on the walls and the people sitting here.”

Microsoft Corporation

The Microsoft Art Collection began in Redmond, Washington, in 1987, a time when today’s biggest company had only approximately 2,000 employees and occupied six buildings. To date, the collection includes almost 5,000 works of art and is displayed in more than 180 buildings—not just in their main office but throughout the satellite offices all over the world.

A collection that features contemporary art made by artists from all around the world, is displayed for the benefit and enjoyment of Microsoft employees, their guests, and Microsoft customers. The whole collection is made up of paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photographs, ceramics, glass, multimedia works, prints, collages, drawings, fiber art, metalwork, mixed media, and associated archival materials.

As stated in their website, the massive collection supports the mission of the company to support employee stewardship. Through art, Microsoft’s culture, values and citizenship should be reflected. Owners and the management acknowledge that art is one of the elements essential to a company’s success.

JP Morgan Chase & Co.

The huge and world class JPMorgan Chase Art Collection began in 1959 when David Rockefeller, then president of The Chase Manhattan Bank, established the firm’s art program and took the lead in the field of corporate art collecting.

The innovative CEO had his vision of integrating artwork with the architecture of new buildings and incorporating an enlightened approach to acquisitions. Years after, this has become a model for other companies worldwide.

Presently, the corporation’s collection remains as one of the oldest and largest corporate art collections in the world, featuring modern and contemporary works of art including paintings, sculptures and photographs which present a diverse and eclectic range of objects from every country in which JPMorgan Chase has a leg and operates, in which the company offers a unique perspective on the firm’s culture.

As stated in their website, the company believes that arts and culture are the lifeblood of vibrant communities. Through maintaining a large collection and sponsoring art initiatives and programs, they promulgate creativity, provide access to the arts to underserved audiences, promote self expression and celebrate diversity.

The JPMorgan Chase Art Program tallies more than 30,000 objects in 450 corporate offices around the globe.

Simmons-Simmons

The Law firm has one of the leading collections of modern and contemporary art comprised of works by British and international artists which represents the energy, commitment and diversity of emerging artists, as well as their corporation’s identity.

Numerous collections are featured in the company’s offices in the UK, China, Singapore, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and France.

Aside from promoting corporate art, the firm also embodies the intention to continue to support young artists from the local communities in which we work, in order to provide our clients, our community partners and our partners and staff with the opportunity to engage with some of the most interesting aspects of contemporary art and culture.

Additionally, the firm has an Art Network, established as a forum for staff with a shared interest in the collection. The company also gets involved in projects and programs which aim to promote art participation and overall promotion in clients, communities, schools and universities.

Claris Eye Care and Surgery of Minneapolis

Claris Eye Care and Surgery of Minneapolis headed by Dr. Keith Carlson has a wonderful collection of fine art photography on display in their lobby.

 

Claris Eye Care -Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections

Claris Eye Care Best Minneapolis Corporate Art Collection

I know this to be the case because they have the largest “public” display of my photography in the Minneapolis St. Paul area. Over the years Dr Carlson and and his wife Charlotte have been wonderful supporters of mine.

Dr Carlson has been written up in the Minneapolis Saint Paul magazine as one of the best Eye Care Professionals in the metro. http://mspmag.com/locations/Carlson-Keith-Minneapolis/

Be sure to check out their client and their great art collection. http://clariseyecare.com/

General Mills Art Collection

General Mills has been a large part of the Minnesota corporate landscape for many years.  They have influenced the local work environment and the local architecture and of course the quality of the local corporate art collections.  They supported both local artist and world renowned artists.  Check out this great article about General Mills art collection.

We’re surrounded by art

Thrivent Finanacial Collection of Religious Art

Thrivent financial has a very interesting collection of religious art. With Thrivent originally being a financial institution for Lutherans, it would make sense that there art would have a really religious twist to it. The collection presents an impressive range of exemplars of Western art history, from Albrecht Dürer to Rembrandt van Rijn and Pablo Picasso.

Check out this great article on Thrivent Financial’s art collection:

https://www.thrivent.com/offers/art.html

New Minnesota Vikings Art Collection

The Minnesota Vikings got involved in art collecting as they built their new US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. They commissioned the local and National artists and students to create a wonderful array of Art.
You can find more details about their collection in this interview:
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/07/26/u-s-bank-stadium-art/

Target Corporation Art Collection

Target Corporation is known to have a very large collection of art. It turns out some of my work is even part of their collection.

Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections University of Minnesota Hospital Selects Wayne Moran Fineart Photography Images

Marjorie McNeely Conservatory – Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections

I was contacted about a year ago from people working in the Target headquarters legal department. They wanted to have local art in their collection. I must say I was very happy to be a part of their collection.

M Health Hospital Art Collection

When the new M Health Surgical Center was built, local artists were contacted so that their work could be displayed in the hospital.

360 view from top of gondola at Lutsen Mountain Resort Autumn Photography on the North Shore of Lake Superior Minnesota

M Health Clinic Art Collection-  Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections

46 of my prints were purchased for that collection and needless to say I was ecstatic.
You can read more about that collection here.

University of Minnesota Hospital Selects Wayne Moran Photography Images

How To Start Your Own Art Collection

So now you’ve seen a little bit about the incredible National Collections and some Minnesota-based collections. You might be wondering, how do I start my own collection? If you’re just getting started and you would like to start small I would like to recommend to you starting with local artists. They are generally the most flexible to work with based on your style and your budget. You get to support local small businesses but you also get to fill your art collection with art that touches the heart and soul of your employees because they are familiar with the scenes depicted in the local art.

Check out this great article here about starting your own art collection.

5 Easy Steps How to Buy Art For Your Home or Office

Conclusion

So I hope you found this article helpful. If you would like help starting your art collection using the local Minnesota art feel free to contact me and I would be happy to help.  Please share this article “Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections” with your friends.

These images and many more are available for purchase.

Buy Now Minneapolis Corporate Art

Find the complete online gallery here: Wayne Moran Fine Art Photography

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Minnesota Best Corporate Art Collections

Written by Wayne Moran - Visit Website
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