John Wieland Curates Art That Feels Like Home at The Warehouse

Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio

John Wieland, president of The JW Collection, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Wieland discusses The Warehouse, his 39,000 square foot private art collection that is now open to the public one day a month for the first time.

When Wieland and his wife began collecting art, they started with pieces they admired priced within their budget. As time passed, his role in the real estate industry helped fund his passion for art and allow unique pieces to grace the walls of their home and office.

The Great Recession caused a lot of businesses to change locations and adjust, including John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods. While Wieland needed to downsize his office, he also needed a new place to house his expansive art collection. When a bank-owned property came available on the west side of Atlanta, he jumped on the opportunity and opened the doors of The Warehouse’s permanent location in 2010.

Today, The Warehouse showcases 400 pieces from 250 national and international artists. Themes include home, house and domesticity from a diverse perspective.

“The interesting thing about art collecting is that you start out financing pieces focused on your collecting interests,” Wieland said. “Then after a while, the art seems to find you.”

Managing an art exhibition goes beyond the art, it includes a ton of supportive elements. To keep the pieces safe and distinctive, Wieland invested in quality security, climate control, lighting and positioning. Due to the materials used, some art needs more care than others, which is why The Warehouse has targeted air conditioning that keeps the pieces at a controlled temperature.

Art is best expressed in collections, so Wieland curates groupings of his art that complement each other, have a regional connection or some other tying factor.

Wieland said, “We want the art in any of our gallery spaces to talk to each other.”

The Warehouse offers visitors a glimpse of many different art types, including paintings, sculptures, fabric works and more. The exhibition also has pieces from notable individuals such as war veteran, Ferdinand Cooper, Reverand Howard Finster and numerous folk artists.

Some pieces like the impressionable sculpture standing 16 feet by 24 feet wide from the 1988 MoMA Show capture the attention of visitors from the start. When Wieland purchased it on a whim, the piece was deconstructed and shipped to Atlanta, then reconstructed and placed outside his Gwinnett office where it was on display for years.

Wieland also published his book, Homeward: Selections From The Wieland Collection in 2016, further spreading the reach of his collection. This monograph highlights various pieces that he acquired over the years and is available for purchase at The Warehouse and the High Museum of Art.

Looking to plan your visit to The Warehouse? The art exhibition is open the second Saturday of every month. Admission is free but requires an advanced reservation. Prospective visitors can visit the website up to 30 days in advance and secure a time slot for the following month. Open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., The Warehouse offers both guided and self-guided tours.

Wieland said, “I think everyone has felt like this was a wonderful experience, which is what we are trying to accomplish. We will never be charging for that.”

Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about The Warehouse, or visit TheWarehouse.org.

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