10 Young Art Collectors You Should Know
By Shira Wolfe
In recent years, more and more young art collectors have been emerging and proving themselves to be an important part of the ever-changing art world. They have a fresh perspective, an insatiable passion for art, and are not afraid to take chances. Meet some of the most important young collectors from across the globe…
Robbie Antonio
Robbie Antonio is definitely one to watch. Based in Manila, the Philippines, this real estate developer has adorned his home with an impressive collection of artworks by giants such as Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Francis Bacon, Willem de Kooning, Andy Warhol, and Takashi Murakami. And not only does he have a quickly expanding collection, but he also managed to convince Rem Koolhaas to take on his first residential commission in 15 years!
Emma Hall
Emma Hall’s parents are big-time art collectors Andy and Christine Hall, and it is clear that she takes after them. She started out in the art world by working at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Haunch of Venison. Now she is in charge of special projects and communication at the family museum (the Hall Art Foundation, featuring work by Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer, and Georg Baselitz).
Amar’e Stoudemire
Amar’e Stoudemire is a basketball player for Miami Heat with an additional passion for the arts. He is a dedicated collector who already boasts an impressive collection with works by artists like Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Rob Pruitt, Retna, and Hebru Brantley.
Daniela Hinrichs
Daniela Hinrichs is a German curator, art dealer, entrepeneur, and also the founder of DEAR Photography, an online commerce platform with which she aims to help artists and inspire new collectors. “Discovering that many artists cannot earn a living from the sale of their works had a profound impact on me. Added to this, the traditional collector demographic is in the process of dissolving. Growing numbers of very good artists can no longer sell their work. It was high time for a new solution,” she says on her site.
Sheikha Al-Mayassa Al-Thani
The sister of Qatar’s ruling Sheik, Sheikha Al-Mayassa Al-Thani has been declared the most influential person in the art world in Art Review’s “Power 100.” Among her impressive collection are pieces by Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Francis Bacon, Roy Liechtenstein, and Andy Warhol. She is also said to have been behind the record-breaking purchase of When Will You Marry? by Paul Gaugain, which went for almost $ 300 million, as well as a Rothko for $ 70 million and Cezanne’s The Card Players for $ 250 million.
Sharmin Parameswaran
The Malaysian Women’s Weekly named Sharmin Parameswaran “one of the most eagerly watched art curators in the country” in the Great Women of Our Time Awards. Her father, Dato N. Parameswaran, was also an avid collector, and Sharmin is definitely proving herself to be just as passionate and successful as him. She even started Interpr8 Art Space with her father, aimed at showcasing the work of contemporary and upcoming artists. “To me, art is about asking the questions, narrating the stories and collaborating to make realities,” she said in her Women’s Weekly interview.
Fabiola Beracasa Beckman
Born in Venezuela, the daughter of Hearst publishing heiress Victoria Hearst, Fabiola Beracasa Beckman is a New York-based film and tv producer, gallerist (she is the creative director of Hole Gallery), and philanthropist. She is also a board member of the Art Production Fund. Her art collection includes pieces by, among others, Matthew Stone, Genesis P-Orridge, Rob Pruitt, and Aurel Schmidt.
Michael Xufu Huang
This Beijing-born collector is one of the founders of the M WOODS non-profit museum in Beijing’s 798 Art District. He started collecting as early as 16, and now, at the age of 23, he is rapidly making his mark on the art world. His goal is to make M WOODS the MoMA of China, and he is definitely making strides by featuring artists such as Tracy Emin and Ai Weiwei in the museum. His personal collection contains a lot of Post-Internet art, which he is most passionate about. In his interview on Artspace, he talks about how he is the biggest collector of Amalia Ulman’s Instagram pieces from her “Perfection and Excellence” series.
Tiffany Zabludowicz
Tiffany Zabludowicz, daughter of British-Finnish mega-collectors Anita and Poju Zabludowicz, has art collecting running through her veins. Based in New York City, she, like Huang, started collecting at 16 years old, and quickly made a name for herself in the art world as a collector and curator, with experience ranging from MoMA PS1 to Artspace’s online magazine. Last year, she founded Work in Progress, an artist residency in an office in Times Square, New York.
Mohammed Afkhami
Mohammed Afkhami is often named as one of the Middle East’s most important collectors. He started exploring the flourishing Iranian art scene and collecting Iranian art following the recommendation of a friend. He mainly collects Middle Eastern contemporary art, but his collection also boasts works by Anish Kapoor, Yayoi Kusama, and Richard Serra.