An Interview with Robert and Lisa Kessler

Robert and Lisa Kessler are patrons of the Denver Art Museum. Although they collect across categories, they are perhaps most well-known for their collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics which they exhibited in, ‘From the Fire Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Robert and Lisa Kessler Collection’, from 25 September 2016 to 19 November 2017 at the Denver Art Museum. The exhibition featured 65 pieces created by 35 Japanese artists and included pieces made by both master ceramists, designated as Living National Treasures in Japan, as well as by emerging artists. At home, they have built a Japanese and Chinese scroll collection room along with a Japanese garden to house their collection. We speak to them about their collecting journey.

Orientations When and how did you start collecting art? What inspired your collection?

Robert and Lisa Kessler Art has always attracted us in many genres, from mid-20th century Italian glass to Southeast Asian bronze works to Chinese paintings and handscrolls. Now, we are more focused on contemporary Japanese ceramic art. Our inspiration comes from the heart, intuition, and a good eye; when those elements come together, any person can start a collection. Although knowledge is important, that comes later. In terms of what drew us to Japanese ceramic art, certainly our visits to Japan, but also the history, variety, and connections to the culture—not to mention the value-for-money of this category that cannot be beat.

O What distinguishes your collection and why did you decide to focus it in this way?

K In our focus on Japanese ceramics, we want representative works from all the major styles such as Bizen, Tamba, Shino, Hagi, and so forth to highlight not only the functional aspects of classic Japanese ceramics but also the variety of styles—including those post World War II that morphed into purely sculptural works. That is what distinguishes the collection. Our idea was also, upon acquiring at least two or three works form an artist, to add a piece of calligraphy or painting done by the artist to show a more complete picture of his oeuvre. This is sometimes difficult because most of the living National Treasures are no longer with us, and to acquire their artwork from families is challenging.

O Has the focus of your collection shifted over the years and if so, what led to the changes?

K We have shifted in what we collect, and travelling frequently to Japan was certainly a key factor in that change. Also, seeing how contemporary Japanese ceramic art is being shown at museums throughout the world today inspired us to be part of this exciting new collecting field.

O How do you display your collection? What was the feedback when you exhibited your collection of Japanese ceramics at the Denver Art Museum?

K We are lucky enough to have the space in Denver for a building on our property to house and display the collection as well as for a Japanese garden. The positive response to our exhibition at the Denver Art Museum was beyond expectations: it was a rousing success and folks were blown away to see works such as they never knew existed.

O What are your criteria when purchasing an artwork? How important is it for you to establish a personal connection with contemporary artists before acquiring their works?

K Since we have looked at art of all sorts and genres throughout the years, we have developed a good eye and know what we want to diversify the collection. Therefore, I would say an immediate attraction is a key criterion. Works also have to broaden the collection in terms of depth, style, and form. We have not placed great importance on establishing a personal relationship—if that happens, great, but it is not always possible to meet artists directly, especially when travelling on a tight schedule. Of course we have met quite a few artists on our travels, and those connections certainly add to the pleasure of owning their works.

O As a collector, have you noticed a change in the reception or attitude to Asian or Japanese art in the market?

K Absolutely! Just in the field of contemporary Japanese ceramics there has been a sea change in appreciation for the category, and more and more museums in the USA are showing this genre. With the prices for these incredible works ridiculously low in comparison to other categories of art, one can purchase a fantastic piece for well under US$10,000 and have it shown in any museum in the world. That cannot be said for much else in the art world. We are confident most of these will stand the test of time.

O What are the latest additions to the collection?

K We just acquired a wonderful large Karatsu jar by Nakazato Muan (1895–1985) and also a yellow Seto jar by Kato Kozo (b. 1935); both of these potters were designated Living National Treasures in their lifetime. The jars were acquired from our Kyoto dealer, Robert Yellin, as were many other pieces in the collection. In fact, when we visit Japan, Robert often takes us to call on established artists as well as up-and-coming ones—we certainly look forward to going to Japan again as soon as possible!

O Has the pandemic impacted your collection practice in any way?

K Not so much. We are not acquiring as much as usual due to travel limitations but we still purchase online, mostly from Robert.

O What are your future plans for the collection?

K We hope to keep adding works that touch us within the criteria mentioned above. At the moment, our collection is on loan to three other museums besides the Denver Art Museum. We hope to see our collection exhibited in more museums.

This article first featured in our November/ December 2021 print issue, pp 96-98. To read more, purchase the full issue here.

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