The Collector’s Eye

WORDS & PHOTOS | ANDREW KAISER

It is not often that I find myself traveling to Texas in the middle of the warm summer season. But then again, it’s not often that I catch word of a high profile corporate CEO with a collection of photographic nudes so extensive that it would surely leave the curators of San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts chomping at the bit. One word of this and I found myself on a plane to meet
the man responsible for bringing together a collection of images from some of the finest photographers in the world.

I arrived at the office of Sanders Morris Harris, an investment banking firm in downtown Houston, on a sunny mid-weekday morning. Don Sanders greeted me with a firm handshake and a big smile, inviting me down to his corner office. He instantly reminded me of the kind of grandfather that every five year old wants to have; cheerful, energetic, and good with people. His office was not at all what one would expect from the CEO of an investment banking firm. A giant sculpture of a half eaten box of chocolates hung prominently behind his desk, a giant wrist watch sat in the corner by the front door, and he made it a particular point to direct my attention toward an American Flag made from baseballs signed by the likes of Nolan Ryan, U.S. President George Bush, and of course, Petter Hegre.

We sat in his office for a while making small talk. We discussed the first issue of THE NEW NUDE Magazine and compared notes on photographers we both admired. Being a person who speaks with hundreds of nude photographers every year, it was refreshing to converse with someone who could rattle off the names of countless up and coming photographers and fluently describe what he likes and dislikes about their work. It was clear to me that Don Sanders was not a man collecting photographs and art simply because it was a hip and trendy thing to do. No, he was collecting them because he had a deep appreciation for the work and wanted to pay homage to its creators.

“I’ve always enjoyed nude photography, and I’ve collected books from time to time,” explained Don, “but my collection really got started when I purchased four large prints by Helmut Newton. To this day he is one of my favorite photographers who presents an incredible amount of versatility. In his own way he is one of the great artists of all time.”

Morning slowly crept into afternoon and we decided to head over to the Sanders Penthouse and check out his collection. As we made our way to the elevator Don introduced me to various members of his staff, including his son who worked in the office next door. The penthouse was only about a ten minute drive, and I enjoyed a brief tour of downtown Houston along the way. We discussed briefly what it means to acquire works of art. With a sly smile he said, “If you are a true collector you are always searching for that proverbial “one more thing” that is going to improve your collection. There isn’t one artist that is better then another, and they are all amazing on their own, but when you put them all together in one place you get something really interesting.”

The penthouse owned by Don and his wife, Chris Sanders, was nothing short of a modern designer’s dream come true. Equal parts living space and art gallery, the penthouse had an open flow and natural light from three directions thanks to twenty foot floor-to-ceiling windows that gave awe inspiring panoramas of the bustling Houston horizon. The outside terrace was filled with plants and sculptures designed to catch the wind. It’s not everyday that I stand in a room next to works from the likes of Rauschenberg, Ramos, Stella, and Soto; but there I wa,s and quite frankly I was a bit speechless.

But as much as I appreciated the wide display of modern art, it wasn’t what I had come to see. My real interest was, of course, the photography collection which was housed in a former guestroom on the second floor of the penthouse.

Do you ever have those moments when the real thing doesn’t live up to the hype you have created in your mind? This was not one of those cases, and the collection of nudes amassed by Mr. Don Sanders was without a doubt one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen.

The room was sectioned off in such a way that one could wander down one of several paths, each lined from floor to ceiling with framed and mounted prints from some of the world’s most well known nude photographers. I was standing next to original prints from the great masters: Helmut Newton, Ralph Gibson, Jeff Dunas, Brett Weston, David Levinthal, Jock Sturges, Roy Stuart… I could go on.

As if it were placed at the head of the table, a solid wood bench was at the focal point of the room under which lay several stacks of museum boxes filled with photographic originals. Among others, these included the special collections made exclusively for Don. “I certainly enjoy looking at photographs of landscapes and animals and scenery, but when women are photographed in the right way, a photograph can simply become something beautiful. I know I’m not unique in this opinion and nude photography is becoming very much accepted and appreciated by art collectors and the general public.”

Don Sanders remains unique among art collectors in the way he makes it a point to build personal relationships with those whose work he particularly enjoys. There is a signature and date on the wall from a visit by photographer Lucien Clerque, whose first book was published in France in 1957. Clerque gave his first copy of the book, whose cover was designed by Picasso, to Don during a visit in Arles, France. Two rows down is a grouping of photographs by Jock Sturges at the center of which is a personal letter from Jock thanking Don for his friendship and presenting to him a one-of-a-kind print that was rescued from a fire.

“I’ve always enjoyed communicating with people. Whether it’s business associates or friends or artists, it’s something that I do and I do it well. When I first started out, I would buy three or four photographs of a photographer I liked but quickly learned that the difference between a collection and a group of random photographs comes when you communicate with the artist and let him know what you like. Once that happens, three or four becomes ten or fifteen, and you have a stronger body of work as a result.”

It is doubtful that Don Sanders will ever stop doing what he does, and for that I cannot help but breathe a small sigh of relief. An artist in his own way, he has created a space that forms an intimate relationship between the photographs he displays and those who come to view them, making it one of the most unique presentations I have ever experienced.