Independent Collectors

de la Cruz Collection

Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz, the co-founders of the renowned collection that bears their name, are always quick to highlight the importance of education when discussing the role the De La Cruz Collection plays in the Miami community.

Peter Doig, Baked, 1990
Peter Doig, Baked, 1990

Speaking to Rachel Spence of the Financial Times, Carlos de la Cruz described education as “the single thing that is necessary to a good society”. In the increasingly fraught political context of the present moment, de la Cruz’s statement seems intensely relevant. The de la Cruz Collection, since its inception, has always sought to use art as a means of creating educational opportunities for both students of art and for the public at large. As Spence notes in her article, the de la Cruzes have taken an active interest in cultivating connections between young people and institutions of learning throughout the US and Europe, endowing more than 1 000 students with sponsorship to pursue study projects at Parson’s School of Design in New York as well as a recent expedition to China for students of Miami’s New World Art School. It may be that this commitment to education is an outgrowth of the de la Cruzes’ own commitment to learning from art. A particular touchstone in this regard is the work of Félix González-Torres and the role González-Torres work plays in the history of the de la Cruz collection. Interviewed by George Fishman in a recent article in the local Miami magazine, Indulge, Carlos de la Cruz spoke of the ways in which González-Torres’ works have affected him, “At the beginning, you don’t understand Félix… after you’ve lived with him for 10 years you’re still discovering new things”. This notion of a collection as an educational process, a kind of dialogue between the collector, the artist, and the works, infuses the ethos of the de la Cruz Collection, which is as much predicated on depth, as is it on breadth.

The de la Cruz Collection is housed in a bright, modernist construction encompassing 30 000 square feet in Miami’s Design District. Built in 2009, the gallery is a major hub for the crowds of Art Basel Miami Beach, and, in keeping with the de la Cruzes emphasis on accessibility and outreach, the space is free to visit the rest of the year as well. Exhibitions are presented at a considered pace, focusing less on the rapid churn of aesthetic trends and more on the evolution of the collection as a whole, as well as the internal discourses between the artists whose work comprises it; for example, the influence exerted on Wade Guyton by Martin Kippenberger and Albert Oehlen whose works appeared beside Guyton’s large-scale, Untitled, at the gallery’s most recent exhibition. This kind of consideration and attention to detail is indicative of the de la Cruzes wider philosophy of collection and curation. In a documentary entitled, The Next Big Thing, directed by Frank van den Engel, Rosa de la Cruz elaborated on the rationale behind the collection’s acquisitions, and the ways in which the works are displayed. “Art requires patience,” de la Cruz begins. “To build a collection, you need critical thought. You need to learn; you don’t just jump on the wagon and say, ‘I’m a collector’”. Instead of embracing the frenetic pace of the increasingly algorithm-driven art market, the de la Cruz Collection’s method has affinities with the themes expressed in a late-period Leonard Cohen masterpiece, Slow, in which he sings “I like to take my time. I like to linger as it flies.” Such lingering over the details and highlighting artistic and intellectual connection is a central theme of the collection’s forthcoming show, set to open at Art Basel Miami Beach in December. It is entitled “Force and From”, and it seeks to offer a sense of the expansiveness and intertextuality of a collection that has taken shape over decades. Including works by artists as diverse in aesthetic approaches as Salvador Dalí, Mark Bradford and Ana Mendieta, the de la Cruz Collection may take matters slowly, but its exhibitions aim to demonstrate that this measured approach is among the best ways to truly learn from art.

William Kherbek is the writer of the novel “Ecology of Secrets” (2013, Arcadia Missa) and “UltraLife” (2016, Arcadia Missa). His art journalism has appeared in a number of publications in the UK, US, Germany, Switzerland and Romania.

Kathryn Andrews, ’Black Bars; Dejeuner No. 1 (Girl with Napkin, visor, Lemon, lighter and shuttlecock)’, 2016
Kathryn Andrews, ’Black Bars; Dejeuner No. 1 (Girl with Napkin, visor, Lemon, lighter and shuttlecock)’, 2016
Aaron Curry, ’My Body is Machine Gun’, 2011
Aaron Curry, ’My Body is Machine Gun’, 2011
Joe Bradley, ’TBT’, 2016
Joe Bradley, ’TBT’, 2016
Alex Israel, ’Untitled (Flats)’, 2012
Alex Israel, ’Untitled (Flats)’, 2012
Tauba Auerbach, ’Shadow Weave – Façade Split Wave II’, 2013
Tauba Auerbach, ’Shadow Weave – Façade Split Wave II’, 2013

USA (55)

West Collection

Since 1996, Al & Paige West have been building an impressive collection, including works by artists such as Donald Judd, Martin Boyce, and Candice Breitz.

Valeria Napoleone

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

Christine and Andrew Hall

Interview with the collectors behind Hall Art Foundation

Gary Yeh

IC talks to Gary Yeh.

The Broad Collection

Walking down the Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, right by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), you can’t help but be struck by the angular construction of The Broad and its bright white honeycomb exterior.

Marciano Art Foundation

Maurice and Paul Marciano, founders of the GUESS jeans brand, in their five-thousand-square-meter exhibition space

The Mallin Collection

Nestled on 15 acres in the scenic town of Pound Ridge, New York, Buckhorn Sculpture Park features gardens, woodlands, a lake and an orchard.

Transformer Station

Fred and Laura Ruth Bidwell’s transformation of an electrical power station in Cleveland

The Goss-Michael Foundation

A place that grew out of a romantic connection between Kenny Goss and the late pop music legend, George Michael

Franks-Suss Collection

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

Mera & Donald Rubell

Five quick questions, five short answers by the famous couple behind the Rubell Family Collection

Thoma Foundation

Two intimate art spaces in Chicago and Santa Fe encourage dialogue between work and viewer

Martin Margulies

Interview with the collector behind the Margulies Collection

Seth Stolbun

The Houston native collector almost exclusively acquires works from artists that he has a personal relationship with

The Donum Collection

Wine tasting and Crouching Spider by Louise Bourgeois

March 8th 2022

The Stolbun Collection presents “March 8th 2022”, likely the only exhibition at Ferndale–Seth Stolbun’s rental home, as captured by his iPhone

Rubell Family Collection

Curator Joey Lico teams up with artist Alexis Diaz to visit the mighty Rubell Museum in Miami

Saint Georgina Slays The Dragon

A new collection on IC, see inside The Bennett Collection, which is focused on figurative realism, specifically the realistic, painted depiction of women by women.

Flippin The Script with Armand-Paul Family Collection

In “Flippin The Script” we warmly welcome the Armand-Paul Family Collection in New York to IC, with its focus on the African and Latin diasporas, and interest in performance.

Donna Huanca – Obsidian Ladder

Skin painting artist Donna Huanca participates in the current MAF project series, exploring gender and sexuality in contemporary life.

We Still Have Wild Birds Here

Overlooked American artist Gene Beery (b. 1937), declared and depicted reflections in his paintings with a relevant truth and irony that is no less today.

Life Cycle

The Marciano Art Foundation hosted Ai Weiwei for the third MAF Project in their Theatre Gallery.

The Wig Museum

LA's MAF was inaugurated in 2017 with a solo show of Jim Shaw, curated by Philipp Kaiser.

Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation

Delve into the digital art of the collection exhibited across two spaces.

Art Now, Art Forever: Damon Zucconi

As collectors dedicated to following artist careers in depth and breadth, Clayton Press and Gregory Linn describe their on-going relationship to the work of Damon Zucconi, whose works are frequently accessible online.

www.Simco Web Works

In context of exposing art digitally and exposing digital art, we wanted to present artworks that have only and always existed on the web, as URLs, here in the collection of Stefan Simchowitz.

Responding to Nature

Tucked away in the vineyard’s of San Francisco you’ll find the secret sculpture park of Nancy and Steve Oliver.

Go Figure / Alec Soth

This summer, the Pizzuti Collection will feature two exhibitions featuring works taken from the private collection of Ron and Ann Pizzuti.

John Morrissey

Discover is a keyword for the American attorney and art collector John Morrissey, who directs his focus towards emerging contemporary artists.

Roberto Toscano

It all started with the purchase of an etching by Richard Serra in 2011, which turned out to serve as the very foundation for Roberto Toscano’s art collection.

Stefan Simchowitz Collection

L.A.’s most controversial art collector opens up his private collection of contemporary painting.

Carole Server

The New York-based collectors with an enthusiasm for patronage and education.

Force and Form

The private collection studying contemporary visual culture.

Elayne & Marvin Mordes

The sun has just risen over the eaves when we meet on Park Avenue one peaceful January morning and Marvin and Elayne Mordes seem just the way we’d had hoped – warm, open and sympathetic.

Buckhorn Sculpture Park

Located in the scenic town of Pound Ridge, New York, you’ll find the private home of collector couple Sherry and Joel Mallin and their Buckhorn Sculpture Park.

Visions From India

The exhibition “Transforming Vision” includes some of the most prominent Indian artists working today, with all forty works coming from the Pizzuti Collection.

Clayton Press & Gregory Linn

Since 1980, Clayton Press and Gregory Linn – New Jersey collectors – have evolved from being energetic art aficionados to art market specialists.

Steve Shane

Manhattan-based collector Steve Shane is completely in love with art.

Soul Of A Nation: Art In The Age Of Black Power 1963-1983

HEAR this Online Exhibition, exclusively put together with an abundance of images, to view whilst listening to a curated playlist by Quincy Jones.

The Broad Survey Of Shirin Neshat

Downtown L.A.’s The Broad presents Shirin Neshat in an immersive survey.

PHANTASMAGORIA

Exhibition at the Stolen Collection

The Herskovic Collection

A fanatic collector of Abstract Expressionist Painting.

The Dikeou Collection — Part III

A variety of artworks by both established and emerging artists.

The Dikeou Collection — Part IV

A variety of artworks by both established and emerging artists.

The Dikeou Collection – Part II

Artworks by both established and emerging artists, ranging from installations, sculpture, photographs, videos, drawings, to painting.s.

The Dikeou Collection – Part I

Founded in 1998 by the siblings Pany and Devon Dikeou, the Dikeou Collection is located in downtown Denver.

Times of Change

New York-based collector Gregory Vinitsky has been dedicated to collecting contemporary since the 1970s.

Working Hard for Art

An art consultant and curator by day, the Brooklyn-based Collector is a self proclaimed “gutsy newcomer”, working with emerging artists to help her push her collection further.

Chaotic Contemporary

Chicago based collector Troy Klyber, is a contemporary art collector that loves to engage in a bit of chaos.

No Man’s Land

Just in time for the opening of Art Basel Miami Beach 2015, the Rubell Family Collection/Contemporary Arts Foundation has opened its new exhibition, “NO MAN’S LAND: Women Artists from the Rubell Family Collection”.

Letters to Pia

Having been given the chance to acquire intimate images of Morrisroe’s muse, Pia Howard, Boston-based collector Adam Larson speaks to IC about his relationship with the following photographs, and of course about Pia.

Select Works from the Stolbun Collection

The Stolbun Collection has turned its attention to featuring younger American artists

R F Jefferies – Don’t Postpone Joy

A look inside the collection of San Diego-based collector R F Jefferies.

THE OJIKUTU COLLECTION

Exquisite showcase of treasures of African art, culture, and history