I always get a voyeur's thrill from seeing the artwork collection in someone's home. (I admit it -- I'm an inveterate bookshelf snooper, too.) Perusing the decorative objects another holds close, the stuff they feel compelled to live with, makes for a revealing window into what are usually privately held passions. Such a glimpse is all the more fascinating when the collector's personal stash of art consists of work fashioned by an artist whose work and personal history is also culturally celebrated, but which isn't available for public view.

Midway Contemporary Art's new exhibition, "The Secret Life of Objects," capitalizes on this allure with a showcase of work drawn from private collections in the Twin Cities. The show consists mostly of contemporary artwork, made in a variety of media by a dizzying array of notable artists, many of whose names and reputations are instantly recognizable to art lovers.

"The Secret Life of Objects" features photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, and installations by artists such as Fiona Banner, William S. Burroughs, Carter, Anne Collier, Jimmie Durham,  Angus Fairhurst, Matias Faldbakken, Wade Guyton, Mark Handforth, Bendix Harms, Rachel Harrison, Jay Heikes, Huang Yong Ping, Nathan Hylden, Rinko Kawauchi, Cameron Jamie, Matthew Monahan, Allan McCollum, Paul Sharits, Chiharu Shiota, Gedi Sibony, Kelley Walker and Rebecca Warren.

It's a rare opportunity to see work by a veritable who's who of international art — and you won't even need to wangle a dinner invitation to see it.

"The Secret Life of Objects" will open at Midway Contemporary Art in Minneapolis on Thursday, July 23, with a free, public reception from 7 to 9 p.m. The exhibition will remain on view through Sept. 26.