Independent Collectors

Valeria Napoleone

The Italian-born collector actively seeks out under­represented positions and therefore only acquires works by women artists.

Valeria in front of "Birth of the Universe #33" (2014) by Judith Bernstein. Photo by Federike Helwig. Photo courtesy of Valeria Napoleone.
Valeria in front of "Birth of the Universe #33" (2014) by Judith Bernstein. Photo by Federike Helwig. Photo courtesy of Valeria Napoleone.

Focusing on female artists only, Valeria Napoleone has assembled a pioneering collection that has been growing for over 25 years, showcased in her private residencies between London, New York and in Milan.

Valeria Napoleone started collecting in 1997 in New York after a master degree in Art Gallery Administration at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The growing collection has so far accumulated nearly 500 artworks spanning all media and embracing new directions in the developing contemporary art discourses.

Collector, patron and philanthropist Valeria Napoleone has been nurturing the development of female artists’ careers since the very beginning, establishing close relationships with the artists. In 2015 she launched ValeriaNapoleoneXX, an umbrella platform for projects and initiatives that work towards increasing the representation of female artists in major public museums and institutions, only formalising her long-time commitment to female artists.

Named to highlight both collaborations and the female chromosome, the new platform has so far three ongoing initiatives: ValeriaNapoleoneXXContemporaryArtSociety in the UK, ValeriaNapoleoneXXSculptureCenter in the US and ValeriaNapoleoneXXInstituteOfFineArts at New York University.

Valeria Napoleone is the recipient of the prestigious Montblanc Art Patronage Award 2019 for the initiative ValeriaNapoleoneXX in partnership with the Contemporary Art Society in the UK.

The Valeria and Gregorio Napoleone Collection is featured in the BMW ART GUIDE by INDEPENDENT COLLECTORS.

Palace Green, London 2013; from the left: Julia Wachtel, Landscape No.11 (government), 1990; Vases by Shio Kusaka; Sculpture by Anna Fasshauer, Untitled, 2011; Joanne Greenbaum, Fat Yellow, 2004; ceramics by Joanne Greenbaum. Photo by Mariona Otero
Palace Green, London 2013; from the left: Julia Wachtel, Landscape No.11 (government), 1990; Vases by Shio Kusaka; Sculpture by Anna Fasshauer, Untitled, 2011; Joanne Greenbaum, Fat Yellow, 2004; ceramics by Joanne Greenbaum. Photo by Mariona Otero
Palace Green, London, 2017; Behind Valeria: Ghada Amer, Untitled (Blanc # 985), 1997. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Behind Valeria: Ghada Amer, Untitled (Blanc # 985), 1997. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Nina Canell, Endless Column (Alternating Current for Twelve Electric Fans), 2009. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Nina Canell, Endless Column (Alternating Current for Twelve Electric Fans), 2009. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Berta Fischer, Hulenays, 2011. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Berta Fischer, Hulenays, 2011. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Gaetano Pesce table and vase, Dorota Jurczak sculptures; behind: Guan Xiao, Slight Dizzy, 2014. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Gaetano Pesce table and vase, Dorota Jurczak sculptures; behind: Guan Xiao, Slight Dizzy, 2014. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; vases by Gaetano Pesce. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; vases by Gaetano Pesce. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; from the left: Julie Verhoeven, Fanny at large, 2014; Emily Mae Smith, The Studio, Odalisque, 2016. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; from the left: Julie Verhoeven, Fanny at large, 2014; Emily Mae Smith, The Studio, Odalisque, 2016. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Gaetano Pesce, Amici Sofa; Andrea Buttner, Nativity, 2007; Nathalie du Pasquier, Totem, 2018. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Gaetano Pesce, Amici Sofa; Andrea Buttner, Nativity, 2007; Nathalie du Pasquier, Totem, 2018. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Anna Fasshauer, ohne Titel, 2013; Anthea Hamilton, Transposed Lime Butterfly, 2019; doors by Nathalie du Pasquier. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Anna Fasshauer, ohne Titel, 2013; Anthea Hamilton, Transposed Lime Butterfly, 2019; doors by Nathalie du Pasquier. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Nanda Vigo's bed; Michaela Eichwald, Urbi et Orbi, 2017. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Nanda Vigo's bed; Michaela Eichwald, Urbi et Orbi, 2017. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, Deep adaptation on Audi Aicon 2020, costume design by H. Memling, 2019. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, Deep adaptation on Audi Aicon 2020, costume design by H. Memling, 2019. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Haegue Yang, Up and Down Between Twins, 2010; Judith Bernstien, Birth of the Universe #33, 2014. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Haegue Yang, Up and Down Between Twins, 2010; Judith Bernstien, Birth of the Universe #33, 2014. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Palace Green, 2014; from the left: Aleksandra Domanovič, Portrait (mesing), 2012; Sharon Hayes, An Ear to the Sounds of Our History (Road to the White House), 2012; Francis Upritchard, Warm Table, 2011; on the wall: Ida Ekblad, Liquid drop of the Bleach, 2009; Haegue Yang, Non-Indepliable, Pastell, 2010. Photo by Camilla Greenwell
Palace Green, 2014; from the left: Aleksandra Domanovič, Portrait (mesing), 2012; Sharon Hayes, An Ear to the Sounds of Our History (Road to the White House), 2012; Francis Upritchard, Warm Table, 2011; on the wall: Ida Ekblad, Liquid drop of the Bleach, 2009; Haegue Yang, Non-Indepliable, Pastell, 2010. Photo by Camilla Greenwell
Palace Green, London, 2017. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Margherita Manzelli, Neobros, 1998; limited editions: Judith Hopf, Frances Stark, Aleksandra Domanovič, Johanna Unzueta, Erika Verzutti, Camille Henrot, Amy Silman, Alexandra Mir, Vivienne Suter, Aliza Nisenbaum, Pamela Fraser, Shio Kusaka, Andrea Buttner. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; from the left: Margherita Manzelli, Neobros, 1998; limited editions: Judith Hopf, Frances Stark, Aleksandra Domanovič, Johanna Unzueta, Erika Verzutti, Camille Henrot, Amy Silman, Alexandra Mir, Vivienne Suter, Aliza Nisenbaum, Pamela Fraser, Shio Kusaka, Andrea Buttner. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Sylvie Fleury, First Spaceship on Venus (Soft Rocket in Denim), 2018; Silke Otto Knapp, In the midnight hour, 2016. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Sylvie Fleury, First Spaceship on Venus (Soft Rocket in Denim), 2018; Silke Otto Knapp, In the midnight hour, 2016. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Nathalie du Pasquier. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Nathalie du Pasquier. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Nanda Vigo, Independence, 2005. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Nanda Vigo, Independence, 2005. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Mika Tajima, Negative Entropy, 2018; Pae White, Aries, 2000; on the table; Gaetano Pesce. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Mika Tajima, Negative Entropy, 2018; Pae White, Aries, 2000; on the table; Gaetano Pesce. Photo by Michael Sinclair
Kensington, London, 2021; Hell Gette, #
Kensington, London, 2021; Hell Gette, #
Palace Green, London, 2017. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017, work on the wall by Lucy Kim, Back to Basics (Strawberry Choke), 2015. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017, work on the wall by Lucy Kim, Back to Basics (Strawberry Choke), 2015. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Julie Verhoeven, Comfort Blanket, 2015; Francis Upritchard, Warm Table, 2011; Berta Fischer, Hulenays, 2011. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Julie Verhoeven, Comfort Blanket, 2015; Francis Upritchard, Warm Table, 2011; Berta Fischer, Hulenays, 2011. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Sharon Hayes, An Ear to the Sounds of Our History (Road to the White House), 2012. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Palace Green, London, 2017; Sharon Hayes, An Ear to the Sounds of Our History (Road to the White House), 2012. Photo by Mathilde Agius

All images courtesy the Valeria Napoleone Collection.

UK (23)

Roberts Institute of Art

A living organism to underpin research and debate

Mark Hicks Collection

The collection grown from a curiosity of editions from the streets.

Known Unknowns

A peek inside the exhibition that looks at the status of an artist in the mainstream art world.

Irmina Nazar & Artur Trawinski

The Polish collectors raising awareness on Eastern European Art.

Niloufar Bakhtiar Bakhtiari

In collaboration with Marina Ribera Iñigo, director and consultant at IñigoArt, we present the new video series "Collectors at Home".

You Are Looking at Something That Never Occurred

London’s Zabludowicz Collection showcases their recent presentation of the collection featuring works by Sara Cwynar, Elad Lassry, Natalie Czech, Richard Prince and Cindy Sherman.

Luigi Mazzoleni

Interview about how it was to grow up with collector parents.

Chatsworth House

It is rare that a contemporary art space lives up to the rhetoric of sustainability and uniqueness that frequently appears in press releases and profiles, but Chatsworth House, situated by the River Derwent in Derbyshire, is truly a special place.

Newport Street Gallery

The Newport Street Gallery is not easy to find, but then hard to miss: it takes over almost a whole street.

Franks-Suss Collection

Initially focused on China, collectors Simon Franks and Robert Suss soon widened their purview

Houghton Hall – King’s Lynn

Lavish 18th century interiors juxtaposed with contemporary outdoor sculpture

Anita Zabludowicz

An interview with the London-based collector who places young positions at the centre of her collection

The Needle and the Larynx

We are proud to present “The Needle and the Larynx” (2016) by Marianna Simnett, as our 13th selection for AT HOME WITH IC.

When I’ll Die, I Want To Turn Into Marble

We are pleased to welcome Marine Tanguy to IC, as an ambitious, philanthropic art world woman, creating her own systems to get business done.

Hot With Excess

With a dynamic and experimental season of live events, “Hot With Excess” explores the collision of contemporary art and opera.

Jupiter Artland Summer Programme 2016

Highlights from the 2016 summer programme of Edinburgh’s award-winning sculpture park, Jupiter Artland.

Feminist Spirituality With Shana Moulton

The Zabludowicz Collection presents the immersive and off-kilter solo exhibition by American artist Shana Moulton.

The David Bowie Collection

After the auction house Sotheby’s unveiled Bowie’s art collection to the public the title “art collector” is another one long overdue.

The Radical Eye

Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection.

Jupiter Artland Spring Programme 2016

Highlights from the 2016 spring programme of Edinburgh’s award-winning sculpture park, Jupiter Artland.

Emotional Supply Chains

The construction of identity in the digital age.

Zabludowicz – 20 Years of Collecting

Anita Zabludowicz first began collecting in 1994. The collection initially featured artists such as Michael Landy, Keith Tyson, Gillian Wearing as well as others from the 1990s YBA generation when they were still at the beginning of their careers.