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historical notes
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Eric Smidt, the self-made billionaire and founder of the hardware business Harbor Freight Tools has become of one of the country's foremost art collectors. Smidt's collection is a testament to his fascination with Abstract Expressionism, boasting masterpieces by luminaries such as Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, Jackson Pollock, and Franz Kline. Beyond his role as an avid art collector, Smidt serves on the boards of both the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Portland Art Museum. His most recent contribution was a gift of $25 million to LACMA's ongoing campaign to fund the construction of a new building, the David Geffen Galleries, designed by the Pritzker Prize–winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. |
