The Art Museum of the University of Memphis is preparing an exhibition that focuses on the social and economic importance of supporting artists throughout their career.

Prepared along with Young Arts Patrons, a Memphis arts nonprofit, “Dear Artist” will include exhibits from select museum collections and artists on loan from new and established local collectors. The AMUM says the exhibition “will examine the collector’s motivation and process in depth through intimate, hypothetical letters written by the collectors to their chosen artists.”

“Dear Artist” will begin March 9 at the AMUM on the U of M campus. After a one-hour panel discussion at 2 p.m., the museum will host an opening reception from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Whitney Hardy of Young Arts Patrons will host the panel discussion that will include Pitt Hyde, Jasmin McKenzie and Elliot Perry.

The exhibition will run through June 1 at the AMUM and will feature artists Lisa Alonso, Jarvis Boyland, Nakeya Brown, Burton Callicott, Carroll Cloar, Ronald and Jessie Cooper, Jennifer Crescuillo, LaAndrea Deloyce, William Eggleston, Howard Finster, Edwin Jeffrey, Jr., Titus Kaphar, Kern Lamassone, Joseph “Doughjoe” Love III, Terry Lynn, John Carl Marshall, Lawrence Matthews, Lester Merriweather, Carl Moore, Greely Myatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andres Serrano, Jared Small, Kiki Smith, Katie Benjamin Steed, and Cathy Worthy.

For more information, email the AMUM at artmuseum@memphis.edu or call 1-901-678-2224.

— Phillip Tutor, CCFA media coordinator, potutor@memphis.edu