Across the sweep of our lives, there are certain landmarks that stand out; certain things by which we orient ourselves. The painting that taught us how to love color, the sculpture that reminds us of Mom, the gallery where we met, the drawing that helps us not to forget. More than objects, more than things, these are treasures that show us who we truly are, again and again.

Individually, culturally, and historically, the artifacts we cherish are love letters to the world, to the past and to the future. We can best be understood by what we love, and to protect that long story of expression is to safeguard what makes us human in the first place.