Spotlight on: VALERIA NAPOLEONE
Collector, Patron, Style Icon
Artwork by Grace Weaver. Photo by Mathilde Agius
Where does your love for art come from?
My passion for contemporary art is deep rooted in the connection to and relationship with the artists. To be a collector and patron is about supporting excellence and talented individuals at a moment when nobody is looking, with the priceless reward of making a difference.
Was there a particular moment when you realised you loved art, and that you wanted to be a collector and patron?
When I started meeting artists and experiencing a sense of community and purpose in supporting young talented women artists who have been side-lined forever. When I realised my support can have a significant impact.
How do your tastes in art differ from your family?
I go by my own vision and taste. My family collected antiques, which was mostly about beautiful objects. My collecting activity focuses on living artists, it is more about individuals. I am interested in experimental and conceptual art practices.
What do you think the power of art is?
It is showing the world through unexpected lenses. It is a journey of discoveries and self-discovery. It shows other ways, it teaches empathy and to question.
What has inspired the shape of your personal art collection over the years, and what are some of your favourite pieces?
The early pieces entering my collection in the mid/late 90s have been key to shaping my interest and my taste. These pieces remind me constantly of one of the most exciting times in my life, when I discovered my passion and my direction with art. Margherita Manzelli, Ghada Amer, Lisa Yuskavage, Andrea Zittel, Monica Bonvicini.
Is there a particular artist you would love to collect (i.e., dream artist, no budget!)? And who are some of your favourite emerging, contemporary artists?
Cady Noland and Eva Hesse. Among emerging artists, Ndidi Emefiele, Em Rooney, Hell Gette, Frieda Toranzo Jaeger.
What are your favourite art spaces (museums, galleries, etc) or Art Fairs around the world?
Studio Voltaire, SculptureCenter, The Renaissance Society, Kaufmann Repetto, Greengrassi Gallery, Barbara Weiss Gallery, Hollybush Gardens.
You are a renowned hostess—how do you share your love of art/new artists and creators with others?
My evenings are a way to gather my community together, to connect special creative minds over homemade dinners, a way to share my collection with all the incredible people who support my journey. I feel so privileged to live with and be surrounded by so much talent, it is a way to thank everyone around me. It is a way to feed my relationships and create new ones, to support the art community I am part of, and to share.
You are also known for your incredible and bold style; what inspires this and what are your style signatures?
I am adventurous and independent in my art collecting as well as in my style. I never follow trends literally, I am interested in expressing myself and I have a specific taste. To dress up is such a creative exercise for me, I just deeply enjoy it. I love the 70s, long lean clean lines. Silk men’s shirts and high platform heels are a fixture. Colours are important.
What excites you most about the future of the artworld?
To see artists I admire and have been supporting for years making great work and significant shows, growing in their maturity, and inspiring and mentoring the younger generations.
Julia Wachtel, Vases by Shio Kusaka. Photo by Mariona Otero