BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors

Frédéric de Goldschmidt

Frédéric de Goldschmidt – Brussels, Belgium

Frédéric de Goldschmidt / COMPAGNIE GAGARINE / Photo: Christophe Ketels
Frédéric de Goldschmidt / COMPAGNIE GAGARINE / Photo: Christophe Ketels

What was the first piece of artwork you purchased, and when was this?

I bought my first pieces of artwork when I was a teenager. They were two prints, one by Hans Hartung and one by Zao Wou-ki. The first original piece of contemporary art I bought with serious consideration was a work by Benjamin Sabatier in 2007. I had seen a work by Sabatier at FIAC that was already sold so I wrote down the day of his next opening in order for me to be there at the from the start. The work that I bought was made from ice cube trays that were filed with crumpled magazine pages.

Installation view: Works by Andreas Johnen / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works by Andreas Johnen / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works from left to right by Gabriel Kuri, Gabriele Beveridge, Wobbe Micha, Ištvan Išt Huzjan, Valerie Snobeck, Gareth Moore / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works from left to right by Gabriel Kuri, Gabriele Beveridge, Wobbe Micha, Ištvan Išt Huzjan, Valerie Snobeck, Gareth Moore / Photo: Benjamin Hugard

Why do you collect?

It is to some extent homage to my grandmother who was a collector. When I inherited the collection from her, I also inherited her passion to collect art. I hope I’ll be able to pass on a taste and a collection to my grandchildren too, but in the meantime continue to be challenged by art and artists.

Does your collection follow a concept or a specific theme?

I don’t follow a concept, but I am particularly attracted to unconventional materials. I also very much enjoy conceptual art at galleries or museums and am interested in works that mean something, however I would not buy a piece lacking all aesthetic value. Ideally, I am visually attracted to the work firstly as then find out about its deeper meaning.

Installation view: Works by Oscar Murillo and Andreas Johnen / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works by Oscar Murillo and Andreas Johnen / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works by Andreas Johnen / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works by Andreas Johnen / Photo: Benjamin Hugard

Who are the artists you are currently following?

I am not following artists. It sounds very speculative. I buy individual artworks that speak to me. Since I don’t sell the works I acquire, I don’t need (and don’t want) the prices of the artists I like to go up.

Do you have a personal relationship with the artists you collect?

I am happy to meet artists whose work I appreciate. Studio visits are fun, and I like the company of artists in general, but most of the time the work is enough and I don’t need to know the person behind the work.

Installation view: Works by Jérémie Boyard / Photo: Benjamin Hugard
Installation view: Works by Jérémie Boyard / Photo: Benjamin Hugard

Why did you decide to make your collection publicly accessible?

I decided to organize annual viewings of my collection five years ago when I had to install works in a place that wasn’t my apartment. It became natural to share my collection with visitors at Art Brussels and then later with art lovers in general. Collectors do not own the works, they are their custodians with a responsibility to share the works with those who want to study or just enjoy them.

Which publicly accessible private collection would you recommend visiting?

I think my favorite private museum is La Gaia in Busca near Torino. Matteo Viglietta and Bruna Girodengo have collected the best works from arte povera and keep acquiring interesting works pertaining to this vein. They also host the best lunch for Artissima’s VIPs during truffles season!

All images courtesy Frédéric de Goldschmidt Collection, Brussels

Collectors (77)

Narda van 't Veer

The Narda van 't Veer Collection – Monnickendam, Netherlands

Rashid Al Khalifa

RAK ART FOUNDATION – Riffa, Bahrain

Olivier Chow

The Olivier Chow Collection – Lausanne, Switzerland

Valeria Napoleone

Valeria and Gregorio Napoleone Collection – London, UK

Matteo Novarese

SOF:ART – Bologna, Italy

Martin Steppacher

Gallery Durchgang – Basel, Switzerland

Carmelo Graci

Graci Collection – Mantova, Italy

Dr. William Lim

Living Collection – Hong Kong

NICOLA ERNI

Nicola Erni Collection – Steinhausen, Switzerland

Lukas Jakob

Jakob Collection – Gundelfingen, Germany

Claus Busch Risvig

Bech Risvig Collection – Silkeborg, Denmark

Joseph Awuah-Darko

The Terra Collection Of African Contemporary Art – Accra, Ghana | London, UK

INGRID AND THOMAS JOCHHEIM

Ingrid and Thomas Jochheim Collection – Berlin, Germany

Michał Borowik

Michał Borowik Collection – Warsaw, Poland

Bernardo Paz

Instituto Inhotim – Centro de Arte Contemporânea e Jardim Botânico – Brumadinho, Brazil

Tony Salamé

Aïshti Foundation – Beirut, Lebanon

Nadia & Rajeeb Samdani

Samdani Art Foundation (SAF), Dhaka, Bangladesh

Lord David Cholmondeley

Houghton Hall – King's Lynn, Great Britain

Galila Barzilaï-Hollander

Galila's P.O.C., Brussels, Belgium

Martin Margulies

The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse – Miami, United States of America

Christine and Andrew Hall

Hall Art Foundation - Reading, USA & Derneburg, Germany

Qiao Zhibing

TANK Shanghai and Qiao Space - Shanghai, China

Christen Sveaas

Kistefos Museet, Jevnaker, Norway

Noemi Givon

Givon Art Forum – Tel Aviv, Israel

Michael Buxton

Buxton Contemporary - Melbourne, Australia

Seth Stolbun

The Stolbun Collection – Houston, USA

Jochen Zeitz

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) - Cape Town, Africa

Dominique & Sylvain Levy

DSLCollection – Paris, France

Andrea von Goetz

Sammlung Blankenburg – Hamburg, Germany

Gordon Elliott

The Elliott Eyes Collection - Sydney, Australia

The Vague Space

Christian Kaspar Schwarm on the first solo presentation of his collection at the Weserburg Bremen

Anita Zabludowicz

Zabludowicz Collection – London, United Kingdom

Anastasios A. Gkekas

The Office Collection - Nicosia, Cyprus

Rik Reinking

WAI - Woods Art Institute, Wentorf bei Hamburg, Germany

Maria Didrichsen

Didrichsen Art Museum – Helsinki, Finland

João Carlos de Figueiredo Ferraz

Instituto Figueiredo Ferraz (IFF) - São Paulo, Brazil

Julia Stoschek

Julia Stoschek Collection – Dusseldorf, Germany

Maurizio Morra Greco

Fondazione Morra Greco, Naples, Italy

Christian & Karen Boros

Sammlung Boros – Berlin, Germany

Timo Miettinen

Salon Dahlmann – Berlin, Germany

Marli Hoppe-Ritter

Sammlung Marli Hoppe-Ritter – Waldenbuch, Germany

Désiré Feuerle

The Feuerle Collection – Berlin, Germany

Gudrun & Bernd Wurlitzer

Wurlitzer Pied A Terre Collection – Berlin, Germany

Corbett Lyon

Lyon Housemuseum – Melbourne, Australia

Geert Verbeke-Lens

Verbeke Foundation – Kemzeke, Belgium

László Vass

Vass Collection – Veszprém, Hungary

Daisuke Miyatsu

Dream House – Ichikawa, Japan

Samara Walbohm & Joe Shlesinger

Scrap Metal Gallery – Toronto, Canada

Charles Riva

Charles Riva Collection – Brussels, Belgium

Venke & Rolf Hoff

KaviarFactory – Lofoten, Norway

Alain Servais

Servais Family Collection – Brussels, Belgium

Ivo Wessel

Sammlung Ivo Wessel - Berlin, Germany

Ramin Salsali

Salsali Private Museum – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Vittorio Gaddi

Collezione Nunzia e Vittorio Gaddi – Lucca, Italy

Miguel Leal Rios

Fundação Leal Rios – Lisbon, Portugal

Gertraud and Dieter Bogner

Kunstraum Buchberg – Gars am Kamp, Austria

Bob Rennie

Rennie Collection at Wing Sang – Vancouver, Canada

Heiner Wemhöner

Sammlung Wemhöner – Herford, Germany

Lin Han

M WOODS – Beijing, China

Kenny Goss

The Goss-Michael Foundation – Dallas, USA

Karsten Schmitz

Arbeitswohnung Federkiel – Leipzig, Germany

Devon Dikeou

The Dikeou Collection - Denver, USA

Thomas Olbricht

ME Collectors Room Berlin/Stiftung Olbricht – Berlin, Germany

Mera & Donald Rubell

Rubell Family Collection – Miami, USA

Pétur Arason

Safn – Berlin, Germany / Reykjavík, Iceland

Steffen Hildebrand

G2 Kunsthalle – Leipzig, Germany

Daniel Teo

The Private Museum – Singapore, Singapore

Claudio Cosma

Sensus – Luoghi per l’arte Contemporanea – Florence, Italy

Michał Borowik

Michał Borowik Collection – Warsaw, Poland

Herbert Gerisch

Herbert-Gerisch-Stiftung - Neumünster, Germany

José Berardo

Museu Coleção Berardo – Lisbon, Portugal

Bärbel Grässlin and Karola Kraus

Sammlung Grässlin - St. Georgen, Germany

Joëlle and Eric Romba

Rocca Stiftung – Berlin, Germany

Myriam and Amaury de Solages

Maison Particulière – Brussels, Belgium

Friedrich Gräfling

Sammlung Fiede - Aschaffenburg, Germany