the young collectors iv Seven young protagonists mark our fourth annual Young Collectors edition. Hailing from Iran, Palestine, Kuwait and Bahrain, they share their passions for art, their love for collecting, how it all began and their future aspirations. 67 Wish list: Tala Madani, Hayv Kahraman, Idris Khan, Giorgio De Chirico and Pierre Soulages. I’d love to dine with: Marcel Duchamp. I imagine he would have the best stories to tell. The Middle Eastern art scene needs: More art academies. Next purchase: More vintage photography. Advice to young collectors: Speak to as many gallerists and artists as you can. For me, art: Reflects the world we live in today and helps explain the complexities and beauty of life. Artists need: Freedom. sheikha lulu al-sabah 68 the young collectors S heikha Lulu Al-Sabah’s passion for the arts well as her extensive career in the arts, she Facing page: Sheikha Lulu was cultivated through courses in modern originally wanted to be a journalist. In a career Al-Sabah with two works by Ahmad Moualla. Untitled. dance and theatre in New York and Paris, which ultimately led her into greater involvement 2008. Acrylic on canvas. 200 x but it was growing up amidst the magnificent with the art world, her editorial background has 120 x 2 cm each. art collection of her mother Sheikha Paula Al- included working for the International Herald This page, left: Youssef Nabil. Sabah, that solidified her affinity for top quality Tribune, Eastern Art Report and frequent con- Untitled. 2009. Hand-coloured works of art. “I think once you have an appreci- tributions to Canvas. “It was through writing gelatin silver print. 70 x 50 cm. ation for the visual arts, you can easily appreci- about art criticism and the history of Modern ate other art forms as well,” she says. “Becom- and Contemporary art that I began to more Right: Youssef Nabil. Amani by the Window. 2009. Hand- ing an art collector was a natural progression of greatly understand the field,” she says. Writing coloured gelatin silver print. my artistic passion.” Today, Lulu’s collection is about the visual arts accentuated her interest 70 x 50 cm. made up of predominantly Arab and Iranian art- and passion for the field; she finally decided works with such names as Adam Henein, Fari- that this was where she wanted to work and deh Lashai, Paul Guiragossian, Youssef Nabil, it was the knowledge that she had acquired Reem Al-Faisal and Ayman Yossri Daydban which led Lulu to collect more art. gracing the walls of her residences in London and Kuwait. Lulu received her Bachelor’s degree from “Art is an impulse buy – it always the American University of Paris and her Mas- ter’s from Birkbeck College, University of needs to be done with your gut.” London, in Social and Cultural History. A Co- founder of JAMM, an arts and events com- pany based in Kuwait, Lulu was a consultant for Christie’s and, later, Middle East Director for Philips de Pury & Company. While there, she conceived and curated the 2009 exhibition Per- spectives: Arab and Iranian Modern Masters, a group show in the Philips de Pury & Company Gallery at the Saatchi Gallery showcasing a survey of pioneering Modern Arab and Iranian artists. Lulu’s art background also led her to be a panellist at Art Basel in 2006 as well as Art Basel Miami Beach in 2008 where she contrib- uted to the discussions The Future of the Mu- seum: Art Institutions in the Middle East. In 2006 she also co-organised an exhibition of paint- ings by Kuwaiti women artists at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. Regardless of Lulu’s artistic upbringing as How did growing up surrounded by art influence your decision to start your own collection? I grew up amidst my mother’s wonderful collection. We always had sev- eral ‘art objects’ – as opposed to works on canvas – within our home. By the time I was about 10 years old, my mother had begun collecting more paintings and murals. I remember one work in particular at our home in Paris – a 19th-century oil painting over two metres high of an Ottoman Sultan seated cross-legged under an umbrella. I fell in love with this piece and would often find myself gazing at it. This was one of the first serious works my mother bought. From that experience, I decided that I, too, wanted to be surrounded by beautiful works of art. I started collecting when I was doing my Master’s in London, beginning with small pieces, mostly prints, and then proceeding to larger, more serious works. What was your first purchase? I was in London and living on Primrose Hill and close by was a gallery which sold prints by Chagall, Picasso, Dalí and other Modern greats. I quickly became enraptured by a print of a dancer, made in the manner of Picasso. I bought it over a period of three months, followed by a work by Chagall, also purchased over three months. I learned a lot from the gallerist and would visit regularly; she’d teach me about prints, editions and photography. My collection thus started with prints because they were small and affordable, but also beautiful in their own right. How do you decide what to buy? Most of the time I have a very emotional response to a work, which prompts me to buy it. Sometimes I won’t know the artist or have any knowledge about the piece, but I’ll just love it so much and start researching it to learn more. I think that’s the most important thing that needs to take place in the beginning: one needs to fall in love with a work of art. Many people put themselves on a waiting list for a specific work, but I’ve never done this. I always have a ‘coming across’ moment, whether I am meeting an artist or a collector or just stumble upon a work. It’s a bit of an addiction, once you start collecting – you can’t stop! Art is an impulse buy – it always needs to be done with your gut. Does your mother play a role in your art collecting? Yes, as I do with hers. I am fortunate because I not only have my own private collection but also access to my mother’s Dar Noor Collection, which I very much hope to manage one day. I sometimes propose works of art to be included in that collection. When this occurs, it is always pieces by Arab and Iranian artists rather than works by Western artists, which my mother always purchases on her own. How does working at JAMM affect your collecting habits? Sometimes my work and my personal collecting collide. When I was working at Philips de Pury I was assigned to do the first auction in Dubai. Consequently, I made a lot of trips around the region to meet col- lectors and artists, as well as to consign artworks for the auction which, in the end, never took place because of the recession. When consign- the young collectors Facing page, above: Rokni Haerizadeh. Ghoghnous for Bahman Mohasses. 2012. Ripped magazine pages, watercolour and gesso on paper. Approximately 36 x 27 cm. Image courtesy the artist and Galerie Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai. Below: Akim Monet. Deep from the Homage to Gaudi series. 2000. Ilfochrome exhibition prints. 152 x 101 cm. This page: Sheikha Lulu Al-Sabah with a work by Thilleli Rahmoun. Sautrelles dans Alger. 2009. Mixed media on paper. 150 x 200 cm. All images courtesy Apache Photography unless otherwise specified. “I believe it is important to educate people through art.” ing works, I would often find pieces that I liked I will have a better idea of what I would like to and hoped to buy for myself – certainly a case do. I’d like to pass most of my works down of when my work influenced my personal col- to my children. I also don’t have a problem lecting! I also receive many images through my with lending my works to be showcased in an current work at JAMM, which similarly prompts exhibition or public institution. Children often me to buy certain pieces. come to see my mother’s collection in Kuwait and I think that’s what it is there for; it is impor- What do you hope to do with your collection tant to expose her collection to as many people in the future? as possible. I would be open to doing the same I don’t have any specific plans yet. I think may- with my collection someday; I believe it is im- be in 10 years, when my collection has grown, portant to educate people through art. 71 The artworks I’d rob a bank for: One of the Rothkos from the Seagram Murals and sheikh TERKY another from the Rothko Chapel. Art motto: Art must illuminate. al-KHALIFA The Middle Eastern art market needs: To be less market-driven. Best art advice I ever got: “Make your collecting a rich, personal and profound intellectual journey.” The one that got away: I don’t like to think that any did! What puts me off a work or an artist: Superficiality and copycats. As soon as I buy an artwork: I start focusing on the next on my list! 72 the young collectors S heikh Terky Al-Khalifa’s foray into the art world A self-proclaimed movie, music and book buff, began in 2006, when he was stationed in Wash- Terky’s initial art orientations were “somewhat safe” ington DC as a diplomat for the Bahraini embas- and veered towards abstract and “elegant” art. He sy. The city wasn’t new to him – he had graduated then discovered that his favourite palette is black from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service with and white, a colour scheme which dominates his a degree in International Relations in 1997 – but collection. “It’s not at all intentional,” he says, “but something about being away from his native Bah- after I’ve acquired a work, I’ll realise that it’s black rain struck a chord with Terky. “I was furnishing a and white again!” Since his first purchases in 2009, place in Washington at the time and wanted things Terky continues to feed his appetite for art by at- to remind me of home and of the region,” he says. tending international art fairs, the Venice Biennale During a subsequent visit to Bahrain, Terky toured and “reading on art, 24/7”. He has also expanded some of the Kingdom’s galleries; intrigued, he be- his collection to include Western Contemporary art- gan reading avidly about Contemporary Middle works. “I’m very conscious of where I was and where Eastern art and eventually bought what he deems I am in terms of progression,” he says. “If someone his “first serious acquisition” – a piece by Iranian art- told me five years ago that I’d be an art collector, I ist Golnaz Fathi. In a twist of serendipitous fate, the wouldn’t have believed them.” Terky primarily buys Facing page: Sheikh Terky Al-Khalifa with a work by artwork features a blotch of red paint in its centre, artworks from galleries, but has not ruled out auc- Idris Khan in the background. which Terky likened to the map of Bahrain. “It was tions. He is also a fan of emerging artists, believing Untitled III. 2009. Digital like an added bonus,” he laughs, adding that “My that “they represent creative potential”. Market hype bromide print mounted on life took an artistic turn and I have been consumed is not something of interest to him, nor is an artist’s aluminium and rag board. 119.4 x 137.2 cm. by art since!” Terky had completed a course at commercial viability. “I’ve put a lot of thought and Oxford University’s Foreign Service Programme for research into this,” says Terky, who has recently en- This page: Mounir Fatmi. The a year before pursuing a Master’s degree at Tufts rolled in an online course at the Sotheby’s Institute Machinery. 2009. 30 saw blades. Variable dimensions. University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, of Art. “The collecting bug hit me hard. Art has con- Edition two of five. Image graduating in 2011 and returning to Bahrain where sumed my life in such a good way and I’m happy courtesy the artist and he is now based. that this is a hobby and a passion,” he says. Paradise Row, London. “I seek a combination of aesthetics and intellectual engagement, with the main criteria being intelligence and elegance.” 73 This page, above: Sheikh Terky Al-Khalifa with a work by Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin. The Fixers Execution, June 7, 2008. Unique C-type print mounted on aluminium. 76.2 x 600 cm. Below: Babak Golkar. Proposal for Negotiating Space, No 4. 2010. Persian carpet, wood, polystyrene, Plexiglas, glass and paint. 95 x 155 x 116 cm. Image courtesy the artist and The Third Line, Dubai. Facing page: Garder Eide Einarsson. In the Dust of This Planet. 2011. Acrylic, gesso and graphite on canvas. 182.9 x 152.4 cm. Image courtesy Maureen Paley, London. All photography by Andrew Weaver unless otherwise specified. “I really enjoy trying to decipher what my collection What shocked you about Contemporary art? Its intelligence, which has become my number images of war, I find their work fantastic. The pair joined the British Army in Afghanistan as says about one criterion when buying art. Three artists come to mind – Shezad Dawood and the duo war photographers, but instead of shooting ac- tual images they took a roll of film and exposed me and the Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin; the first for his iconic tumbleweed works, which are a it; the events that took place on that day make up part of the title of the work I own, The Day world.” synthesis of East meets West and include an Islamic aspect, as well as the tumblew- That Nobody Died. eed which symbolises How did things progress since your the Wild West. The latter initial acquisition? two are fascinated with At first, I bought Contemporary Middle East- interrogating the mean- ern art and as I researched and educated my- ing of photographic self, the Iranian art scene was at the forefront. images and in a day I learned of Rokni Haerizadeh, whose work may and age where we have not have adhered to my style, but I couldn’t become jaded with deny that he was an important artist. I bought a work by him which satisfied my criteria in that it is a social commentary and one which is uni- versal and not particularly nationalistic. Buying that piece was like opening Pandora’s Box! I stepped out of my comfort zone and this co- incided with my first visit to Art Dubai in 2009. I made it to the last day of the fair and fortuitously met Nick Hackworth of Paradise Row, who has been instrumental to me on my art journey. 74 the young collectors What do you look for in an artwork? I enjoy tremendously the intellectual stimulation a reflection of my journey and I really enjoy try- I seek a combination of aesthetics and intel- it provokes. Apart from a very basic answer that ing to decipher what my collection says about lectual engagement, with the main criteria be- art is something that occupies my time, I really me and the world. I’m aware of its many strands, ing intelligence and elegance. Another meas- do enjoy it. Art is very emotional and visceral how I can build upon them and the possibility of ure often is when I learn about an artwork and and can be aesthetically pleasing. others surfacing. I’ve become conscious of how when something about it – its cleverness or wit my current and future acquisitions can strength- – makes me smile. Sometimes I see a piece There are many varied strands to your en these strands. I view my collection as an exhi- and the appeal is instant, but I like to sleep on collection. Was this intentional? bition and in many respects, I am a curator. it, although I’m aware that I will get it nonethe- My collection has progressed organically and I less! I like to get opinions from my wife as well am intrigued with how it has assumed a life of its How can art solve problems? as Nick and close friends. Everything about own and how patterns have emerged. One art- Art is “soft power”, as Tate Modern Director the process is organic and following my heart work leads to another, there’s a common thread Chris Dercon said during the Art and Patronage brings me peace of mind. between them, and I believe that curating a col- Middle East Summit last January. It can also lection is an art form in itself. The first strand to shed light on issues in an intelligent, emotional Do you believe in collecting in depth? emerge had a Contemporary Islamic slant to it; manner but because of art’s universality, it can I don’t rule it out. I have more than one work by another is the war slant, the strongest strand of show that the world is one. When art crosses certain artists; there are artists whose work I will my collection and one with which I am fascinat- borders and resonates beyond boundaries, it collect more of simply because I like their mis- ed, perhaps because of our times. In examining tells us that we’re all the same. sion and intelligence. I veer towards artworks the Contemporary art world we must consider that are not necessarily in-your-face; I like that, unfortunately, war is an enduring aspect. Where do you want to take your collection? messages that are hidden beneath the surface. I’m keen on putting it on public display in the With regards to media, I’m open; it’s really a Do you feel that your collection teaches future. I want to change people’s perception of case of whatever hits me. you more about yourself? art – that it isn’t simply something decorative Absolutely. I have to stress that I feel that art can and pretty for our walls – and hopefully nurture What has art added to your life? illuminate. My artworks are a part of me; they’re enthusiasm and a culture of art appreciation. 75 KAMIAR MALEKI Art motto: Buy with knowledge and buy what you love. The work I could stare at for hours: Anything by Richter, Soulages or Fontana. The artwork I will get by hook or by crook: A Fontana. I’d love to dine with: Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso and Dalí. Living artists: Gilbert & George, Ali Banisadr and Matthew Day Jackson. I know I want an artwork when: I ask about the artist and get excited every time I see the work. My earliest art memory was: Seeing Nikki de Saint Phalle’s work for the first time and being in complete awe. Thinking of buying next: Works by Sam Falls, Jacob Hashimoto and Oscar Murillo. 76 the young collectors H aving lived in eight different countries dur- ing his life, Iranian-born Kamiar Maleki’s art collection reflects the cultural dichotomies of his globetrotting upbringing. And although the walls of his London home are adorned with pieces by the likes of Matthew Day Jackson, Ali Banisadr, Shirana Shahbazi, Tomoaki Maki- no, Dan Rees, Vicky Wright and Oliver Clegg, Kamiar hasn’t completely immersed himself in the maelstrom of the Contemporary art scene. “My true passion lies in Impressionist and Mod- ernist works but, given my budget, I can’t quite indulge in it just yet!” he laughs. Born in 1978, Kamiar was seven months old when he left his homeland in the lead-up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution; from there, his family fled to France, Germany and the USA before settling permanently in the UK. “I have never gone back to Iran but remain very proud of my heritage,” says Kamiar. “However, I don’t believe that an art collector’s cultural identity should interfere with his love of art or artists.” In 1997 Kamiar studied International Relations at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and then moved to Paris, first working in Carr Futures,a futures broker (now Newedge/So- ciété Générale) before enrolling at the American University of Paris in 2000. Today, the UK-based trade broker attributes his worldly artistic sensibility to his nomadic life- style as well as to parents Fatima and Eskander Maleki – highly-respected art patrons in their “There is an inexplicable sense of own right. “A love for the arts was instilled in me early on,” says Kamiar. “My family has amassed pride and excitement each time pieces by European Old Masters such as An- gelica Kauffman, Jan Breugel, Nicolas Maes you buy a piece.” and Cohelo Meytens, as well as Contemporary works by the likes of Keith Haring, Gerhard Rich- “My parents support and socialise with many Facing page: Kamiar Maleki ter, Anish Kapoor, Anselm Reyle, Chris Ofili and artists and organisations and have opened their with a painting by Ali Banisadr. The Merchants. 2009. Oil on Shirin Neshat.” Growing up surrounded by such home by hosting dinners and supporting chari- linen. 152 x 203.2 cm. works meant that art education for Kamiar and ties and trusts such as the Tate; this gave me his younger brother Shahriar began at home. great exposure and helped me understand the This page: Shirana Shahbazi. Flowers, Fruit and “My parents have a tremendous understand- concepts and ideas behind their pieces,” he Portraits. 2007. C-print on ing of the arts,” he says. The family household says. Describing his approach to acquisitions as aluminium.150 x 120 cm. was also a stomping ground for artists, allowing guided by “thorough research on the piece and Edition five of five plus one Kamiar to keep close to the pulse of the art cir- artist”, it is clear that a quest for knowledge lies artist’s proof. cuit and get to know the faces behind the works. at the core of Kamiar’s collecting ethos. 77 This page, above: Kamiar Maleki How did you start collecting? that you leave behind for your children. At the mo- with a work by Matthew Day When my brother and I were younger, we were ment, my collection is not very big but the works Jackson. Dresden. 2010. Burnt wood and lead on panel. given art budgets to buy pieces that we loved. will eventually become part of a family trust. 248 x 165 cm. The first piece that I ever bought was a C-print by Japanese artist Tomoaki Makino entitled You are getting married this summer. Facing page, left: Dan Rees. Shizuko, in 2005 from London’s Museum 52. Will you be deciding on acquisitions as (Detail) Untitled. 2011. Plastercine and wood. The woman in the photograph is holding a a couple? 142 x 102 x 6.5 cm. handball adorned with the colours of the Ira- Of course! It is going to be a family collection nian flag; I felt that the work was so strong and now and my fiancée’s input is very important Right: Marcus Oehlen. (Detail) Sohn von Zwielicht. 2001. Oil on it just grabbed me very quickly. This was my to me. She works for Candlestar, a UK-based canvas. 260 x 250 cm. first foray into the art market and, as many col- cultural consultancy, so she is an art-lover as lectors will tell you, it becomes an addiction! well. We have similar tastes but sometimes dis- All photography by agree, so it will be interesting to see how both David Levenson. Why do you think that art collecting has styles integrate into a single collection. such an effect? It becomes a passion and an obsession because Your collection mostly features works by it truly is a self-gratifying act: there is an inexpli- Contemporary artists. What is it about this cable sense of pride and excitement each time genre that catches your eye? you buy a piece. Also, you can look at your works To be honest, I don’t want my collection to focus and see how both the artists and the collection on a specific genre or have a curatorial theme have grown since you made the purchase. There and I’m hoping that, with time, it will become is such a joy in finding an unknown emerging more diverse and multifaceted. But I do own artist that you feel is going to become established works mostly by emerging talents and I’m now one day. Finally, your collection is also a legacy trying to focus on established artists. 78 the young collectors Where do you buy from? I find art at galleries in London as well as art “I’ve definitely sold some pieces, fairs such as Art Basel (Miami and Basel) and Frieze. And of course, I love going to auctions but the beauty of it is that it all as I learn a lot about the market there. goes back into an art fund.” Your background is in sales. Do you ever buy art as an investment? try to find out the concept behind the work and Maybe it is the trade broker in me, but when you biography of the artist. I also have a small group invest your love, time and money in anything, you of close friends and loved ones whose advice I also think about what you can do with your re- take, such as my parents, our close friend Amir turns. So I’ve definitely sold some pieces, but the Shariat and my gallerist cousin. Roxana Afshar beauty of it is that it all goes back into an art fund. who works for Hopkins Coustot in London. At the end of day, it is a market. I always buy art that I love but if I feel that the artist is not develop- What is the first thing you do when you buy ing the way he/she should or I sense that I am not an artwork? enjoying the work as much as I used to, and the I just admire it for hours on end. I study it, look timing is right, then I sell the work. I prefer to use into every detail, research it and take a pic- the space for a work that I truly appreciate. ture of it so I can show it to my friends. Every time I buy a piece that I love, I am proud to What does your purchasing process entail? share it with others. I obviously also hang the I never buy on the whim of the moment and al- piece in my house, as I don’t generally like ways research the artist and artwork prior to pur- to keep art in storage. Art is something to chasing. I believe that knowledge is power, so I look at! 79 Advice to young collectors: Buy what you SHAHRIAR really, genuinely love. Wish list: Another piece by Dan Shaw-Town and works by Mark Titchner, Gerhard Richter MALEKI and Mark Rothko. ‘Me time’ involves: Looking at my art. My take on the art world: It’s becoming very social, like it’s ‘in’ to buy art, and when S hahriar Maleki’s mother was pregnant with him when the Islamic Revolu- the scene becomes too fake for me, I stop tion swept their native Iran in 1979. The family fled to Nice, where he was enjoying it. born, and subsequently lived in the USA, France and Germany before finally settling in London. “I grew up Iranian; my parents tried as much as Art motto: If you collect from the heart, it’ll they could to teach my brother Kamiar and me about the morals and ethics always be valuable. of Persian society,” says Shahriar, “but I am as European as they come!” His parents Fatima and Eskandar – “my mentors” – are reputed art patrons who A collection is: A whole story, the sum of have amassed an impressive collection of Old Master, Western and Middle stories made up of discoveries. Eastern Contemporary artworks and it is this context which characterised the brothers’ childhood. Their appreciation for the arts was fuelled by visits to art I’d love to dine with: Michelangelo, galleries, museums, the opera and musicals, and by family art discussions. Picasso and Warhol and I’d ask them all Shahriar was first introduced to Contemporary art through Kamran Diba, an of the above. artist and architect of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, to whom he is related. He attended boarding schools in Switzerland and the USA, graduat- 80 the young collectors “Every piece has its own aura, a story to tell – that’s why I collect art.” Facing page: Shahriar Maleki with a work by Donald Baechler. Hommage à Picasso. 1984. Acrylic on canvas. 162 x 162 cm. This page: Mondongo Group. SerieRoja – Ovalo No 4. 1999. Modelling clay, serigraphy and wood. 50 x 70 cm. ing from the latter where, inspired by Richard and one which he cherishes for Serra and Richard Long, he dabbled with wire enabling him to “work with my sculptures, believing that “a good way to un- hands, which teaches you derstand art is to make it” and exhibited at a and grounds you, especially student show. Shahriar then followed his elder as I felt an urge to produce brother to Pennsylvania and pursued a degree something.” Shahriar con- in International Relations and Economics from siders London as “the Bucknell University. He opted for an art fund as place to be” vis-à-vis the a graduation present from his parents “after art world for its access to having seen them seriously collecting and re- galleries, artists collec- alising that I wanted to be a part of that”. It took tors and collections. He Shahriar three years to decide what to acquire, “gallery-hops” every Sat- finally buying a work by Grayson Perry which, urday and is now working he says is “by far, one of the works I am most as a consultant. proud of.” He is open to all art media – “I’ve never limited myself or my collection” – and What ‘art’ memories do orientates towards works by emerging artists. you recall from childhood? Shahriar has worked in the telecommunica- Many! One of my first was see- tions industry in London and also managed ing Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss; I part of the family business in Switzerland, but became very curious and started after “about 250 days a year on airplanes” he reading about art. You move on and decided to work at a vineyard in Bordeaux for end up in Contemporary art, where my six months. It was a “humbling” experience, most significant early memory of that genre 81 the young collectors was the 1997 Sensation show in London, which my mother took us to. That, for me and anyone in my age group, has to be ‘it’! Sensation was a real shock and it opened my eyes to Contemporary art. What is your approach to buying art? At work in the ‘real world’, I make big decisions quickly. In the art world, I take my time and, as a result, I’ve sometimes lost out on pieces. I get really nervous, not so much when I buy it but when it arrives, and I need to consider where to hang it! At first, I thought of collecting as an investment, so I had a strategy in mind, but that changed when I got emo- tionally attached to some pieces. I realised that art is not a business, but something very personal and I can go so far as to say that it’s actually rather private. What was the turning point in your collecting? It was when someone advised me to sell a work “because the market is ripe and the work’s value won’t increase”. I refused categorically and decided to keep the work, know- ing full well that the person may be right from an investment point of view. Have you ever sold a piece? Only one, and that was because I met the artist! You make a tremendous effort to buy art, consider where to hang it and look at it day in and day out – the work I sold hung in my office for six years. The artist was visiting our house and I walked up to him to say that I was a fan, that I’d scraped money together to buy his work. He was so arrogant to the point where I really wanted him to leave. I couldn’t look at his piece anymore. I didn’t care that I sold it at a tremen- dous loss and, after that experience, I make sure to meet the artist; if I can’t, then I educate myself enough to try and understand him or her. What does your collection say about you? I recently moved into my first home, a 1990s mews house by British architect John Pawson. I fell for the wall space and it’s the first time that I’ve been able to hang my entire collection in one go and, somehow, it worked! There is a harmony there, I can see a development of taste and quality, but I have a feeling that if you really know me and you come to my house blindfolded, you’d know this is my place. As a collector, you certainly grow as a person and I think artworks also grow with you. Every piece has its own aura, a story to tell – that’s why I collect art. “I think every collector should curate their surroundings and no, there’s never enough wall space!” Have you made any mistakes? What do you hope to do with your collection? Facing page, above: Josh Plenty! Anyone who tells you they haven’t is ei- Donate it to a museum, which is something I’ve Smith. Untitled. 2007. Oil and acrylic on canvas. Nine panels, ther lying or in denial. I have about six pieces by always thought about. It’s the way I look at life 22.9 x 22.9 cm each. artists who you have never and will never hear – you live once, make the best of it and when of, so my collection is a kind of museum for you’re gone, you can’t take it with you but at Below: Dan Shaw-Town. (Detail) Untitled. 2010. them. They’re unknowns and some will remain least you create something that other people Graphite and spray paint unknowns. There are 50,000 registered artists in can enjoy. on paper, grommets, steel the UK and 70,000 in France – there might be grommets and bulldog clip. 100 x 66 cm. 10 that ‘make it’, but what happens to the rest? What about Middle Eastern art? From an investment point of view, I’ve made It hasn’t spoken to me yet, but I think we’re go- This page: Shahriar Maleki plenty of mistakes, but from an emotional point ing to have fantastic art come out from coun- holding Man is Born by of view, I haven’t made any. tries with new beginnings. People will express Grayson Perry. 1989. Ceramic jug. Variable dimensions. themselves better or differently and I’m looking On the wall: Keith Haring. What about rotating artworks? forward to that because, it’s now, it’s what I’ve Untitled. 1982. Black ink on It’s a huge effort, because I focus on curating. lived and not something that happened before paper. 182 x 315 cm. A piece doesn’t look the same on all walls and I I was born. All photography by think that’s a very important factor for a collector, David Levenson. because a work’s placement must give it justice. I Would you consider buying art online? think every collector should curate their surround- At first I thought buying or viewing art online ings and no, there’s never enough wall space! was a great idea, given that we’re in the 21st You’ve got to consider what the piece is saying to century, but I like to see things live. I’m very you – is it talking to you more in the bedroom or the ‘old school’; I’ve never bought a piece over the living room? Is it a conversation piece? Is it the first phone or through a JPEG file. I don’t see art as thing you see when you walk through the door? something virtual. 83 I’d love to dine with: Salvador Dalí. Art motto? Make sure your wife says OK before the piece pops up at your front door! An artist I think is undervalued or: Sohrab Sepehri. His work can still be found for a good price, but as one of the pioneers of Modern Iranian art, he deserves greater global recognition. The Middle Eastern art scene needs: More art institutions and educational programmes. KAMRAN Thinking of buying next? I’ve never planned ahead. I usually come across works by chance and then pursue them. MAHDAVI For me, art is: A chance encounter. The first thing I do when I buy an artwork is: Find the right spot for it on my wall. 84 the young collectors I ranian-born Kamran Mahdavi is happy to The organisation believes that harmony and explain how each artwork in his collection unity can be achieved between Middle Eastern adds to the energy and flow of his residence. cultures through the arts. Similarly, the art which They become “part of the family,” he says with Kamran chooses to live with both links his delight. Growing up, his parents expressed a present life back to his homeland as well as fervent appreciation for the art and antiquities of creates an ambiance of beauty and creativity. his native homeland. However, Kamran hasn’t been back to Iran since the age of two, when his family left the country for London. Today, his col- “I buy a piece because I need lecting has taken root in works by Modern and Contemporary Iranian artists, which he says al- it and want to live with it.” lows him to “reconnect with his heritage through art”. The CEO of an international commodi- Facing page: Kamran and Alessa Mahdavi ties trade house, Kamran explains how he with works by Narsrollah Afjehi. Above, left: Untitled. 2007. Ink on canvas. 195 x is especially fond of works by the older 195 cm. Below: Siah Mashq. 2007. Ink on generation of Iranian artists, in particular canvas. 214 x 214 cm. Right: Farhad Moshiri. those of Sohrab Seperhi, Monir Farmanfar- Nothing Serious. 2010. Embroidery on canvas mounted on board. 120 x 270 x 50 cm. maian, Parviz Tanavoli and Nasrollah Afjei. “You can’t mistake a [Farhad] Moshiri or a This page: Parviz Tanavoli. The Wall and the Tanavoli; both artists imbue their work with Heech. 2008. Bronze. 142 x 103 x 48 cm. such distinct formal qualities that it is nearly Edition two of five. Image courtesy Christie’s. impossible to confuse them,” he says. “I really like this; it validates the work that I buy. I think it is important for an artist to create his or her own mark and this is what attracts me to certain Iranian artists. It similarly spurred my desire to start an art collection.” Kamran and his wife Alessa also collect works by artists from outside Iran, with names such as Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol, Abdulnasser Gharem and Mark Evans featuring among their col- lection. Apart from collecting, Kamran is also dedicated to assisting the development of art and culture in the MENA region through educational programmes. He is a member of the UK-based Caspian Arts Foundation, which supports students from the Middle East seeking postgraduate studies in fine art, film and photography at one of the six colleges at the Univer- sity of the Arts in London. “It’s nice How did you start collecting art? By accident! In 2006 my childhood friend Dina It is true, however, that most of the artists I buy from are considered to be a good investment. to impart Nasser-Khadivi invited me to the preview of the inaugural Christie’s Dubai sale in London. I don’t buy their work for this reason, though. I buy a piece because I need it and want to live something At the time, I didn’t take the auction business that seriously. However, a couple of years later, with it. In the beginning, I was just buying art- works because I liked them immediately, but of value, a Sotheby’s catalogue my father was browsing through found its way onto my desk. Looking then I began to do more research as well as visit art galleries and fairs to uncover the variety heritage through the various artworks, I decided to pur- chase a work by Nasrollah Afjei entitled Siah of art that is out there. I now attend Frieze each year with my wife, where we select artworks and beauty Mashq as well as a few other pieces to deco- rate my walls at home. Once the works were based on what we love and what will immedi- ately go well in our home. to someone delivered, I was able to set my eyes on them more closely and became instantly amazed What about an artwork’s eventual place you love. by the level of creativity, as well as by the in- tricate details I found within each work. That’s within your home? I get very attached to my art. Once I’ve hung Art is when my appreciation for art really set in and I soon found myself bidding in more and more it in a certain space, I find it hard to move or replace it. The apartment I have in London something auctions. Dina and a friend from Sotheby’s, as well as my family, who collect Iranian art, edu- is an ideal space in which to place works of art, due to the high ceilings and spacious I want to cated me about various artists and art forms. Collecting soon became an addiction. Given rooms. Before I got married, I never got around to hanging artworks, but when I did, my live and my origins, Modern and Contemporary Iranian art was initially what attracted me, but I have wife and I hung the works together and that’s when I learned to appreciate them so much grow with.” now branched out into acquiring works by Mid- dle Eastern and Western Contemporary artists. more. Finding the right space means that there needs to be a certain flow between Much of my collection has been bought with that place and the other artworks juxtaposed the help of my wife Alessa. We both enjoy buy- nearby. The pieces you position should look ing art, as well as deciding on the right location similar and have complementary colours and for each work within our home. forms. If I acquire a really loud work full of bold and vibrant colours, I usually try and place it How do you buy a work of art? on its own so that it gains the attention that I purchase a piece because I am attracted to it. it commands. 86 the young collectors Facing page: Farhad Moshiri. Nothing Serious. 2010. Embroidery on canvas mounted on board. 120 x 270 x 50 cm. This page, above: Mark Evans. The Last Enemy VII. 2010. Hand-carved leather. 190 x 130 cm. Below: Sohrab Sepehri. Untitled from the Abstract series. Circa 1970s. Oil on canvas. 97 x 130 cm. Below: Abdulnasser Gharem. Detour. 2009. Light box. 69 x 104 cm. All photography by David Levenson unless otherwise specified. Have you made any mistakes when purchasing art along the way? I purchase most of my art from auction but always bid over the phone. In addition, I often buy from auc- tions taking place in Doha and Dubai, which means that there is even more distance between me, the purchase and the chance to investigate the work beforehand. I’ve bought a few works that have dis- appointed me when they were delivered; the colours and form didn’t match my expectations. Why do you think human beings have a need to live around art? I think they become comfortable with works of art. Once it’s in your home, it becomes part of the family. Collecting art becomes an addiction; once you start, it’s hard to stop. But I’m at a point now where I enjoy my collection very much and have become more se- lective about what I purchase – I don’t buy as freely as I did before. It’s also hard for me to replace some- thing in my home that I’ve grown accustomed to. What do you hope to do with your collection? I don’t really know yet. I’m curious to see how it will develop. Fortunately, I haven’t had to sell any works yet. As I said before, I purchase more for the artwork itself and not for the investment, even though pieces by such artists as Sepehri and Moshiri are obviously sound investments. These are works that will go up in value over time and which you can hand over to your children. It’s nice to impart something of value, heritage and beauty to someone you love. Art is something I want to live and grow with. 87 I know I should like it but I just can’t: Jeff Koons’s Seal Walrus. Art motto: If you don’t have the space, buy a bigger place. An artist I think is undervalued: If you find one, let me know. The work I could stare at for hours: Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock and Rome’s OMAR Trevi Fountain. I’d love to dine with: Michelangelo. The first thing I do when I buy a new piece ABU SHARIF is: Hide it from my wife. Thinking of buying next: Bernard Buffet. 88 the young collectors O n the walls of the Beirut home in which Omar Abu Sharif grew up for the first 10 years of his life were paintings by some of the Arab world’s Modern Masters. His mother knew some of them personally and collected works by the likes of Paul Guiragossian, Dia Al-Azzawi, Ismail Fattah, César Gemayel and Ismail Shammout. She also had a passion for craftwork from the region and Omar recalls visiting markets and bazaars with his mother in Algeria, Lebanon and Tunisia, and “watch- ing her haggle for rugs and antique doors”. Largely thanks to his father’s persone and position within the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, the Abu Sharif home was also frequented by the media, art- ists and musicians. “As a result, we were constantly surrounded by creative people,” Omar says. Such an environment planted the seeds of a love of art in him, yet his “calling to the arts” would come years later. In 1989 the family moved to London, where Omar pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Project Management from the University College London, graduating in 1999 and working briefly in the field of construction before venturing into bank- ing. During a trip to the South of France in 2005, Omar and his wife Yasmine casually wandered into a gallery and bought two works by French painter Pascal Etchenic, “for their vibrant colours and Medi- terranean feel”. The paintings were the couple’s first art acquisitions, and served to prompt further pur- chases: “Something needs to trigger your passion for art, just as that gallery visit did,” Omar says, “and as I grew professionally, I was able to afford more art.” By this time, he had begun working for Deut- sche Bank and, as his career saw him globetrotting around the world, he made a conscious effort to visit galleries wherever he went, initially concentrat- Facing page: Omar Abu Sharif with a work by Jeffar Khaldi. Mad Rebels. 2011. Mixed media on paper. 16 panels, 30 x 42 “I think human beings need to cm each. On table: Saloua Raouda Choucair. Untitled from the Module-Infinite Structure series. 1983–85. Aluminium. 43 x 16 x 13 cm. Edition four of five. Photography by Haider Yousuf. be able to hold onto something This page, above: Gavin Turk. 5 Rows of 5. 2004. Tea stains on paper. 83.5 x 64 cm. Image courtesy Purdy Hicks and this is why some collect.” Gallery, London. Below: Samia Halaby. Marble. 1980. Oil on canvas. 92 x 122 cm. Photography by Jihad Adnan. the young collectors This page, left (detail) and below: ing on sculpture. “I guess because the same What do you intend on doing with Keith Tyson. Map of the World Part paintings followed my family around from home your collection? 1 (The University). 1993. Drawing to home, I almost instinctively rejected canvas- Right now, I’m enjoying it but there are a few and Dodo print. Drawing: 137.5 x 237 cm. Dodo print: 34 x 34 es,” he says, “I focused on sculptures because pieces I’d like to sell because I’ve outgrown cm. Image courtesy Purdy Hicks I wanted to find my own path and not feel as them and want to make room for others. My Gallery, London. though I was following in my parents’ footsteps.” collection is eventually for my son Bassam, Facing page: On the wall, from left Since then, Omar has acquired pieces by West- whom I bring along to art fairs and who accom- to right: Safwan Dahoul. Dream 49. ern and African Contemporary artists. His move panies me when I buy carpets – another one of 2011. Acrylic on canvas 140 x 160 to Dubai two years ago exposed him to Contem- my passions! I also hope to open up my collec- cm; Gavin Turk. 5 Rows of 5. 2004. porary Middle Eastern art, which he has been tion to the public for others to appreciate my art Tea stains on paper. 83.5 x 64 cm; David Mach. Ice Age with Postcards collecting ever since. as well. of Ski Dubai. 2008. Mixed media postcards on wood. 183 x 183 cm. Why collect? Does your collection have a focus? Photography by Jihad Adnan. It gives me pleasure. Art fills me with so much It’s really an assortment of artworks which I love All photography by Haider joy, regardless of the subject matter. If the and it crosses over a couple of genres. Since Yousef and Jihad Adnan unless walls of our house were bare, I wouldn’t be as arriving in Dubai, I’ve begun collecting Contem- otherwise specified. happy. That said, I am still developing my col- porary Middle Eastern artworks, but because I lection and enjoy working on my house and the am Palestinian and very patriotic, I’d like to creativity that goes into it. I think human beings collect more work by Palestinian artists; so far, need to be able to hold onto something and this I’ve bought beautiful pieces by Samia Halaby, is why some collect, whether art, jewellery or Ismail Shammout, Abdulrahman Katanani whatever else. I’ve developed an appreciation (page 122) and Jeffar Khaldi, and I look forward for other art forms too, like carpets, Daum crys- to buying more. tals and, more recently, jewellery, in which I find so much beauty and which I buy for my wife. I What makes you decide to let go of artworks also collect Dupont lighters – I think this stems in your collection? from my grandfather and that era of elegance I sometimes wake up in the middle of the and refinement that included three-piece suits, night to have a look at the art on my walls and rosary beads and distinctive lighters. consider what to buy next, what would strength- 90 “I don’t have en the collection and so on. If I walk around the house and ignore pieces, that tells me I’m willing to be continuously exposed and I’m be- coming more selective as opposed to immedi- a favourite bored with them and that’s generally not a good thing! ately impulsive. At the end of the day, my taste dictates what I buy. work, but How do you decide on art acquisitions? What’s the downside to the art world? when a new Buying an artwork really depends on my gut and what reaction it gives me. Meeting the The pricing and marketing of some artists is hyped up; I don’t believe that this is based piece arrives artist is of course an added bonus. I’m lucky that my wife is so supportive; we discuss ac- on merit but, rather, on the strength of the promoter. in the house, quisitions together, depending on whether her refusal is a ‘stylistic no’ or a ‘financial no’. She What excites you about buying an artwork? I’m surprised enjoys painting the walls and the hanging is up to me. In general, I really just consult her Hanging it! After I’ve hung a piece, I can’t sleep! I don’t have a favourite work, but when at how much and Alistair Hicks, who is Senior Advisor at Deutsche Bank. But above all, I try and listen a new piece arrives in the house, I’m surprised at how much more I love it and that makes me more I love it .” to myself. so happy. How has your taste evolved? How do you educate yourself on art? I am definitely more interested in Contemporary One of my weaknesses when it comes to collect- art than any other genre and I’ve also started ing art is finding the time to read up on artists, as to like things that I never thought I would, such I’m often limited with time given the demands of as video art, photography and collage-based my job. Because our offices are located in DIFC, work. Last year alone, my business trips to- it’s easy for me to visit galleries and develop re- talled 166 days and while this can be exhaust- lationships with gallerists who have advised me ing, it also affords me the opportunity to make on acquisitions. Art fairs are tremendously en- stops at galleries. I have more exposure, I’m joyable and offer great exposure too. 91 Wish list: Shirin Neshat, Sarah Morris, Anselm Reyle and Nadim Karam. I’d love to dine with: Shirin Neshat. The Middle Eastern art scene needs: A more appreciative audience and more museums. Thinking of buying next: Shirin Neshat and Marwan Sahmarani. Art motto: Follow your instinct. For me, art is: Food for my eyes. An artist I think is undervalued: Hazem Mahdy. KERISTOFER 92 SERYANI the young collectors F or Keristofer Seryani, the artworks placed ington DC. It was in 2005 through his work with on the walls of his Dubai apartment consti- Shell that Keristofer returned to the Middle East tute a human presence. “The works I sur- and he has been based in Dubai ever since. round myself with are like people,” he says. He is currently in the process of establishing “Whether they engender happy, sad or angry Senergy Middle East, his own energy advisory subjects, they provide me with a human energy services company with a particular concentra- and a history.” For Keristofer, all the pieces he tion on oil and gas projects. acquires relate in some way to either his child- Over the last few years, Keristofer has be- hood in Iran or his present life in Dubai. Born in come increasingly involved with the Middle Iran and raised there until the age of 10, Ker- Eastern art scene. “When I first moved here, istofer moved to Germany with his family for the art world was almost non-existent,” he a few years and then to California, where they says. “I’ve since seen more and more galleries Facing page: Keristofer Seryani with a work by Katherine Bernhardt. continue to live. Despite living in the USA for open, as well as the establishment of art fairs I Heart M I A. 2009. Acrylic on many years, Keristofer wanted to relocate to and museums.” This growing exposure to art, canvas. 142 x 122 cm. Image courtesy the Middle East to be closer to his homeland. both from the region and internationally, has ig- Carbon 12, Dubai. “Although I am very much an American, I always nited Keristofer’s passion for art collecting. He This page, left: Gert & Uwe Tobias. felt more at home in Dubai than in the USA,” he educates himself about artworks he might be Untitled. 2011. Mixed media on says. Keristofer obtained a Bachelor of Arts in interested in acquiring by visiting galleries and paper. 37.5 x 29.7 cm. Image courtesy Economics from Whitter College in California consulting friends who work in the art world, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels. and a Master of Science in Foreign Service, with and looks to expand his art collection by focus- Right: Youssef Nabil. You Never Left a concentration in International Commerce and ing on a work’s aesthetic appeal as well as on XII. 2010. Hand-coloured gelatin Finance, from Georgetown University in Wash- the human dimension that it reflects. silver print. 27 x 39 cm. “I just want to be comfortable looking at the piece for the next 20 years.” the young collectors This page: Left, on wall: Hazem How did you nurture your appetite for art while growing up? Mahdy. Untitled 07. 2010. C-print. I’ve had a passion for art since I was a child and I always loved going to museums with 96 x 176 cm. Right: Hazem Mahdy. Ana Lak Alatool, I Will Be Yours my parents. When I lived in Boston, I’d visit the Museum of Fine Arts on a weekly basis Forever. 2009. Lambda print and spend hours admiring the beauty of the different collections. I never realised, mounted on board. Tripytch. 70 x however, that I would someday become an art collector. 70 cm each. Below: An Eva Marguer table. Nido 01. 2012. Fibreglass and reinforced plastic. 30 x 30 x 45 cm. How did that start? Limited edition of 100 pieces per Two years ago, after I had moved to Dubai, I went to an opening at Carbon 12 and colour for Stilwerk Limited Edition bought my first piece. I quickly became friends with the gallery owners, who continue Design Gallery, Hamburg. to advise me on what to purchase. From then on, I bought art that attracted my atten- Facing page: Philip Mueller. Urban tion and I haven’t stopped since! Break. 2009. Acrylic on canvas. 160 x 110 cm. What were some of the first pieces you bought? All photography by Haider Yousuf The very first was I Heart M I A by American artist Katherine Bernhardt at Carbon unless otherwise specified. 12. It’s a very harsh and expressive work, executed through multiple layers of brushstrokes and varying shades of dark colours. I’m not sure what prompted me to buy it, but I knew I had to have it. A month later, I spotted Urban Break by Austrian artist Philip Mueller, also at Carbon 12, of a male and female gorilla. The work spoke to me immediately, as I have always loved monkeys and apes since I was a child; when you look at the piece carefully, you can see that even though the male gorilla is clearly the larger one, it is the female, seen through her expression and forceful stance, who is in control. 94 How do you approach buying art? After I’ve spotted a piece, I think about it for a couple of days. I need to be sure that the price and the aesthetics of the work correlate to its value. After my first few purchases, I developed an art-buying addiction and I now set aside a budget each year and try to stick to it. All of the works I own have a theme, most of which revolve around portraiture. This wasn’t inten- tional; it just happened this way. Are you open to other genres? At Art Dubai this year, I picked up two abstract works on paper by Romanian artist duo Gert & Uwe Tobias. They are the most abstract works that I have. Yet even so, when you look at them closely, you can see eyes within them – I re- member thinking that these are additional por- traits for my collection! Is buying art instinctive? Yes. I think at the end of the day, it always comes down to a gut feeling. I also never buy a work to sell it. I just want to be comfortable looking at the piece for the next 20 years, even if I decide to change its placement within my home. How do you educate yourself on art? When I first came to Dubai, I wasn’t able to “Art is not something that I like to attend many events because of my hectic travel schedule, but in the last nine months I have been reserve just for myself; I want it to trying to go to as many gallery openings and art fairs as I can. I’m even hoping to attend Art Basel be accessible.” this year. When I’m in New York, I visit galleries such as Gagosian, and when I’m in London, I How come? I especially love meeting the artists and see- love visiting White Cube. I don’t want to just limit If I buy a work by an emerging artist, I like to ing what inspired them to create their works. I myself to the galleries in Dubai; it’s good to be see that the artist is being nurtured and has the find that such inspiration is often similar to that exposed to what is going on internationally. opportunity to develop. I also like building rela- which prompted me to purchase a work. tionships with the galleries that I buy from. I get Do you buy from auctions? online and read Art Forum, ArtInfo and Artfacts What would you like to do with your Yes, and I’ve attended both the Christie’s and regularly and see where the artists I’ve brought art collection? Ayyam auctions in Dubai. An auction is very works by are exhibiting, who represents them Ideally I’d like it to grow to around 50 or 60 works. much like a mind game – you’re in a room with and where they will show next. I may decide to sell some pieces if they don’t so many people bidding on the same work and give me the same energy anymore, but I know you need to carefully watch everyone else’s Why do you think human beings have a that there are other works that I would never sell moves. But when you want something, you need to collect? because they are symbolic to me. I’d love to open fight to make sure that it’s yours! However, I think we like to surround ourselves with mate- up an art foundation someday; it’s something I regardless of my buying at auction, I prefer to rial items that give us energy. I feed off the ener- dream of, because I like sharing the pieces I have buy from galleries because they support the gy of the art around me, and all the works which with friends. Art is not something that I like to re- artists more. I’m surrounded by relate to me in some way. serve just for myself; I want it to be accessible. 95 the young collectors iv Written by Myrna Ayad, Tala Chukri and Rebecca Anne Proctor. 96
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