15/11/2001
by Christopher Chambers

Norman Dubrow, now a retired engineer for the comptroller’s office of the city of New York, has been collecting art since his early twenties. He began with prints by popular 20^th century artists, and soon moved on to include drawings, photographs, and other works on paper among his treasures. He became well known as an avid collector of new cutting edge art and has continued to pursue his passion throughout his life. In 1995 he finally began collecting paintings as well, and has acquired over two hundred major works already in this short span of time.

CHRISTOPHER CHAMBERS: Who are you collecting today?
NORMAN DUBROW: It so happens that on Friday the 19^th of October I gave a lecture called "Newer Than New," which was about work that I bought in 2000 and 2001. I had twenty artists that I put in my lecture and I could have had many more on my list because I have been doing an enormous amount of collecting over the last two years. I would estimate that I have spent $ 200,000 (€ 226,672) each year. This list, which I am going to give to you are artists I have bought in 2000 and 2001. (Reproduced below)

C.C.: Could you pick just three or four favourites?
N.D.: I am going to be in all kinds of trouble, but I’m going to do it. Hiroshi Sunairi. I bet my money that he is going to be one of the top artists of our time (Sunairi’s recent solo exhibition at Andrew Kreps Gallery featured photo-collage and painting on interlocking loopy shapes cut from plywood that fit together into large, free standing sculptural assemblages). The Hiroshi Sunairi was $ 20,000 (€ 22,667). It was just too great to resist. I bought two more of his cut out wood pieces. One was $ 6,000 (€ 6,800), one was $ 7,000 (€ 7,933). The piece by Gelatin (The collaborative four artist Viennese painting/performance group that represented their country in the last Venice Biennial) that I bought is very, very big; the gallery price was $ 8,500 (€ 9,634). I do get discounts. I don’t pay more than $ 10,000 (€ 11,334) for paintings. Another one of my favorites is Erik Parker. Erik Parker is in the show, "the americans.new art," in the Barbican in London which opened on the 25^th of October, and my two paintings are in that show. I have a third, earlier painting and I have huge drawings (Parker’s work pays homage to Hip-Hop culture as well as innumerous thematic listings of public personalities in scrawled handwriting in doodled abandon). I love his work. He is shown by Leo Koenig, New York. Aaron Romine is, I think, one of the greatest realists in America. His subject is the figure. Each painting takes like five months to make. I bought two from his show in September at Kravets Wehby, New York. Right now I have twenty paintings by Aaron Romine and forty drawings, including three major pieces. I’m basically finished. It’s about time other collectors had a chance. There’s a big demand for his work, so the prices are going to be much higher.

C.C.: With so many of your selections increasing in value, do you resell them?
N.B.: I sold my print collection at auction at Sotheby’s Park-Bernet, New York. I have not, to date, sold any of my paintings. My experiences with New York museums have been extremely poor, so that my past policy of donating is not going to continue (Mr. Dubrow feels that certain of the current museum executives in New York who have left his correspondences unanswered and lent his artworks out without permission are "arrogant and stupid."). I have drawings made before 1990. I am going to sell those and I’m going to use the money to buy paintings. I was going to offer these through the Kravets Wehby Gallery. I establish a relationship with dealers. I have an excellent relationship with some dealers and I have no relationship with other dealers who are also very good. With Kravets Wehby I get offered everything. I can buy anything I want. However, I decided not to sell the drawings because of the World Trade Center; this is not a good time. Maybe next year.

C.C.: What are your plans for your paintings and photographs?
N.B.: My painting and photography collection is an excellent survey of art since 1995. In 1995 there was a resurgence in American painting after a few shallow years. By the time I’m finished my collection will cover a ten-year period. I would like to find a museum that is willing to devote four galleries in perpetuity to my collection.

C.C.: When you did donate, did you donate anonymously? Did the placards bear your name?
N.D.: What makes you think they ever showed them?

C.C: Do you give much credence to a, sort of, general consensus of other collectors?
N.D.: I use my own eyes and I use my own judgment. Even a blind man can form a great collection if he has very good ears. But that’s not me.