When Alan Gibbs bought the land now laconically known as Gibbs Farm, in 1991, he already had three decades of significant art collecting behind him. Commissioning art works was in the back of his mind “but not the major purpose” of searching for a rural retreat. Looking back, it is clear now that 1991 marked the beginning of a whole new art collecting adventure for Gibbs. He is a rare breed for several reasons. With the assistance of his son-in-law architect Noel Lane, Gibbs has made a total commitment to open-brief commissioning of major site specific works from key artists. They are forming a collection of permanent private commissions of a scale rarely seen.
—Rob Garrett