Art Like Seeds
Posted on | October 12, 2009 | No Comments
I remember Kennell from my year at Stanford; he was amazing. I particularly remember that he owned a print of this David 
La Chappelle image of Lil’ Kim and after I showed it in a lecture he told me what the title was. I didn’t know he had died four years ago—clearly, I’ve been out of touch—but what a wonderful approach to dispersing his collection upon his death. Unfortunately, though I’m headed back to the Bay Area this weekend, my plane won’t quite have touched down by Thursday evening.
Joyce Gordon Gallery
proudly presents
October 09 Lecture Series on
ART COLLECTION
This Thursday, October 15, 6:00-8:30 pm
Reception: 6:00-7:00 pm
Talk: 7:30 – 8:30 pm
“Art like seeds”, the amazing collection of the late Dr. Kennell Jackson,
with Ross Todd Kerr
At the time of his death in November 2005, Kennell Jackson was a fully tenured professor of History at Stanford University and a Resident Fellow at Branner Hall. For 25 years, Kennell amassed a large collection of rare books, photographs, tea pots, found art objects, as well as artworks significant to the African diaspora. Rather than donate to or create a museum around his most amazing collection, it was his wish that his collection be dispersed throughout the world — given to friends and family, his alma mater, colleagues and former students, sold at auction, and even sold on EBay. As a former student and loyal friend to Jackson, Ross Todd Kerr was one of 4 custodians of his estate — specifically appointed to manage the distribution of all artworks per very precise instructions given by Jackson on his death bed. It was a task that took the better part of a year. This lecture is about the art collection of the late Kennell Jackson — the most amazing art collection that will never be seen — and what it has inspired.
Ross Todd Kerr is the Associate Editor of the Piedmont Post. Kerr has been writing about Oakland’s vibrant art scene for the past 3 years. He garnered a B.A in Biology at Stanford University, and an MBA from U.C. Berkeley. After having had significant careers in the marketing industry and financial software companies, Kerr was led by his passions for photography and a well-written story to his true calling – that is, a career in publishing community news. Kerr is also the founder of Emancipated Hearts, a program that recycles digital cameras while at the same time empowers foster youth to tell their life stories through photography as they prepare for emancipation. A life long resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, a father to 2 spectacular teen-aged children, and some one who cannot resist the allure, power and magic of the visual arts.
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