I base my decisions on my own instincts more than on anything else.
What role did art play in your childhood and teenage years? Were there any artists or collectors in your family?
My father, who was a doctor, loved art. I think what drew me to it, and later to collecting, was the joy my dad had when purchasing works.
What drew you towards the arts?
Art books, showcase galleries, artists’ knowledge, but mainly the exuberance of the colour and dimensions present in the art of the 80s and in New Expressionism.
For you, what is art? Is it a passion, profession, addiction, or an alternative form of investment?
For me art is both a passion and a profession, yet also an addiction.
How actively do you participate in the public art scene? Are you a member of any art boards, institutions or networks of friends of museums?
Until recently, before I opened my own art gallery, I was a member of the board of La Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo and I was the museum’s president for seven years. Besides that, I am a member of the Leonilson Project and a member of the nucleus of Contemporary art at Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM) in São Paulo.
How and when did you start collecting?
My first contemporary art purchase was in 1978 in São Paulo. The piece was a beautiful beach landscape by the artist Newton Mesquita. I have kept it to this day, as a reference: a reminder of the beginning of my art collection.
How did you decide which artworks to collect and which direction to pursue? Was it a conscious decision or was it driven mainly by what you liked the look of?
I always follow my heart, buying what I like most or what captures my attention. I have always valued having a relationship with the artist in question, as I see it as a way of participating in their life and story.
How has your taste changed since you started collecting?
Since becoming involved with the art world, I have started to spend more time at various art fairs, art galleries and art panels. With time, I have learned how to appreciate and to select artworks, but I still believe that the relationship with the artist is the most important and central part to choosing an artwork.
How many artists are represented in your collection? How many artworks do you estimate you own?
Approximately 400 to 500 artworks; the vast majority of which are by Brazilian artists.
What was the first artwork you purchased and what motivated you to buy it? Do you still own it?
The first artwork I purchased was a seascape from 1978 by the artist Newton Mesquita, which I still own as a way of documenting my initial collection.
Who are the star artists and artworks in your collection?
The vast majority of the works in my collection are by Brazilian artists, but I don’t classify them because this would refer back to the art market or to particular artistic opinions determined by an empirical evaluation system.
How important is it for you to meet the artists who created the artwork?
I consider it to be very important; even decisive in some cases.
How do you decide which artworks to purchase? Do you consult advisors, rely on the opinions of others or do you choose works purely on your own?
At the beginning, I listened to other people’s opinions on artists and their works, so that, if there was a consensus in opinions, and if I liked the artwork, then I would buy it. I have many artist friends and I would listen to their opinions. Artists are very sensitive but also very critical, so when more than one of them would praise an artwork, this was a good sign, in my opinion. But nowadays I base my decisions on my own instincts more than on anything else.
What is your main motivation for collecting?
For the pure pleasure of owning a work of art that I love and can buy.
What are the main decisions that drive you to own rather than simply to view an artwork in a museum?
I’m too addicted.
Where do you display most of the works in your collection? Are they publicly accessible?
I like to live with my artworks, so most of them are hung in my properties; although many of them are in storage, something which depresses me. I do not have any of my works in public institutions, but I always lend them when they are asked for.
What other contemporary collections have you visited?
Many, as I believe it is very interesting to observe the nuances in ideas and concepts within and between collections; to look at them as if they were variants of a pathology.
What do you see as the main difference between their approach and yours?
Concepts, as well as the places they live in, their purchasing power and, as I mentioned, pathological nuances.
