John Waters, Droll Bard of Baltimore, Promises Art to Hometown Museum

John Waters is a filmmaker, known for his 1988 movie "Pecker." Fitting for a steward of the arts, the movie portrays the life of a young photographer. 

This week, John Waters announced that he will bequest 372 works by 125 artists, which is a great deal of his collection. The gift will go to the Baltimore Museum of Art following his death.

The collection includes pieces by Thomas Demand, Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin, Christian Marclay, Catherine Opie, Gary Simmons, Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol and Christopher Wool.

Mr. Waters amusingly stated in a Zoom call, "I've always said you have to have good taste to have good bad taste." This type of statement is characteristic of Waters who was coined the nickname "the Pope of Trash" earned from his scene in the cult classic "Pink Flamingos." 

Christopher Bedford, the Baltimore Museum's Director stated, “Though outrageously vulgar in his work, John is himself a man of extraordinary refinement.”

See Ted Loos, John Waters, Droll Bard of Baltimore, Promises Art to Hometown Museum, N.Y. Times, November 11, 2020. 

Special thanks to Deborah Matthews (Virginia Estate Planning Attorney) for bringing this article to my attention.