[intro]. . . but Joannou Is the Draw[/intro]

Carol Vogel details Jeff Koons role as curator of an upcoming show at the New Museum of Dakis Joannou’s collection but the news is the opportunity for the public to see the contents of some storied private collections:

Lisa Phillips, director of the New Museum, said she had been talking to Mr. Joannou, a trustee there, about the possibility of an exhibition of his holdings since 2000. “He especially wanted artists to be involved,” she added.

Mr. Joannou has been showing his collection since the 1980s at the Deste Foundation, his public space in Athens. “It’s been seen in Paris and Vienna,” he said. “This will be the first time it has been shown in the United States.”

The New Museum project will inaugurate an exhibition series called “The Imaginary Museum,” which will showcase the best private collections of contemporary art from around the world that are rarely seen by the public.

Inside Art: Jeff Koons Tries Hand as Guest Curator (New York Times)