Miami's Private Collectors: The Visionaries Behind the City's Art Boom
The emergence of Miami as a significant center for contemporary art is largely due to the efforts of innovative collectors. The de la Cruz Collection, created by Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz, functioned as a complimentary museum in the Design District for more than 15 years, until its closure following Rosa's passing in 2024, which resulted in Christie's auctioning the collection. Established in 1993 by Mera and Don Rubell, the Rubell Museum, which moved to Allapattah in 2019, now boasts over 7,400 artworks. Jorge M. Pérez, a collector since the 1970s, played a role in PAMM and opened El Espacio 23 in 2019. Additionally, Martin Z. Margulies launched the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse in 1999, and Ella Fontanals-Cisneros founded CIFO in 2002. Norman and Irma Braman, who began their collection in 1979, have also been instrumental in supporting ICA Miami.
Key facts
- The de la Cruz Collection closed permanently after Rosa de la Cruz's death in 2024, with Christie's dispersing the collection through auctions.
- The Rubell Museum, founded by Mera and Don Rubell, opened to the public in 1993 as the Rubell Family Collection, helping transform Wynwood.
- The Rubell collection includes over 7,400 works by more than 1,000 artists, with a focus on emerging talent and diverse art.
- Jorge M. Pérez began collecting in the 1970s and has over 6,000 works, with significant gifts to Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).
- El Espacio 23, opened by Jorge M. Pérez in 2019, is a contemporary exhibition space with residency programs.
- The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse opened in 1999 in a renovated warehouse in Wynwood, featuring museum-quality photography, sculpture, video, and installations.
- The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO), founded in 2002 by Ella Fontanals-Cisneros, supports Latin American contemporary art through grants and exhibitions.
- Norman and Irma Braman began collecting in 1979, inspired by Alexander Calder, and helped bring Art Basel to Miami Beach.
Entities
Artists
- Rosa de la Cruz
- Carlos de la Cruz
- Mera Rubell
- Don Rubell
- Jorge M. Pérez
- Darlene Pérez
- Martin Z. Margulies
- Ella Fontanals-Cisneros
- Norman Braman
- Irma Braman
- Alexander Calder
- Andy Warhol
- Willem de Kooning
- Pablo Picasso
- Dan Flavin
Institutions
- de la Cruz Collection
- Christie's
- Rubell Museum
- Rubell Family Collection
- Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
- El Espacio 23
- Margulies Collection at the Warehouse
- Martin Z. Margulies Foundation
- Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO)
- Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami)
- Art Basel
Locations
- Miami
- Miami Beach
- Wynwood
- Allapattah
- Design District
- United States