In our fantasy art collection series, Modern Forms invites art world figures to pick out five artworks or collectable objects from the entirety of human history for their fantasy collection. In this edition we asked the London-based, Swiss, art advisor, curator and collector, Andreas Siegfried to make his selection. Here are the five works he picked out and his reasons why…
Pablo Picasso, Woman With Yellow Hair, 1927
“I had to include Picasso in my selection as he is such a crucial artist. As with most people, I am endlessly fascinated by the energy and the genius of his work. In this particular painting I love the tenderness of the depiction, and the way that, with such minimal means, Picasso is able to so strongly define the era that it was painted in. Everything about it, from the strong lines to the use of colour, is innovative, powerful and defining.”
Henry Fuseli, The Shepherd’s Dream from Paradise Lost, 1793
“I love the work of Swiss artist Henry Fuseli and his surrealist romantic depictions. Not surprisingly his works were often inspired by poems, in this case Paradise Lost by John Milton. The painting is meant to represent fallen angels, sprites and fairies in the lost paradise; I get lost in Fuseli’s world and his narratives, depicted in such glorious detail. Fuseli’s work represents to me the unconscious and the dreamworld, which allows me to explore my own dreams.”
Joan Miró, Peinture (personnages: Les Frères Fratellini), 1927
“I love the symbolism in Miro’s paintings, his simple anamorphic shapes create an entire new vocabulary which seems to dance in his vibrant colour palette and abstract depictions. His work, just like Fuseli’s, immerses me in a dream world, this time however it is a world made of dynamism, colour and music.”
Cy Twombly, Suma, 1982
“The first time I saw this work was with my dear friend Thomas Amman, who in fact sold it to MOMA himself. When I first saw the work I felt a magnetic pull to it, and it gave me a feeling of completeness. The energy of the strokes somehow fired me up and this is precisely when I first understood the power of art. Twombly was the greatest aesthete and I recognise the elegance in his oeuvre.”
Aztec head, Museo Anahuacalli, Mexico City
“Museo Anahuacalli is a wonderful museum that houses Diego Rivera’s collection of Aztec and pre-Colombian sculptures. The entire ground floor is occupied by Aztec and Teotihuacan artworks. I’d happily live with any one of these hypnotic sculptures. They somehow feel like a bridge between the ages; they are so contemporary in their stylisation yet have a profoundly historical aura.”
Andreas Siegfried Biography
Andreas Siegfried is an art advisor, curator and collector. He founded Siegfried Contemporary in 2010, an art advisory service and curatorial platform for projects and exhibitions staged in London and Switzerland. His very personal program is driven by a culture of open discourse with participating artists that results in a series of unique exhibitions.
After completing an art degree at Sotheby’s, Andreas began his art world career by working for legendary Swiss art dealer Bruno Bischofberger. He since worked at Christie’s, London, at the galleries White Cube and Max Wigram and for a decade with Art Basel as their VIP ambassador in the UK.
As an art advisor, Andreas specialises in Modern and Contemporary Art and works with both established and emerging artists. Andreas is also a passionate collector in his own right.
Portrait courtesy of @philipriches
