Marina Croce: A Collector Bridging Tradition and Contemporary Art

Marina Croce, a Milan-based financial consultant and philanthropist, began collecting art in 1992 with a sculpture by Arturo Martini, 'Dio e Patria'. Her grandfather, an Italian art collector, introduced her to galleries as a child. Over time, her focus shifted from sculpture to painting, and she now favors juxtaposing emerging and established artists. Her latest acquisition is a work by Jemima Murphy, a young British artist. Croce's collection includes multiple works by Nicolas Party, Ed Clark, Katharina Grosse, Sam Gilliam, Simone Fattal, and others, with a notable emphasis on female artists like Kylie Manning, whom she discovered at Anonimous Gallery in New York before Manning joined Pace Gallery. Croce discovers artists at fairs, galleries, and online, without a fixed budget, guided by emotion and advice from trusted professionals like her reference gallery Kaufmann Repetto in Milan and art advisor Mattia Pozzoni. She views collecting as a way to open the mind to societal changes and considers her collection a living entity that evolves. Croce actively supports institutions through the association Amichae for three museums in Milan and frequently lends works to public institutions. She appreciates globalization and connectivity in the art world but criticizes excessive speculation on young artists, likening it to cryptocurrency trading. The interview was conducted by Cristina Masturzo.