ARTnews released the latest edition of its Top 200 collectors list recently. The annual list is updated in light of the sales, auctions and acquitions that take place in the art sector for over a year. This is exacly why the prestigious list is important; while introducing to the public the most important collectors from all around the world, it also offers insights into the events of one year. What these collectors from various countries and backgrounds in art, science, technology, media, investment, banking and real estate have in common is a deep passion in art and collecting.
Roman Abramoviç is at the top of the list with an estimated collection of $11.3 million. He is followed by Indonesian art collector Haryanto Adikoesoemo, and Mohammed Afkham respectively. Afkham has an impressive collection of Modern and Contemporary Iranian art which dates back to 2004.
Just like 2017, Halit Çıngıllıoğlu and Kemal Has Çıngıllıoğlu are the only Turkish collectors of TOP 200. The collectors’ growing Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art Collection brought them to the 33rd rank of Top 200.
Some collectors have a rooted presence in TOP 200 list. The founder of the Zeitz MOCAA Museum, the collector of Contemporary African and Diaspora Art, Jochen Zeitz ranked 198th. Another name is Nasser David Khalili –a frequent name seen on the list since 2003. With his outstanding Middle Eastern, Islamic and Japanese Art collection and investments in the art and culture sector, Khalili has become the 79th of the 2018 list. Another regular of TOP 200, Paul Allen, ranked 4th this year. His impressive Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art collection has been bringing him to TOP 200 since 1997.
When we look at the newcomers of TOP 200, we see Patch Osanathugrah (120th), Laurene Powell Jobs (132nd) and Suzanne Deal Booth (12th). Seeing those names on the list is important because it brings to light the active and pioneer roles that TOP 200 collectors play in different sectors. Thai collector Patch Osanathugrah is planning his private museum, Laurene Jobs is the founder of Emerson Social Justice Organization and Suzanne Deal Booth is co-funder of a new 800.000 dollar artist prize.
While releasing its annual list, ARTnews also brought to light one of the most debated topics of last year. In November 2017, Salvator Mundi -the rediscovered Leonardo da Vinci painting was sold for $450.3 million to an anonymous phone bidder at Christie’s in New York. The purchase broke the world record and made the painting the most expensive artwork sold in an auction. The question, then, arose: who bought it? A few weeks after, it was announced that the anonymous buyer was a Saudi prince named Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud. Then, why we don’t see Saudi Prince is not among the top collectors?
The reason why ARTnews excluded the buyer from Top 200 is that the list only features individuals. After the auction, the Saudi Embassy came forward with a statement saying that, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (which oversees Louvre Abu Dhabi) asked the prince to bid on its behalf. Because the annual ARTnews “Top 200 Collectors” list doesn’t feature government entities, the list excluded the prince and Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism.
In light of world-record breaking sales, growing collections, newcomers and more, it seems like the art sector will continue to be discussed, evolve and change in the upcoming year.
TOP 20 of the list;
– Roman Abramoviç
– Haryanto Adikoesoemo
– Mohammed Afkhami
– Paul Allen
– Laura-Marc Andreessen
– Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega
– María Asunción Aramburuzabala
– Helene-Bernard Arnault
– Laura-John Arnold
– Laurent Asscher
– Hans Rasmus Astrup
– Candace Carmel Barash
– Maria Arena-William Bell Jr.
– Ernesto Bertarelli
– Debra-Leon Black
– Len Blavatvik
– Neil G. Bluhm
– Barbara Bluhm-Kaul
– Don Kaul
– Suzanne del Booth
– Karen-Christian Boros
To see the full ARTnews’in Top 200 Collectors list you can visit artnews.com
Simge Erdoğan