The new acquisition of the James T. Bialac collection of Native American paintings is fabulous news for OU, and it was engineered by OU President David Boren. This is a stunning cultural coup for OU, and it could mean a lot for the future of the university.

I tried to get the governor of New Mexico to get into the same kind of high gear that President Boren used to win the collection, but OU and Boren soundly beat New Mexico to the punch. The collection consists of more than 2,500 original contemporary Native American paintings, mostly from the past 50 years.

Scholars in native art will come to OU to study this collection, and many great books and classes could come from it, as well. If more than 5 percent of it is exhibited at a time, there should be 20 such exhibitions.

It is, in short, the best Native American collection in the world in terms of contemporary paintings.

I have known James Bialac for many years. He has been a lawyer based in Arizona, and he judged at Indian Market in Santa Fe for 30 years. Some pieces that are now at OU came from my gallery in Santa Fe, New Millennium Fine Art.

The wonderful thing about it going to OU is that Oklahoma is the home of so many dispossessed Indians. It makes me happy that this collection may show a little justice in terms of those central themes of genocide and relocations.

Bialac dedicated 50 years to collecting the best art he could get, and OU students will study the whole collection. Norman’s gain is Santa Fe’s loss.

Hats off to President Boren for bringing this about. Someday, I would like to curate a show of my favorite important pieces from the Bialac OU collection. OU trustees: Spend some money building it its own museum. It will come back many times over.

Stephen Fox

Founder, New Millennium Fine Art

Santa Fe, New Mexico