Some personal thinkings in the perspective of the exhibition “Contemporary Catalan Artists”-Works of the Gelonch-Viladegut Collection,  at the American University of Paris:

The current context for a citizen engraving’s collector.
The humanities remind us where we have been and help us envision where we are going. Emphasizing critical perspective and imaginative response, the humanities—including history, philosophy and the arts—foster creativity, appreciation of our commonalities and our differences, and knowledge of all kinds. The social sciences reveal patterns in our lives, over time and in the present moment. Employing the observational and experimental methods of the natural sciences, the social sciences—including economics, political science and government, and sociology—examine and predict behavioral and organizational processes. Together, they help us understand what it means to be human and connect us with the global community.
Engraving’s collector: Why?
Engraving represents a privileged way of access for people to art. Being by definition a multiple technique, it was and it is the opportunity for most of us to access both the great masters and new emerging artists, to learn about their works and to embrace beauty. It is also a way for artists to gain notoriety and also earn a living. Engraving is, for me, the most democratic of the fine arts.
Engraving’s collector: How?
In the case of the Gelonch-Viladegut Collection, it is fair to say that it was not created, but rather grew organically. Initially (more than 15 years ago), it developed slowly, then enthusiastically over the last 6 years. For me, forming a collection is an intellectual and aesthetic project that provides me, and the people who see it, moments of innermost satisfaction, stimulation and enjoyment. The decisive question is whether a work inspires or provokes me; it is not the signature that determines my choice, but rather the aesthetic shock it produces. Without this shock, without feeling called out, there is no great interest, in my opinion, for acquiring a work. I always like being confronted with an aesthetically provocative creation.