The Main Library of Oxford University Adds a Book Supported by Fine Art Shippers to Its Collection

“Kenda and Jacob Bar-Gera and their Unique Collection: The Untold Story of Passion for Art and Dedication to Building Bridges,” written by Israeli sociologist of culture and politics Dr. Alek D. Epstein and art historian Sofia Birina and published with support from Fine Art Shippers, has been accepted into Oxford University’s Bodleian Library. The book will be added to the collection of the Sackler Library, which specializes in art history and archaeology.

The book, published in English and Russian, is a major work on one of the most significant private art collections of the 20th century. Holocaust survivors  Kenda and Jacob Bar-Gera built their art collection over twenty-four years, starting in 1967 and ending in 1991. They opened a gallery in Cologne, Germany, in the 1960s, which became a well-known venue for independent Russian art in Western Europe. This collection featured a wide range of works by different artists and was one of the three important collections of  Soviet underground art outside the Iron Curtain. The other two were the collections of American economist and educator Norton T. Dodge and French collector Jean-Jacques Guéron. The Bar-Gera couple worked closely with the artists, maintaining personal relationships and supporting them as they could. Their collections included works by notable figures such as Ilya Kabakov, Oscar Rabin, Dmitry Krasnopevtsev, Oleg Tselkov, Mikhail Shvartsman, Vladimir Nemukhin, Grigory Bruskin, Dmitry Plavinsky, Vladimir Yankilevsky, and many more.

The release of this book is a tribute to the life and legacy of Israeli art collectors who not only contributed to the creation and preservation of dissident art but also built cultural bridges between Israel, Germany, and Russia. It also recognizes the important role of prominent private collectors in the dramatic history of independent Soviet-era art.

The Bodleian Library, a research library located at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, is known for its vast collection of printed materials and its rich history. Founded by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of Europe’s oldest libraries and holds over 13 million materials, making it the second largest library in the country after the British Library.

One of the constituent libraries of the Bodleian Library is the Sackler Library, which is particularly renowned for its collection of texts pertaining to classical studies, archaeology, and art history. The library is home to 100,000 fragments of the ancient Egyptian texts Oxyrhynchus Papyri, as well as a fragment of the Heracles Papyrus, a Greek manuscript from the 3rd century that features a poem about Heracles’ Labors.

Fine Art Shippers, a New York-based art logistics company, caters to private and institutional clients across the United States and internationally. It has long supported artists and culturally important projects. The company sees the publication of “Kenda and Jacob Bar-Gera and their Unique Collection: The Untold Story of Passion for Art and Dedication to Building Bridges” as their contribution to preserving the memory of a crucial period of 20th-century art.

About Fine Art Shippers

Fine Art Shippers is a professional fine art shipping company headquartered in New York City. Established in 1995, we have grown to provide a wide range of art and antique moving services to meet the needs of the art community and private collectors from around the world. Our expertise includes but is not limited to luxury home moving, art packing and crating, art storage, white glove art courier service, art installation, antique furniture moving, international transportation, and gallery exhibition services. We operate across the United States and worldwide, making Fine Art Shippers the number one choice for many reputable art business professionals and institutions. Find more information about our team of dedicated art shippers on our website.