Alberto Cruz Champions Caribbean Art Through Collection and Philanthropy

Alberto Cruz, a Dominican collector and president of investment bank Excel, is dedicated to elevating Caribbean art on the global stage. His mission, pursued through the Alberto Cruz Foundation, focuses on promoting artists from the Dominican Republic and the wider Caribbean region, including its diaspora, through exhibitions, critical studies, and publications. Cruz began collecting as a teenager, setting aside part of his salary monthly, and now owns over a thousand works. His collection spans Dominican art from the 19th century to the present, featuring figures like Jaime Colson, who studied under Sorolla and associated with Picasso and Dalí, and contemporary artist Firelei Báez, whose paintings command high auction prices. Cruz's philanthropic shift was influenced by his relationship with artist Domingo Liz, leading him to prioritize sharing knowledge and documentation over personal possession. He is a member of the Fundación Museo Reina Sofía and the Guggenheim's Latin American Circle, collaborating to integrate marginalized voices into mainstream art narratives. Cruz notes challenges in the Latin American art market, including lack of visibility and institutional support, emphasizing the need for curatorial research to counter market trends and ensure sustainable growth.