The de la Cruz collection.
MIAMI PRIVATE COLLECTIONS ARE NOT SO PRIVATE
More and more Miami is becoming a top travel destination for well-heeled tourists with an interest for art and culture as private collectors make their homes and offices accessible to the public. The Rubell Family, Craig Robbins, Marty Marguilies, and Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz are among the top collectors who opened their collections for the onslaught of visitors who came for Basel this year. If combined, some say their collections would amass to become one of the most important museums of contemporary art in the United States. Although that is not likely to happen in the near future, these private collections are a must-see.
Miamians love the spotlight especially those who have good art to show off. Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz spent an entire week welcoming throngs of visitors to both their house and new exhibition space. They were installing art up until the actual day of the opening while artists made last minute changes. They have a tremendous level of respect and support for artists and long lasting relationships have developed as a result. The very expressive German artist, Jonathan Meese, was ecstatic about his installation at the Cruz space and praised them for their efforts. On VernissageTV he said that the exhibition was a huge statement about art and its role in the world. As opposed to being kept in the hands of a few, he expressed his strong belief that “art will someday take over the world.”
The Cruz 30,000 sq. ft. building was designed by John Marquette, a genius architect of light and space who had a clear vision of how to construct the space and make it suitable enough to properly house some of the world’s most important contemporary artists including: Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Jim Hodges, Ana Mendieta, and Sigmar Polke.
Installation shot from the de la Cruz collection.
- Art Advisory Expert, Heidi Lee
