the art of an art collection

Pontus Hultén states (in Hans Ulrich Obrist, A Brief History of Curating, pp.46-7) that art institutes need to have a collection, “otherwise the institution has no real foundation.” And, he continues, “the encounter between the collection and the temporary exhibition is an enriching experience […, which] produces an experience that is more than the sum of its parts. There’s a curious sort of current that starts to flow – that’s the real reason for a collection. A collection isn’t a shelter into which to retreat, it’s a resource of energy for the curator as much as the visitor.”