ARTFULLY DRESSED: Women in the Art World
ARTFULLY DRESSED
Women in the Art World Portraits by Carla van de Puttelaar
Volume IV: Collectors & Patrons 5
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Unless stated otherwise, copyright in this catalogue (including content and design) is owned by Carla van de Puttelaar and The Weiss Gallery. All images Š 2018 Carla van de Puttelaar You may not reproduce, adapt, modify, communicate to the public, reproduce or otherwise use any part of this catalogue without the express written permission from Carla van de Puttelaar and The Weiss Gallery. All rights reserved. 2
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CONTENTS Princess Alia Al-Senussi, 145 Nola Anderson, 149 Candida Gertler, 151 Natasha Gertler, 152 Ann Korijn van der Borgh, 155 Valeria Napoleone, 157 Rose-Marie van Otterloo, 159 Marij Philippens, 161 Heidi Shafranek, 163
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COLLECTORS & PATRONS 143
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Princess Alia Al-Senussi Princess Alia was born in Washington DC to an American mother and Libyan father. She was educated in the US and Europe, holding a BA and MA from Brown University, and MSc from LSE. Alia is currently studying towards her PhD in Politics at SOAS (London), examining the nexus of institutions of power, national identity and art & culture, featuring a case study on patronage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Alia is an active member of the contemporary art world, with a special focus on patronage and arts and culture in the Middle East. Amongst Alia’s committee and board roles, she is a founding member of the Tate’s Acquisitions Committee for the Middle East and North Africa, the Board of Patrons of Art Dubai (serving an integral role in the founding of the fair itself), the Board of 1:54 The African Art Fair, and the Middle East Circle of the Guggenheim. Alia is a member of the Tate Modern Advisory Council, the Strategic Advisory Panel of Delfina Foundation and the Advisory Board of Ikon Gallery, and the Advisory group of Photo London. Alia was recently named a Helena Global Leader, and a Milken Institute Young Leader. Alia sits on the Board of Trustees for the Global Heritage Fund UK as well as previously their partner organization in the US. She is the VIP Representative for the UK, Middle East and North Africa for Art Basel. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? Most of my personal and professional life is about bringing people together, it’s something I value in attempting to make this world seem more like a family and more like a community. My personal and professional interests are inextricably intertwined. I am passionate about contemporary art, and my favourite titles were given to me by the illustrious curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, who called me a ‘junction-maker’, and Chris Dercon, Director of the Volksbuehne (and former Director at Tate Modern), who told me I was an intrepid frontier explorer and bridge of cultures. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? Standing alongside great women makes one more aware of just how important simple actions are to create greater positive social change. Do you have a favourite artist? I believe in artists as the living oracles of our time, and I am honoured to spend time with those special individuals working to change the world – those artists like Theaster Gates in Chicago and Hassan Hajjaj in Marrakech, focusing on their local communities yet translating them to the international world and creating positive social change. This all began with my experience working with the celebrated artists Emilia and Ilya Kabakov in Siwa, Egypt, a crazy romantic ethereal desert oasis (possibly home to Alexander the Great’s lost army and Cleopatra’s healing waters). It was the beginning of my love affair with artists, art and the art world. Emilia, along with her husband, Ilya, were the first artists I worked with, on my very first week on the job as a project coordinator for the Siwa Project, a non-profit project that brings renowned international artists to Siwa, Egypt, to interact with the local population and make ephemeral work that is more about creating an experience than creating an object. Here they devised their first ever ‘Ship of Tolerance’, the Ship of Siwa, in 2005 (later shown in Sharjah during the Biennale in 2010 along with other stops around the world). What is your earliest memory involving art? I was lucky that museums were always a part of my travel life – time spent at the great institutions of the world with various family members throughout my childhood set the tone for the rest of my life. My first meaningful moment with art was in January 2001 at the then brand-new Tate Modern in the Turbine Hall experiencing Olafur Eliasson’s ‘The Weather Project’. This work had a profound effect on me; it was captivating, and rather curious, to be a part of a piece and a part of an institution, rather than a mere voyeur. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? We are at a turning point in history – a moment of change and extremes that hopefully become (through hard work, activism and consideration) balanced for all of us, especially the most
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vulnerable. I hope that I can be a source of support to all those around me so that we can work together to create an equitable, fair and kind society, in the art world and beyond. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? This special pink two-piece is from Dhela, the new line launched by my dear friend Daniella Helayel. Daniella has been an inspiration to me in how one charges back from adversity. I love her happy attitude, as well as her deep appreciation of positivity in all aspects of her life. I am wearing one of my new favourite accessories, a turban headband. I found this one with my mother over Christmas, just in time for a Marrakech birthday art extravaganza. The earrings are a present from a frequent colleague in the art world and beautiful reminders of collaboration. The bracelet is a memento of an extraordinary country, India, and time I spent there celebrating my 30th birthday with friends. It was the last thing I purchased, running to the airport, and has been something I incorporate into much of my Middle Eastern style moments. My signet ring is always with me, a relic of my Libyan royal heritage.
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Nola Anderson Nola lives in Massachusetts but is a mid-westerner, and those unshakeable mid-western values still shape her life. A series of post-college business opportunities led her to the fascinating profession of advertising, where she enjoyed a successful twenty year career analysing consumer behaviour and trends and their implications for client businesses. Yet, for all advertising's pleasures, her subsequent career as a mother topped everything, and it still does. Quite accidentally, coinciding with her daughter's early years, she became a gardener. She and her husband had purchased a property with acres of formal plantings, designed in 1903 by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. but long abandoned and derelict. Throwing herself into its restoration required as many changes in her as in the gardens, and through twenty-six years of serious intellectual discovery, hard physical eort, and the support of key professionals, Olmsted's vision carries on and a horticultural treasure has a new life. Now it is her turn to move on. Is New York ready? Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? Art is not a separate world but an integral part of my life. Our family collects 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings, not as trophies or complements to the decor, but as part of the ambience of a gracious home. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? I love its celebratory nature – women not as victims but interesting individuals and accomplished confrères. I also loved being photographed with my friend, Heidi. Do you have a favourite artist? I have many, but right now I am thinking about Clara Peeters, a brilliant 17th century still life painter. A powerful still life of stacked cheese that hung in our home for twenty years can now be enjoyed at the Mauritshuis by everyone. Go see it! What is your earliest memory involving art? As with most second generation Americans, I had little exposure to art in the home. College opened up the world to me, adding the wonders of art, music, and literature to the lessons in humanity I learned on my grandmother's farm. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? This is not the 17th century, when women artists couldn't openly study the nude body. Today, women have as many opportunities as men, and talent, not gender, is what determines success. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? The outfit was what I had in New York. We were in the city for the Sotheby's Master's Week and Otto Naumann sale, and I had just two dressy outfits with me. The jacket is silk velvet, so soft and cozy on that frigid day. The brooch was made by jewellery designer John Iversen and given to me by my wonderful husband!
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Candida Gertler with her daughter Natasha Living for over twenty-five years in London with her husband and two children, and having discovered its unique and vibrant art world, Candida has dedicated her professional life towards building the philanthropic organisation, Outset Contemporary Art Fund, focusing on strategic private-public partnerships to further contemporary art practice from the grassroots to the established, to serve public audiences. Candida served as an Executive Member of the Tate International Council for more than a decade. She has been involved with crucial arts centres such as South London Gallery (Peckham), Camden Arts Centre, Goldsmiths University (New Cross) and Drawing Room (Bermondsey) and has steered funding towards developing these centres as cultural incubators through capital campaigns and outreach initiatives. She has been the recipient of the 2010 Mont Blanc Award for Arts Patronage and was acknowledged as Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Contemporary Visual Arts and Arts Philanthropy in Her Majesty’s 2015 Birthday Honours List. Candida co-founded Outset in June 2003, raising over £7.5 million private and corporate funding and assets for the public sector. The foundation supports a wide range of projects in a myriad of ways: from the revival of fig-2 (50 projects in 50 weeks at the ICA) to the Outset Frieze Tate Fund, which saw the acquisition of 100 works of art by emerging artists to join Tate’s permanent collection, as well as the first piece of Performance Art for the collection including the first performance space at Tate Modern. Her ongoing love affair with London compelled her to co-found Studiomakers alongside the Mayor of London, an initiative committed to retaining existing and setting up new affordable studios for creatives in the city. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? Echoing my personally diverse background as a German-born daughter to Jewish Romanian immigrants in Germany, I have always had a deep curiosity for other cultures and communities which has naturally led to Outset having a special interest in connecting communities and furthering diversity. I understand myself as a matchmaker, a midwife helping challenging new art to come about – as a bit of a clairvoyant who, when inspired by the vision of an artist, can imagine how we can realise the project while at the same time broadening active audiences for this most enriching part of society. Although I’m very bad at making art I am very good at creating circumstances in which good art can happen – for the long term. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? To be honest I enjoyed mostly the presence of my daughter in it as I felt that part of celebrating women’s roles and influence in the arts is that we encourage and enable the next generation to do even better than us. She is my beacon of hope and made my participation so much more meaningful; symbolising the chain of generations we all belong to, knowing where we come from to guide us where we are going to. Do you have a favourite artist? A few... Roman Ondak, Carla Black, Anne Hardy. Their sensitivity and subtle interventions always surprise me, and become part of my thinking. They accompany me through life and are influential in everything I evaluate with my senses. What is your earliest memory involving art? Visiting the Prado every day of summer 1988. I was on an exchange and it was the only place with the best air conditioning... and then there were Goya’s black paintings and Hieronymus Bosch! Unforgettable. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? I feel lucky to live in times when women have such a strong voice and opportunities to flourish. The art world offers an unparalleled platform to heighten awareness, reach out and connect. It has always been the field where the impossible was tried out first and has allowed for new ideas to be explored. I think therefore women take on more and more important roles in the arts as this sector is always leading the way. A kind of a premonition or cultural seismograph.
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What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? The story behind my dress is the story of my admiration of and trust in my daughter Natasha. We share so much although our approach could not be more different! She introduced me to Tata Naka, this brand created by these incredibly talented Twins. We both find their creations inspiring. They tell a story and are very original.
Natasha Gertler Natasha grew up in two minds: she always preferred studying maths and science, however she had an unwavering love for the arts. She studied Physics at university, but the art enthusiast inside her was not at rest. She completed a Science Communication masters at Imperial College, which made her realise that in fact these two passions aren’t all that different from each other. For Natasha, the sciences in general, and the arts are ways of trying to understand the world we live in. She is committed to exploring the intersections between the two, where they rub-up against each other, complement or conflict one another, how they can be used to enhance the pursuit of the other, how they can inspire wonder and critical engagement. This led her to enlist in the Curating the Contemporary course at Goldsmiths and since then she has curated exhibitions and displays including at the Science Museum, The Courtauld Gallery, and Blyth Gallery – all of which allowed her to investigate the art-science intersection. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? Apprentice. Bridge. Curator. I am continually learning from the art world. I have been extremely lucky to grow up immersed in it, even at times unknowingly. I also see myself as somewhat of a bridge between the sciences and contemporary art. I want to use my background in both science and art to explore, challenge and express what lies between the boundaries. The best way I found myself able to do this is through curating exhibitions, which also allows me to continue my own research. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? This project was a complete surprise. I happened to be off work that day so I accompanied my mum to the photoshoot and half way through it Carla asked me if I minded being in it as well. I was honoured, so excited, and totally unprepared, but enjoyed every minute of it! It was such a wonderful experience to do together with my mum – memories I will always cherish. Thank you Carla! Do you have a favourite artist? I think because of my physics degree, or perhaps it is just my curious nature, I have a sensitivity to inquiry and a commitment to learning, and so have always been drawn to conceptual artists that undertake practise based research. To name but a few… Olafur Eliasson, Shezad Dawood, Rachel Whiteread. What is your earliest memory involving art? The Carsten Höller slides in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, 2007. I remember our neighbours had slept over the night before and we stayed up all night before going to this the following morning. With no sleep, we were all restless and completely exhausted, and possibly the last thing we wanted to do at the time was go to an art exhibition but this was such a fun surprise. We all loved it and still talk about it to this day. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? Much like science, I think art is enriched by differing, alternative, even opposing views and so I am of the view that the more perspectives, insights, and voices in the art world the better. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? As I hadn't planned to be involved in the photoshoot, I happened to be wearing a forest green velvet co-ord by Toast. It holds no particular meaning to me other than I just really enjoy wearing it! Exhibited at The Weiss Ga"ery (16 - 31 May 2018)
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Ann Korijn - van der Borgh with her daughter Josephine Ann Korijn was born in Michigan, but has lived in the Netherlands for thirty-four years. Growing up, she was constantly exploring forms of expression: she made her own clothes and took any opportunity to use graphic design for extra income. Later, she worked as a stockbroker and investor to support her love of the arts. Now she also invests in companies that are pursuing creative solutions to environmental issues. She can’t imagine a world without pigments, painting, theatre, literature, lectures, film and nature. She remains fascinated by the intricacies of a feather or a leaf. She is in awe of the umbers, ochres and crimson that nature gives us. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? I paint with oils daily to explore a world where surrealism and poetry meet. Beyond that, I am on the collections committee at MAD, a design/art museum in NYC, as well a collector of contemporary art. I get peace of mind through continually visiting museums and galleries. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? I appreciate the premise that Carla is showing diversity of women in the arts, and I was curious how Carla, as an artist, would use us through her photography to support that premise. Do you have a favourite artist? Georgia O’Keefe, Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf remain my base for continually finding my new favourites. What is your earliest memory involving art? Loving crayons and play-dough (which my mother made by hand and added colourings and scent). Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? Interesting. In answering this question, I realise that the curators, artists and museum directors in the art world that I respect and follow are all female! And yet, if I think about what is hanging on museum and gallery walls, the majority tends to be male. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? The designer is Roksanda and it was a purely an object of desire! I loved the design, colours and sleeves.
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Valeria Napoleone Valeria is an art collector and patron to a select number of arts organisations. She is a Trustee of the Contemporary Art Society and Head of the Development Committee at Studio Voltaire, the Institute of Fine Arts in NYC, and is a member of the NYU President’s Global Council. In addition to Valeria Napoleone XX Contemporary Art Society, Napoleone launched Valeria Napoleone XX Sculpture Center in September 2015 as a collaborative project that supports the production of a major artwork in a selected exhibition every 12 to 18 months at the New York-based non-profit dedicated to contemporary sculpture. Valeria received a BA from New York University’s Journalism School and an MA in Art Gallery Administration at the Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC. Valeria’s collection focuses on female contemporary artists working internationally. Forming an exceptionally close bond with artists, Valeria has supported many of today’s most acclaimed artists at pivotal moments in their careers. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? As a collector and a philanthropist my major aim is to champion female voices and support talent that has been neglected and silenced in the traditional male canon of art history. It is important for me to support realities that are overlooked; artists early on in their careers (or late bloomers), to lay the foundations for the next generation to reach the top; and small experimental and courageous institutions that share my vision in highlighting new practices. My VN XX initiative aims at addressing gender imbalance in regional museums and making bold, ambitious projects with female talents happen. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? It’s great to be pictured alongside strong women who work in the art world – it shows the power that we have together. It’s also great to be featured through the lens of a female photographer interested in the history of portraiture. And aside from art, my next love is fashion, so it made total sense to me! Do you have a favourite artist? I cannot say I have one favourite artist. I can say I am very close to and particularly indebted to those artists I started my journey with, who laid the foundation for me as a collector and patron. What is your earliest memory involving art? Growing up in northern Italy I remember being surrounded by the beautiful objects my parents collected – Renaissance tapestries, furniture – which probably had a huge effect on me. Then, after my undergraduate degree I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology to do a programme in artgallery administration. It was after that exposure to artists in New York in the mid-1990s that I decided to start my own collection. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? Women have often been overlooked and silenced, be they artists, curators or women working in the field. There are so many fantastic, strong women working in the Art World today and many achieving positions of power. It is up to all of us to make change happen in our everyday in many little steps, but those women holding power have the tools now to lead the way to a more equal and exciting future. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? I am wearing a Roksanda dress. Roksanda is a dear friend and she gifted this to me. I find it special to wear clothes by designers I have a strong personal relationship with. The top is by Saint Laurent, I love how its military structure contrasts with the easy and feminine flow of the Roksanda dress. I always mix and combine, I like to be eclectic. Fashion is the way I express myself, it is a language to me and colour always plays a big part.
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Rose-Marie de Mol van Otterloo Rose-Marie was born just after the end of World War II in a small village in the South East of Belgium and emigrated to the United States after finishing her studies. Arriving in Washington DC, she found work at Merrill Lynch and was employed there till her marriage to Eijk. They started a family and lived in Marblehead, Ma. near Boston. Eijk started his own investment business with two partners and soon thereafter they began collecting Old Master Paintings from the Dutch 17th century. To the collection of paintings they added 17th century Dutch furniture and silver as well as a library of about 20,000 books. At the end of 2017 they donated the entire collection to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. At the same time as the van Otterloos donated their own collection, Susan and Math Weaterbie of Boston also pledged their intention of donating their own collection. Together these two collections, as well as the museum’s own holdings, will form the start of the Netherlandish Art Center in Boston. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? Art has been my passion for the last forty years. Now we are looking at and studying the Dutch artists of The Hague and Amsterdam Schools – an entire new kind of art for me – but I am thrilled to now learn about Mesdag, Weissenbruch, Arntzenius and so on. I have been involved as Trustee in several museums such as the Peabody Essex in Salem, Ma., the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Artis Naples in Naples, Florida. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? I love Carla’s project because it sets women in the limelight. Do you have a favourite artist? I don’t necessarily have a favourite artist but I seem to love the flower still lifes painted by artists in the 17th century more than any other paintings. What is your earliest memory involving art? My earliest memory of being involved in art was being able to visit a museum while I was at boarding school in Belgium. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? It gives me great pleasure to see more women taking important roles as Directors and Senior Curators at National and International Museums, and also that female artists are finally being taken seriously. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? I tend to wear simple dresses but try to make them look special by wearing great jewellery. I have been collecting Angela Cummings’ pieces for ten years and in this portrait I am wearing one of her necklaces, and a pair of earrings and bracelet that she designed for Tiffany’s in the 1970s. My dress is by Max Mara and the shawl by Loro Piana.
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Marij Philippens Marij was born in the south of The Netherlands, moved to Maastricht and then Amsterdam to study Biology and Public Administration and Public Policy Studies. She works at the civil service in The Hague at the ministry responsible for road safety and transport. She enjoys the beautiful things of life; in her spare time you can find her at concerts, the opera, museums and outdoors, enjoying nature. Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? I’m a collector. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? It’s an intriguing combination of portraits of women, art and clothes: a beautiful combination and I’m very honoured to be part of it. Do you have a favourite artist? It’s difficult to choose, but Jan Jansen, Master of Shoe Design, gives me something to show how easy it is to combine art and everyday life; I walk in his art almost everyday. What is your earliest memory involving art? As a small child, I had my portrait painted and I hated it, both the sittings and the result! Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? It’s an area where both women and men can be totally equal. That’s a nice experience and very important to me. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? I’m wearing an Issey Miyake dress, an Ella Koopman scarf, jewellery from gallery Rob Koudijs; the mamba snake from David Bielander, a wooden lavender necklace from Terhi Tolvanen, a necklace from Ted Noten, especially designed and made for me with a variety of symbolic objects to me in acrylic balls. And, of course, shoes by Jan Jansen. All beautiful and colourful objects, made of simple materials that I can wear to work and concerts.
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Heidi Shafranek Heidi was born in Delaware, United States, and as the last Shafranek in her family did not want to change her name when she married Otto Naumann. In college, she preferred studying art history – specifically American, but also Early Netherlandish and Italian Renaissance. As her MA thesis she wrote a catalogue raisonné of the works of the 20th century American artist, George Tooker (1920 – 2011). Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? Having finished a Museum Studies program, I worked in various museums in the Philadelphia area (Brandywine River Museum) and New York City (Whitney Museum of American Art) until Otto and I started our family. Since then, my interest in art has been satisfied by his career as an art historian and art dealer and passion for collecting. What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? I was surprised and flattered to be invited to a photo shoot for this project, especially when I discovered the identity of some other participants, who are powerful women making a difference in today’s art world. Normally reluctant to be in front of the lens, I embraced the opportunity to explore the adventure with Carla and with my dear friend, Nola Anderson. It was an enlightening and thrilling experience! Do you have a favourite artist? George Tooker is an artist that consistently gives me joy when I see his works. The volumetric forms and their relationships, his technique, his subject matter always satisfy; but they always contain for me a certain sense of mystery. Otherwise, I've been on a trek to see as many Caravaggios whenever possible with my dear friend, Nola Anderson. Early Italian Renaissance and early Netherlandish painting have also always been favourites. What is your earliest memory involving art? As a child I was always interested in art. My elementary school art teacher encouraged my curiosity by lending me biographies of artists from his personal library and offering me a scholarship to an art program at the Delaware Art Museum. Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? There have been far too few women in the art world – from artists to directors to collectors, but it has changed even since I worked in the 1980s. With recent developments, I think women’s voices are not only being heard but listened to. What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? I am wearing a tunic that Otto bought me in San Francisco’s ‘Chinatown’ on my first trip to California. Since then it has been one of my favourite pieces. I find its theatrical quality to be quite liberating.
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