The Private Collections That Shaped Miami’s Contemporary Art Landscape

Miami’s emergence as a global contemporary art destination was not built overnight. While artists, galleries, museums, and international art fairs have played essential roles, a powerful network of collectors helped transform the city’s cultural landscape. Through visionary acquisitions, philanthropic efforts, and the creation of public-facing institutions, these private collections have preserved artistic legacies while introducing Miami audiences to some of the most influential voices in contemporary art.

de la Cruz Collection

The de la Cruz Collection: A Legacy of Contemporary Art and Education. Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz built one of Miami’s most respected contemporary art collections, focusing on significant postwar and contemporary artists. Their commitment extended beyond collecting — through exhibitions, educational programming, and opening their collection to the public, they helped create a deeper appreciation for contemporary art in Miami. For more than 15 years, the de la Cruz Collection stood as one of Miami’s most respected destinations for contemporary art. Founded by renowned collectors Carlos and Rosa de la Cruz, the free museum in Miami’s Design District reflected their passion for collecting, education, and making world-class contemporary art accessible to the public. Through thoughtfully curated exhibitions and a commitment to fostering cultural dialogue, the de la Cruz Collection helped shape Miami’s identity as an international center for contemporary art while inspiring generations of artists, collectors, students, and art enthusiasts. Following the passing of Rosa de la Cruz in 2024, the museum permanently closed, marking the end of a significant chapter in Miami’s cultural history. Later that year, Christie’s dispersed the celebrated collection through a series of landmark auctions, bringing to a close one of the city’s most influential private collections while preserving the enduring legacy of the de la Cruz family’s extraordinary contributions to the arts.

Don and Mera Rubell

The Rubell Museum: Pioneers of Miami’s Contemporary Art Movement. What began as the shared passion of Mera and Don Rubell evolved into one of the world’s most influential private collections of contemporary art. After beginning their collection in New York during the 1960s, the Rubells relocated to Miami, where they opened the Rubell Family Collection to the public in 1993, helping transform Wynwood into a thriving arts district and contributing to Miami’s emergence as an international center for contemporary art. Their thoughtful approach to collecting—marked by extensive studio visits, meaningful conversations with artists, and a long-term commitment to understanding an artist’s practice—has resulted in a collection of more than 7,400 works by over 1,000 artists. Recognized for championing emerging talent long before many artists achieved international acclaim, the Rubells have assembled exceptional holdings of African American, Latin American, and Asian contemporary art alongside works by many of the world’s most celebrated artists. Since relocating to its expansive Allapattah campus in 2019, the Rubell Museum has continued to present groundbreaking exhibitions while fostering the next generation of artists through one of the nation’s most prestigious artist residency programs. Through their vision, scholarship, and enduring commitment to contemporary art, Mera and Don Rubell have played a defining role in shaping Miami’s cultural landscape and strengthening its position as a global destination for the arts.

Jorge M. & Darlene Pérez

Jorge M. Pérez: Philanthropy, Collecting, and a Vision for Miami’s Cultural Future. Jorge M. Pérez has played a transformative role in shaping Miami’s identity as a global center for contemporary art through both his distinguished private collection and his extraordinary commitment to cultural philanthropy. Inspired by a lifelong appreciation for art and his deep connection to Latin America, Pérez began collecting in the 1970s, assembling a collection that now encompasses more than 6,000 works by internationally acclaimed and emerging artists. While his early focus centered on Latin American art, his collection has grown to reflect a broad international perspective across a wide range of contemporary media. Believing that great cities are defined by their cultural institutions, Pérez has invested generously in expanding public access to the arts. His landmark gifts to Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), including significant financial contributions and promised donations from his personal collection, have helped establish the museum as one of the nation’s leading institutions for modern and contemporary art. In 2019, he further expanded his vision by opening El Espacio 23, a contemporary exhibition space dedicated to presenting rotating exhibitions, supporting artists through residency programs, and fostering creative dialogue. Through his enduring dedication to collecting, education, and cultural accessibility, Jorge M. Pérez has helped redefine Miami’s artistic landscape while inspiring future generations of artists, collectors, and museum patrons.

Martin Z. Margulies

The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse: Preserving Museum-Quality Contemporary Art. For more than two decades, the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse has served as one of Miami’s most distinguished destinations for modern and contemporary art. Founded by renowned collector Martin Z. Margulies, the nonprofit institution opened to the public in 1999 to showcase a growing collection of museum-quality photography, sculpture, video, and large-scale installation works. Housed in a renovated warehouse in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District, the collection reflects Margulies’ longstanding commitment to preserving significant works by many of the most influential artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries while making them accessible to scholars, students, collectors, and the public. Through thoughtfully curated seasonal exhibitions, educational initiatives, and an international loan program, the Margulies Collection has fostered a deeper appreciation for contemporary art and contributed to Miami’s reputation as a world-class cultural destination. Operated by the Martin Z. Margulies Foundation, the Warehouse continues to stand as a lasting testament to the importance of private collecting in preserving artistic excellence and enriching the city’s cultural landscape.

Ella Fontanals-Cisneros

The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation: Advancing Latin American Contemporary Art on the Global Stage. Founded in 2002 by renowned collector and philanthropist Ella Fontanals-Cisneros, the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO) has become one of the world’s leading advocates for Latin American contemporary art. Established to foster cultural exchange and strengthen connections between Latin American artists and global audiences, CIFO has played a vital role in supporting emerging, mid-career, and established artists through its internationally recognized Grants & Commissions Program, traveling exhibitions, educational initiatives, and cultural partnerships. As steward of the internationally acclaimed Ella Fontanals-Cisneros Collection, the foundation has helped bring significant works of modern and contemporary art to audiences around the world through long-term loans to prestigious museums and institutions. By championing artistic innovation, expanding opportunities for Latin American artists, and encouraging cross-cultural dialogue, CIFO has made an enduring contribution to Miami’s cultural identity while strengthening the city’s position as an international gateway for contemporary art.

Norman and Irma Braman

Norman and Irma Braman: Collecting with Vision, Investing in Miami’s Cultural Future. For decades, Norman and Irma Braman have been among Miami’s most influential collectors and cultural philanthropists, assembling one of the nation’s most distinguished private collections of modern and contemporary art. Inspired by the work of Alexander Calder, the Bramans began collecting in 1979 and built an exceptional collection featuring masterpieces by artists such as Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, and Dan Flavin. Their commitment to the arts has extended far beyond collecting. Norman Braman played a pivotal role in helping bring Art Basel to Miami Beach, an achievement that transformed the city into one of the world’s leading destinations for contemporary art. The Bramans have also made significant philanthropic investments in Miami’s cultural institutions, including their support for the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami), reinforcing their belief that great collections should inspire public engagement and cultural growth. Through their vision, generosity, and unwavering commitment to artistic excellence, Norman and Irma Braman have helped shape Miami’s evolution into a thriving international center for modern and contemporary art.

The Margulies Collection

These collections represent far more than acquisitions — they reflect vision, passion, and a deep commitment to the arts. Through decades of dedication, Miami’s collectors have helped create an ecosystem where artists, galleries, museums, and audiences can thrive. Their influence extends beyond the works they have preserved and shared, continuing to shape the city’s identity as one of the world’s leading destinations for contemporary art.

First U.S. Museum Solo Exhibition for Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe Debuts in November at ICA Miami, a Joint Presentation with the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

The landmark exhibition explores more than 25 years of the Venezuelan artist’s expressions of Indigenous Amazonia, including new site-specific commissions

Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, Puu motho shipe (Stinging Vines), 2023. © Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe

The first solo U.S. museum exhibition by artist Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe (b. 1971, Sheroana, Venezuela) opens this November at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami), ahead of Miami Art Week. A joint presentation with the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe comprises more than 100 works, including pieces from the Fondation Cartier’s collection as well as new commissions across a variety of media, to reveal the artist’s distinct pictorial lexicon and relationship with the natural world. Opening November 19, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe is co-curated by Gean Moreno, Director of the Art + Research Center at ICA Miami, and Michela Alessandrini, Curator at the Fondation Cartier. The exhibition reflects the two institutions’ shared commitment to representing the significance of human relationships to the environment in their programs. 

Hakihiiwe is among the most important Venezuelan artists working today on an international scale. A member of the Yanomami people, one of the largest Indigenous groups living in Amazonia, Hakihiiwe was raised and still lives in the remote Poripori community along the banks of the upper Orinoco River. He draws inspiration from the vestiges and forms of the flora and fauna found in the forest where he resides. Through his practice, Hakihiiwe builds new visual languages to record his cultural heritage, ancestral myths, and ties to the environment. Best known for his drawings, paintings, and prints on handmade paper, the Miami exhibition highlights the artist’s continued material investigations, including animation, murals, and site-specific installations.

In his practice, Hakihiiwe emphasizes the connectivity of all life forms alongside the vulnerable state of Indigenous approaches. “Everything you can see is beautiful, but it’s all at risk of disappearing, including my family, my community, the language we speak, and everything I know in the forest—animals, plants, rivers, even me,” remarked the artist in 2023 at the opening of Siamo Foresta in Milan, organized by Fondation Cartier.

“Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe's work offers a glimpse into vast Indigenous knowledge systems through a visual language that is as meticulous and rich as the natural world and cultural traditions from which it emerges. At ICA Miami, we are dedicated to exhibiting work that reveals the complexity and breadth of artistic production around the world, creating a bridge to globally significant artistic practices that have not yet received sustained institutional recognition in the United States. It is especially meaningful to present this landmark exhibition in Miami, given the city's enduring connections to Latin America and its position as a vital cultural crossroads in the Americas,” noted Alex Gartenfeld, Irma and Norman Braman Artistic Director at ICA Miami.

The exhibition at ICA Miami tracks the evolution of Hakihiiwe’s oeuvre from his foundational works on paper to his latest explorations across media through four distinct sections. The first section, Building a Language, follows the artist’s earliest efforts to develop and refine his approach for visually transmitting the Yanomami cultural experience, including his seminal work, Shapono. The following section, Notational Systems and Encyclopedic Exercises expounds on Hakihiiwe’s taxonomic impulses, beginning with the indexical systems he began to develop in the early 2010s.  The third section, Landscapes, sees the artist widening both the lens and form of his compositions to include larger tableaus and new materials. The final section, Shamanic Initiation, examines the effects of the artist’s recent shamanic training, including the power of dreams and images that bridge the visible and invisible worlds. Shamanic Initiation showcases Hakihiiwe’s latest works, including a new film soundtracked by the artist’s chanting, a site-specific mural, and a site-specific installation featuring a set of shamanic poles.

The exhibition is designed by the renowned Mexico City-based architect Mauricio Rocha, and his studio Taller de Arquitectura. Inspired by the atmospheric qualities of the traditional Yanomami housing (shapono), Rocha's architectural vision transforms filtered light, natural earth pigments, and framed views of the surrounding landscape into a contemplative spatial experience, inviting a slow encounter with Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe's visual language and its profound connection to the forest.

A Linling Lu Painting at Baltimore Museum of Art

 

Arting Gallery is delighted to share the installation of Linling Lu: One Hundred Melodies of Solitude, No.222 at the Baltimore Museum of Art, as part of the museum's How Do We Know The World? series. This installation is now open to public at BMA Contemporary Wing through January 5, 2025. Read more about this acquisition: Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) Announces Acquisition of More Than 100 Objects and Suites Across Media, Culture, Geography, and Time Read more about this exhibition: Baltimore Museum of Art's New Contemporary Wing Reinstallation Emphasizes Artists' Voices and Social Themes Relevant to Audiences

IMAGE: Linling Lu, One Hundred Melodies of Solitude, No.222, 2022, acrylic on canvas, 72 x 72 x 1.75 inch, collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art. Art Fund established with exchange funds from gifts of Dr. and Mrs. Edgar F. Berman, Equitable Bank, N.A., Geoffrey Gates, Sandra O. Moose, National Endowment for the Arts, Lawrence Rubin, Philip M. Stern, and Alan J. Zakon. Installation photographed by Xiaoming Liu, Ph.D. Courtesy of Baltimore Museum of Art.

Artist Frank Stella, Master of Reinvention, Dies at 87. Works on Display at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.

 

Stella's work in display at NSU Art Museum in 'Glory of the World: Color Field Painting (1950s to 1983)' on view November 21, 2023 through August 25, 2024.

Frank Stella emerged as part of a generation of American artists excited by, driven and challenged by Abstract Expressionism. From his groundbreaking debut in the 1960's to his status as a living legend, Stella's artistic journey is a testament to innovation, experimentation, and boundless creativity, proving himself a master of reinvention.

Stella's impact extends far beyond the canvas. As a trailblazer in the art world, he inspired generations of artists to rethink the possibilities of abstraction and embrace visual storytelling's power. His bold experimentation with scale, shape, and dimension continues to shape the contemporary art landscape, leaving an indelible mark on art history. 

Bonnie Clearwater, Director and Chief Curator of NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale has been presenting Frank Stella's works since the late 90s and currently has his works on view at the Museum in Glory of the World: Color Field Painting (1950s to 1983). On view November 21, 2023 through August 25, 2024.

The exhibition’s title Glory of the World, takes its cue from Frank Stella’s writings on Hans Hofmann’s abstract painting Gloriamundi (1963): “Hofmann proved that the straightforward manipulation of pigment can create exalted art…Glory of the world this painting surely is, and glory of the world his painting surely was and is.” Like Hofmann, the monumental Color Field paintings in this exhibition arouse a sense of wonder and discovery.

Renowned Autistic Artist Vito Bonanno's Artwork in the Corporate Collections of AMAZON and Google

 

Image: 'Journal', by internationally collected artist Vito Bonanno's Dreams & Reminiscing series (2020) - made with oil paint, india ink, oil stick or oil paint pen on canvas, 30″H x 40″W. This painting was acquired by Google for their Leesburg, VA offices.

Bonanno taps into the daily emotional and social challenges of living with autism, placing his innermost feelings onto canvas. He is an award-winning, world-famous artist with a career spanning back to his childhood.

Internationally collected artist Vito Bonanno taps into the daily emotional and social challenges of living with autism, placing his innermost feelings onto canvas. The New England-based artist's work is image and concept-driven and embedded in his personal philosophy. His art contains the essence of his life, feelings, thoughts, and dreams, coupled with objects or topics that "get stuck in his head", including traffic lights, grids, ceiling fans, graffiti, and pop culture. Corporate clients include AMAZON, Google, and The Hartford.

Vito is aligned with ArtLifting, which is a non-for-profit art organization that empowers artists living with disabilities through the celebration and sale of their artwork. ArtLifting is about creating opportunity, empowerment, and validation. This collaboration opened many new and exciting opportunities for the artist, which includes his work in Google's corporate collection, with art hanging in their Leesburg, VA offices, as well as Amazon, for one of their corporate buildings in Seattle, Washington.

Bonanno was diagnosed with PDD/Autism just before his 4th birthday. Because he was language delayed, his parents and teachers developed strategies that tapped into his high visual acuity, utilizing storyboard styles to relay academic and social information. He was also encouraged to draw in storyboard format to express his feelings. The storyboard grid remains prominent in his work and studio preparation today and is a poignant reminder of a boy who was trapped in his own mind. For more information about this artist, for inquiries, or to commission work contact vito@vitobonanno.com / visit https://vitobonanno.com/

Experience Abby Modell Contemporary Glass Art - Bloomingdale's 'Candy WonderLandscape' 2023 NYC Holiday Windows

Abby Modell Contemporary Glass Art
Candy WonderLandscape Bloomingdale's 
2023 NYC Holiday Windows

Experience the luscious dreamscape of Abby Modell Candy WonderLandscape in Bloomingdale’s Holiday Windows 2023. Designed by Abby Modell, all the items are handmade art glass and will be on exhibit at Bloomingdale's Flagship store on Lexington Avenue and 59th Street through January 1, 2024.

www.abbymodell.com

NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale Hosts an Art Talk: Collectors Andy & Christine Hall with Bonnie Clearwater

 

Andy Hall

This coming weekend on Sunday, April 23rd from 3 – 4pm NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale presents Art Talk: Collectors Andy and Christine Hall with Bonnie Clearwater. Join collectors Andy and Christine Hall and Director and Chief Curator Bonnie Clearwater for a discussion about collecting contemporary art. NSU Art Museum has presented two exhibitions in association with the Hall Art Foundation: Anselm Kieffer (2016-17) and the current Malcolm Morley: Shipwreck. FREE FOR MEMBERS | $16 FOR NON-MEMBERS. RSVP HERE.

Andy and Christine Hall are among the world’s leading collectors of contemporary art. In 2007, they founded the Hall Art Foundation, which makes postwar and contemporary art works from its own collection and that of the Hall’s available for the education and enjoyment of the public. Together, the two collections comprise one of the world’s largest groups of works by Malcolm Morley, and contain some 5,000 works by hundreds of other important artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Richard Artschwager, Georg Baselitz, Joseph Beuys, Olafur Eliasson, Ed Ruscha, Julian Schnabel and Andy Warhol.

 

Image: Photo of Andy Hall
Courtesy Hall Art Foundation

PAMM presents FIU Focus: Teresita Fernández in conversation with Dr. Ana Dopico

Pérez Art Museum Miami welcomes Florida International University students and public to a conversation on how being a first-generation American in Miami in the 80s molded Teresita Fernández’s work. Join us on Saturday, November 9th at 11:30am – 1pm. She will also discuss how she uses conceptual landscape to address and question notions of identity and belonging. Museum admission is free every Second Saturday. Space is limited. First come, first seated. RSVP does not guarantee you a seat.

Pérez Art Museum Miami Presents What Carried Us Over: Gifts from Gordon W. Bailey

Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is pleased to present What Carried Us Over: Gifts from Gordon W. Bailey, an exhibition organized by PAMM's curatorial staff in concert with Gordon W. Bailey, a Los Angeles-based collector, scholar, and advocate. The exhibition will be on view from September 12, 2019 through April 25, 2020.

Sam Doyle. Ford, ca. 1970. House paint on metal. 34 x 25 inches. Collection Pérez Art Museum Miami, gift of Gordon W. Bailey. Image courtesy of Gordon W. Bailey

The title of the exhibition emphasizes the artists' impassioned commitment to their diverse practices and confirms the inclusive theme of the show which features artworks selected from 60 gifted by Bailey to PAMM since 2016. A variety of media is displayed including drawing, painting and sculpture.

A number of well-known artists from the American South are represented: Sam Doyle, Purvis Young, Sister Gertrude Morgan, Thornton Dial Sr.,  Clementine Hunter, Herbert Singleton, Roy Ferdinand, Leroy Almon, Lonnie Holley, O. L. Samuels, Mario Mesa, Minnie Evans, Sulton Rogers, Welmon Sharlhorne, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Mose Tolliver, and Willie White. Other notable artists included are: David Choe, Daniel Pressley, Eddie Arning, Harry Lieberman, Rev. Albert Wagner, and William Dawson.

"What Carried Us Over is the first opportunity to view Mr. Bailey's donations as a whole," said PAMM Director Franklin Sirmans. "We look forward to exploring the many ways in which his gifts will filter into our permanent collection galleries in dynamic and meaningful ways."

Several highlights underscore the diversity and quality of the artworks: two house paint on roofing tin works by Sam Doyle, whose work was collected by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Our Father, a painting that considers religion and race and Ford, a poignant tribute to one of Doyle's teachers; three large-scale constructions, incorporating cast off wood and masonite, by Purvis Young, anchored by a vibrant tribute to the Miami Dolphins, add depth to PAMM's holdings of his art; an early 1940s abstract floral on paper by Minnie Evans; a painted wood bas-relief by Herbert Singleton that reclaims an old oak door; the carved and painted wood figures, Devil Family, by Sulton Rogers; a hard-hitting, admonishment, Stop, by Roy Ferdinand, illustrating the toll taken by gun violence; a mixed media work by Sister Gertrude Morgan created in 1970 on the frontispiece of the book God's Greatest Hits; an exemplary oil on canvas by the renowned Clementine Hunter, painted when she was in her nineties; and Jane Winkleman's 2007 cautionary Disaster Ahead which addresses climate change.

Bailey's substantial gift also features several multi-piece groups: three works from Lonnie Holley, including the powerful Fighting in the Midst of the Pyramids; five, painted wood bas-relief panels from Leroy Almon; seven drawings, all accomplished on repurposed paper, by Welmon Sharlhorne; and three vibrant poster board works by the inventive colorist Willie White who achieved dramatic results with common marking pens.