The Hess Art Collection

Founder Donald Hess’s art collection began when he purchased a painting as décor for his new home. Years later, a friend studied the painting and informed him that he owned a Picasso. This twist of fate gave Donald his first indication that he might have an eye for art curation. Donald Hess formally began collecting art in 1966, and for him, collecting art was a personal endeavor. He was driven by a passion for connecting with living artists and developing a close dialogue with each artist to better understand what drives them to create.

As is evident by the caliber of the art gallery, the Hess-Persson family collects art with an uncanny ability to identify lesser known artists who often go on to become well-known and highly-respected in their disciplines. Once he connected with an artist, Donald was committed to each artist throughout their career.

When you visit the winery on Mount Veeder, you have the opportunity to tour the impressive Hess Art Collection, following your tasting of our equally impressive estate-exclusive wines.

Abstract graphic design element complementing Hess Art Collection display.

Andy Goldsworthy

Sculptures 1991-2000 Natural Materials

Throughout his career, most of Goldsworthy’s work has been made in the open air. The materials he uses are those to hand in the remote locations he visits: twigs, leaves, stones, snow and ice, reeds and thorns. Most works are ephemeral but demonstrate, in their short life, Goldsworthy’s extraordinary sense of play and of place.

Leopoldo Maler

Homage 1974 Modified Typewriter

Homage has a great deal of personal meaning for Maler himself. However, his uncle, a well-known Argentinean journalist, was killed for the inflammatory content of his political essays. The old Underwood Typewriter that now emits flames in the place of words is of the same style that Maler’s uncle used during his esteemed career. Marta Traba, art critic and theorist for Latin American Art, wrote before her death that Maler’s typewriter is the ultimate symbol of Latin America Art.

Robert Rauschenberg

Tabernacle Fuss 1992 Acrylic paint and silkscreen on enameled aluminum

Donald Hess was drawn to Rauschenberg “because of his tremendous integrity as an artist.” Hess continues, “His work exudes the passion Rauschenberg felt for making art and discovering new modes of expression. Furthermore, he related to his incessant search for a challenge and was amazed by his innate ability to arrange ordinary objects in a way that looks so effortless and poetic. Rauschenberg was a master at making the complicated simple.”

Magdalena Abakanowicz

Sculptures 1930-2017 Various Media

The textural sculptures of Magdalena Abakanowicz reflect not only her attraction to the natural and organic, but also her memories of the desolation and brutality of a childhood in war-torn Poland. The daughter of a baronial landowner, Abakanowicz was forced to flee her rural home after the Second World War when the Soviets confiscated it. As a young artist in Warsaw, she lacked the money to buy materials traditionally used in sculpture and turned instead to the detritus of communist industry, much of which she initially found on the docks of her adopted city. Her visceral works highlight their crude media – whether burlap, bronze, or found wood – while at the same time expressing an internal spirit so powerful that they become oddly noble signs of a displaced humanity.

Abstract topographic lines representing Mount Veeder winery and the Hess Art Collection.

Abstract swirling lines representing the Hess Art Collection and winery experience.

Experiences

Tour the Art Collection

You are invited to tour the Hess Contemporary Art gallery when you join us for a tasting experience at our Mount Veeder home.

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Abstract graphic design element representing Mount Veeder winery and Hess Art Collection.

Artist Spotlight

The work of Andy Goldsworthy is featured prominently in the art collection at Hess Persson Estates. Learn more about Goldsworthy’s work featured in our museum gallery.

More about Andy Goldsworthy

New Addition

Super Wall Flower by the late Alan Rath, a new addition our Museum which, as with much of Rath’s work, addresses the intersection of the natural and technological worlds.

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Magdalena Abakanowicz: A Life Shaped by Resilience

Magdalena Abakanowicz's artistic journey was profoundly influenced by her tumultuous early life. Fleeing her ancestral home after World War II due to Soviet confiscation, she later found herself in Warsaw as a young artist. The scarcity of traditional sculpting materials in post-war Poland led her to embrace unconventional mediums, often utilizing discarded industrial materials found in her city.

Her powerful sculptures, crafted from materials like burlap, bronze, and reclaimed wood, bear the raw imprint of their origins. Despite the crude nature of her chosen media, Abakanowicz imbued these works with an internal spirit that elevates them into poignant symbols of displaced humanity and resilience.

Andy Goldsworthy: Nature's Ephemeral Sculptor

Andy Goldsworthy is renowned for his site-specific sculptures created entirely from natural materials found in the environment. Working primarily outdoors, he utilizes elements such as twigs, leaves, stones, snow, ice, reeds, and thorns to craft his art.

While most of Goldsworthy's creations are ephemeral, existing only for a short time, they powerfully demonstrate his deep connection to nature, his playful approach, and his keen sense of place. His work captures fleeting moments and transforms them into extraordinary artistic expressions.

Leopoldo Maler: Art as Political Commentary

Leopoldo Maler's artistic output is deeply intertwined with his personal and political experiences. The tragic assassination of his uncle, a prominent Argentine journalist, for his outspoken political essays, cast a long shadow over his life and work.

Art critic Marta Traba recognized the profound symbolism in Maler's art, famously stating that his typewriter serves as the ultimate emblem of Latin American art. This highlights how Maler uses his art as a powerful vehicle for political commentary and a reflection of the socio-political landscape of his region.

Robert Rauschenberg: Innovation and Integrity

Donald Hess was particularly drawn to Robert Rauschenberg's work due to the artist's immense integrity and his relentless pursuit of new artistic avenues. Rauschenberg's art is characterized by a palpable passion for creation and a remarkable ability to simplify complex ideas.

Rauschenberg's mastery lay in his capacity to distill intricate concepts into accessible and profound statements. His innovative approach to art-making and his dedication to exploring new modes of expression left an indelible mark on the art world, making him a significant figure in modern art history.

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