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@ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE APRIL 2025 89 and as Kanjo notes, the Strausses "could buy pieces that were out of our reach." Recognized as among the world's top collectors, the Strausses began to look for works that could represent an artist's sensibility and body of work. "But it was still a private collection," says Kanjo. "So it always had to be a piece they loved." And, as Iris says, "We both had to agree on it." A museum's job is to represent art history and provide a larger narrative. Covering more than 50 years, the Strauss collection is "part of that larger historical narrative," says Kanjo. "It's their personal take on it." e Strausses favored works that were exuberant, colorful, and figurative, even when the trends were minimalism and abstraction. Although the Strauss exhibition includes two sculptures, including a full-size Nick Cave Soundsuit, the emphasis is on painting in the last half-century, with works by Jennifer Bartlett, Cecily Brown, Alex Katz, Robert Rauschenberg, Julian Schnabel, Mickalene omas, and others. ere are abstract and neo-expressionist paintings, as well as works that blur the distinction between painting and sculpture, seeming to come off the wall. ere is even a piece in the exhibit that is only five years old, highlighting the Strausses' ongoing collecting and the incredible pace of the art world. As Kanjo notes, " ere are paintings from the 1970s and artists who were born in the 1970s." Matthew felt the collection made a person look at art differently, offering new perspectives and a deeper understanding of the world around us. He wanted it to be a testament to the transformative power of art and its ability to connect diverse audiences. " e exhibition is a window into a life devoted to contemporary art at the highest level," says Kanjo. Fittingly, it will be displayed until August 3 in the museum's new Strauss Galleries, named in honor of Matthew and Iris. mcasd.org TOP LEFT Damien Hirst, Beautiful exploding, pink buttox painting, 1996, gloss household paint on canvas, 84 in. (diam.), Collection of Strauss Family Trust TOP RIGHT Lari Pittman, How Sweet the Day After This and That, Deep Sleep Is Truly Welcomed, 1988, acrylic, enamel, and five framed works on paper on wood panels overall (three panels): 96 1/16 × 192 1/8 in. (244 × 488 cm), Collection of Strauss Family Trust MIDDLE Cecily Brown, All the Nightmares Came Today, 2012, oil on linen, 67 × 83 in. (170.2 × 210.8 cm),Collection of Strauss Family Trust ABOVE Frank Stella, Mogielnica III, 1972, paint, canvas, fabric on cardboard, 86 × 120 × 8 in. (218.4 × 304.8 × 20.3 cm), Collection of Strauss Family Trust HIRST: © DAMIEN HIRST AND SCIENCE LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED / DACS, LONDON / ARS, NY 2025 PITTMAN: © LARI PITTMAN. COURTESY LEHMANN MAUPIN, NEW YORK AND SEOUL BROWN: © CECILY BROWN STELLA: © 2025 FRANK STELLA / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK