What’s your finest memory ? I became interested in Contemporary art after visiting galleries and museums, and reading about the artists. My first Contemporary purchase was Francis Bacon’s Portrait of Lucien Freud, that I acquired in London for £700! Needless to say it is worth much more today.
Of which piece of art are you most proud ? My favourite thing to collect are “icons”. I have two pieces by Andy Warhol that I especially love, Red Liz and Lavender Marilyn. All three are true icons.
Favourite museum in the world ? I sit on the Executive Committee of the International Director’s Council of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the International Council of the Tate Modern in London, the Berggruen Museum in Berlin; I am also an International Trustee of MOCA in Los Angeles, and have very recently joined the Board of Governors of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. All these incredible institutions are very important and close to my heart.
How does this passion influence your professional life ? Art, especially contemporary art and young artists, is incredibly inspiring. I set up my foundation, The FACET Foundation, in 2008 to give back to the countries from where we source our fabulous diamonds. In 2009 we hosted a charity art auction at Christie’s featuring the top contemporary artists to raise money for FACET, and on 24 November 2011 we are hosting a second auction of exclusively South African art at my
vineyard, Delaire Graff Estate, in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
What achievement would you dream of ? To continue
to source the most beautiful and rare diamonds in the world, and to continue to find and support new, young artistic
talent.
