The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collection

Mission

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collection supports the mission of the center and the university by acquiring, documenting, preserving and exhibiting artworks of aesthetic, cultural and historic significance.

Core Beliefs

• An appropriately sized collection assists in meeting the center's goals through internal exhibitions, as well as campus and external loan programs.
• The collection offers the center opportunities to support acquisitions that meet collection goals.
• The collection is utilized for aesthetic and educational value as an off-site extension of the center's programming.
• Ethical care of all objects is at the heart of all collection efforts.

History of the Permanent Collection

The collection came into existence in 1975 with the purchase of two-dimensional objects of works on paper from a popular exhibition program known as the Appalachian National Drawing Competition (ANDC). Since 1975 the collection has been built through the drawing competition purchases, gifts from artists, Appalachian faculty and staff, as well as gifts from local, national and international patrons of the arts.

Prior to 1985, the objects were housed under the Catherine Smith Gallery (CSG). The CSG was transferred to the Office of Arts & Cultural Programs (OACP) between 1985-1986, along with the existing collection. When the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (TCVA) opened its doors in 2003, the collection of approximately three hundred objects were transferred from the OACP and are now housed under and known as the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Permanent Collection. The TCVA has increased its collection holdings since 2003 and is comprised of an eclectic group of two and three-dimensional works of art, including large outdoor sculpture. The collection maintains an inventory of over 1090 objects.

The Permanent Collection enjoyed a fruitful year adding 33 new works of art to the holdings. These include purchases of works by artist Robert Motherwell and from the 2009 Halpert Biennial as well as a gift of glass from the Randolf D. Fox Trust. 2008 saw the addition of 281 new works of art. We are pleased to announce that these generous gifts were donated from artists, donors, patrons and organizations for the purpose of enriching and strengthening the depth of the permanent collection. Donors included The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Willard L. Brigner Estate, Mark & Barbara Moskowitz of Gastonia, N.C., Peter & Joni Petschauer of Boone, N.C., Dr. Margaret Polson of Iowa City, Iowa, Drs. Robert & Judith Pulley of Chapel Hill, N.C., Mrs. Martin John Roess and individual works of art from artists Liu Chunjie, Michiko Hamasaki, Toukoku Harada, Kim Juewhe, Daniel Kariko, Delaina LeBlanc, Kichung Lee Lizee, and Junko Matsumoto.

Programs of the Collection

• Intra-Campus Loan Program (ICLP)
  The Permanent Collection established a uniquely designed and popular program called the Intra-Campus Loan Program (ILCP). This program places works of art from the collection in a variety of public spaces across Appalachian's campus including administrative offices, conference rooms, dining facilities and reception areas. ICLP participants benefit significantly from this program by utilizing the opportunity to feature intriguing, inspirational and original works of art which in turn provides accessibility to the visual arts on a daily basis to students, faculty, staff and visitors. A current listing of on-campus participants is located below.
  • Academic Advising
  • Appalachian Loft
  • Creative Services
  • Computer Information Systems
  • Department of Accounting
  • Department of English
  • Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Department of Health, Exercise and Leisure Studies
  • Department of History
  • Department of Human Development & Psychological Counseling
  • Department of Marketing
  • Department of Management
  • Department of Nursing
  • Department of Philosophy & Religion
  • Department of Political Science & Criminal Justice
  • Disability Services
  • Farthing Auditorium's Box Office
  • General Education
  • Cratis D. Williams Graduate School & Research
  • Helzer's Honors Program
  • Institute for Health & Human Services
  • Living Learning Center
  • Learning Assistance Program
  • Multicultural Center, Student Development
  • Office of Arts & Cultural Programs
  • Office of Equity, Diversity & Compliance
  • Office of Student Development
  • Registrar's Office
  • Rosen Concert Hall Lobby
  • Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
  • Women's Center, Student Development
  • Writing Across the Curriculum
  The ICLP provides artwork for participants on a first-come, first-served basis. (Updated January 2010)
• Exhibition Program
  The Permanent Collection employs its objects as an integral component of the TCVA's exhibition program by providing material for rotating exhibits within the Center's six galleries. These exhibits are important in relaying the depth of the collection, providing educational opportunities, and serve as an example of the importance of creating, maintaining and exhibiting a collection. The Permanent Collection is also made available to other organizations to assist in meeting their individual exhibition goals. The TCVA staff is available to assist in research and in the organization of exhibitions to meet the needs of each individual institution.
• Research Program
  Objects from the Permanent Collection are available for study by student, staff and faculty of Appalachian as well as by other visual arts researchers. Participants may visit to study the works in person or digitized images and pertinent information via electronic media. The collection is also used as a teaching tool for students and volunteers who are interested in learning about collections management and provide opportunities for research, preventive care and organization.

Permanent Collection Exhibitions

Current exhibitions include:

• No current Permanent Collection exhibitions.

Future exhibitions include:

• No future Permanent Collection exhibitions are scheduled at this time.

Past exhibitions have included:

• The Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program Exhibition: New Works from the Permanent Collection; November 7, 2008 - February 7, 2009
• Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World: Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Collection of Dr. Margaret Polson; on exhibit at the Kingsport Renaissance Center; Kingsport, Tenn., May 13 - June 30, 2008
• 8th International Collage Exchange; November 3, 2006 - February 3, 2007
• Works from the Turchin Center for the Visual Art's Permanent Collection; March 3 - June 3, 2006
• A Celebration of Music in Art: Works from the Dr. Artine and Teddy Artinian Gift to the Turchin Center for Visual Art's Permanent Collection; April 7 - May 20, 2006
• An Artist as Collector: Selected Works from the Permanent Collection Gifted by Dr. Margaret Polson; February 3 - March 18, 2006
• Ukiyo-e: Pictures of the Floating World: Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Collection of Dr. Margaret Polson; December 27, 2005 - March 18, 2006
• The Omnipotent Dream: New Works from the Joni & Peter Petschauer Collection; October 3 - December 13, 2003
• Selected Works from the Turchin Center Permanent Collection; September - October 2003
• Works from the Permanent Collection at Appalachian State University; October 2003
• Go Figure! Manifestations of the Human Form in Contemporary Art: New Works from the Joni & Peter Petschauer Collection; May 3 - August 30, 2003

Donations & Artwork Gifting Inquiries

The TCVA accepts tax-deductible cash gifts, and gifts-in-kind to benefit of the Permanent Collection, either through further acquisition or direct improvements in the care of the Permanent Collection. The TCVA also accepts gifts of artwork to the Permanent Collection; however, the center is not designed with a focus on collecting. The Turchin Center takes very seriously its commitment to the ethical care of works gifted, and therefore has a limited collection policy that allows for appropriate archival care, storage, and usage. To inquire about possible gifts to the collection, please contact Brook Bower, Assistant Curator or the Curatorial staff.