Renowned Art Collector Sylvio Perlstein Passes Away
Sylvio Perlstein: A Visionary Art Collector and Patron
Sylvio Perlstein (1931-2021), a Belgian jeweler and diamantaire, was one of the most significant private collectors of contemporary art. Known for his passionate focus on Dadaism, Surrealism, Minimalism, Conceptual Art, Nouveau Réalisme, Arte Povera, and photography from the 1920s onwards, Perlstein's collection was a testament to his adventurous and visionary spirit.
Born in Antwerp, Belgium, Perlstein moved to Brazil in 1939 to escape the Nazis. He later returned to Belgium in the 1960s and dedicated about 40 years to meeting artists and acquiring a vast and diverse collection of several hundred previously unseen works. His collection was mostly unknown to the general public until it was first exhibited in 2007 under the title Busy Going Crazy at La Maison Rouge in Paris.
Perlstein's art collection is significant for its eclecticism and depth across major 20th-century avant-garde movements. It includes works from artists such as Cy Twombly, Roy Lichtenstein, Brice Marden, Douglas Huebler, Mel Bochner, On Kawara, Agnes Martin, Bruce Nauman, Mario Merz, Dan Flavin, Joseph Kosuth, Keith Sonnier, Martial Raysse, Jason Rhoades, Man Ray, and many others.
An interest in neon light led Perlstein to acquire works by artists like Nauman, Merz, Flavin, and Rhoades. Many of Nauman's works in Perlstein's collection incorporated puns and wordplay. Perlstein also had a collection of works that feature women's hair or hair-like images, including pieces by Tunga, Pierre Boucher, Harry Callahan, Magritte, and Maar.
Perlstein's home was described as a contemporary version of Ali Baba's cave. In his Paris home, he displayed 100 black-and-white photographs by Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bill Brandt, Walker Evans, Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham, and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy on the walls of an oval room.
Perlstein met many artists while in New York, particularly at Max's Kansas City. In the 1970s, he made frequent trips to New York to cut and polish diamonds for the jeweler Harry Winston. Later in life, he was involved in his family's diamond business in Antwerp and took over a diamond-cutting firm.
The Sylvio Perlstein Collection - A Luta Continua was exhibited by Hauser & Wirth in 2018, showcasing 380 pieces from Perlstein's collection. The exhibition was featured in the New York Times. Hauser & Wirth confirmed Perlstein's death with an Instagram post.
Perlstein acquired his first artwork as a teenager in Brazil. His collection included early works from artists such as Twombly, Lichtenstein, and Marden from the mid-60s. He met Man Ray for the first time in 1969 in a gallery in Vence, France. Perlstein acquired several works from Man Ray, including "rayographs" and iconic images.
Sylvio Perlstein, a renowned art collector, patron, and impresario, passed away on August 6, 2021. His collection, a reflection of his unique role as a patron and impresario within the contemporary art world, is regarded as one of the most important private art collections of the past century.
- Sylvio Perlstein's art collection, a reflection of his unique role as a patron and impresario within the contemporary art world, includes works from artists such as Cy Twombly, Roy Lichtenstein, Brice Marden, and Man Ray.
- Perlstein's eclectic art collection also features sculptures, drawings, and photographs, showcasing major 20th-century avant-garde movements like Dadaism, Surrealism, Minimalism, Conceptual Art, Nouveau Réalisme, Arte Povera, and photography.
- The Sylvio Perlstein Collection - A Luta Continua was exhibited by Hauser & Wirth in 2018, featuring 380 pieces from Perlstein's collection, including neon light works by artists like Bruce Nauman, Mario Merz, Dan Flavin, and Jason Rhoades.
- Perlstein's home was often compared to a contemporary version of Ali Baba's cave, with works from celebrities like Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Bill Brandt adorning its walls.
- Sylvio Perlstein's passion for art led him to meet many artists, often through places like Max's Kansas City in New York, and he was known to have acquired his first artwork as a teenager in Brazil.
- Perlstein's collection, significant for its depth and diversity, was mostly unknown to the general public until it was first exhibited in 2007, attracting significant attention in the realm of modern and contemporary art, entertainment, and celebrity circles.
