Prominent Photo Collection Comes to Malibu

Malibu residents and visitors will have an opportunity Sunday to see a portion of a fine art photography collection featuring the works of some of the top people in the field. The exhibit will be on display at the , which is located in the Malibu Lumber Yard.

The collection, owned by Signature Group Holdings Inc., features more than 300 prints from 15 artists. Most of the works are signed and printed by the artists themselves.

The collection includes the works of Christopher Burkett and Galen Rowell, who both captured colorful American landscapes. Additionally, it features photos from Sports Illustrated photographer Walter Iooss, known for his iconic images of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and other major athletic events.

Other featured photographers are George Hurrell, who was best known for his portraits of Hollywood's top stars. Throughout the 1930s, his camera captured Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore and Jane Russell. In the '40s, his portfolio included James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart.

Also included in the collection are the works of Ansel Adams, David Muench, Brett Weston, Eliot Porter, Jody Forster, Yosef Karsh, Robert Glenn Ketchum, Frank Jay Haynes and William Henry Jackson. 

The collection was started as a way to decorate the halls and bring art to the employees of the original owner, Fremont General Corp. It once included the largest private collection of Ansel Adams photos in the world. Most of the Adams photos were sold in a 2008 auction, but the remaining collection still features many prominent names.

"This collection, as vast and beautiful as it was, was never on tour," said Nicole Maury, the collection's corporate curator. "It was truly a corporate collection, put as much out in view for those who worked there. There were no secret rooms with drawers where things were held; we wanted everyone to enjoy these beautiful pieces. [It] began strictly for the enjoyment of employees and visitors."

Maury, who fell into the curator position when she worked as Fremont General's director of corporate communications, said she was "delighted to take it on." She described the careful task of building the collection over the years.

"It was absolutely one of my favorite parts of my responsibilities," Maury said.

And she made sure the photos received the best care.

"Everything was professionally stored and archived in an air-conditioned storage facility," Maury said. "There was great care to take care in terms of UV plexy framing in a very high grade to protect against the sun for years. We spent a lot of money protecting the pieces."

The works are for sale to individual buyers or corporate collectors. Maury arranges viewings upon request.

The Malibu Art Barn exhibit will be on display from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more on the collection, contact Maury at 310-502-9796 or go to www.sghfineartworksportfolio.com