As Art Basel 2024 has come to a ceremonious close, Whitewall sat down with two remarkable collectors, Nicolas Syz, Head of Private Banking at Syz Bank, and Christine Wuerfel Stauss, a scholarly attorney and art collector, to take note of their singular advice and meaningful recent acquisitions.
Portrait of Nicolas Syz, courtesy of Syz Bank.
Nicolas Syz, Head of Private Banking at Syz Bank
Prior to his distinguished position as Head of Private Banking at Syz Bank, Nicolas Syz was the legendary company’s revered leader of business development—building the comprehensive Swiss product offering, which soon evolved into heading the diverse investments team. In addition, the visionary is a forward-thinking steward of Geneva’s esteemed Syz Collection, founded by his parents Suzanne and Eric Syz, which brings together iconic and cutting-edge works of art for a pure celebration of the past, present, and future of global, boundary-breaking creativity.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
NICOLAS SYZ: I’ve recently acquired a new piece by a Swiss artist Caroline Bachmann. It’s an oil canvas entitled Lune arc-en-ciel nuage troué. She has always lived in Switzerland, in the inspiring Léman area. She does figurative work and portraits of women, but is most renowned for her oil paintings of lake views, capturing the mysteries of reflections, lights, and the magic of these sceneries.
Installation view of Caroline Bachmann’s “Le Matin,” courtesy of the artist and Centre d’art contemporain d’Ivry, France.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors just getting started?
NS: Engage with as many collectors as possible and visit numerous art fairs. This exposure will help you discover what inspires you and sparks your emotions, intrigue, and interest. Through these experiences, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of your personal taste and market trends, including which artists have specific styles and orientations. Next, I recommend defining a budget and seeking advice from an advisor to gain invaluable perspective. Ultimately, regardless of the specifics, always buy something you love.
—Reporting Ana Novi
“Ultimately, regardless of the specifics, always buy something you love,”
— Nicolas Syz
Portrait of Christine Wuerfel Stauss, photo by Christian Anwander.
Christine Wuerfel Stauss, Attorney and Art Collector
Based between Munich, Germany and the US, the spirited attorney with a PhD Christine Wuerfel Stauss has an wholehearted devotion to the arts, with a sweeping and ever-evolving collection that includes Jeppe Hein, Carsten Höller, Huma Bhabha, Robert Nava, Alicja Kwade, Gerhard Richter, and many more.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
CHRISTINE WUERFEL STAUSS: A work by Marianna Simnett which the Berlin-based gallery Société is presenting at Art Basel this year. It is a large-scale drawing of infants seated in the spectator ranks of a mostly empty sports stadium. The facial expressions of the depicted children are showing raging emotions of highly engaged fans evoked by a competitive sports game, such as soccer. The individual sensations present in various ways from fascination to pure anger. It is an intense group dynamic that is revealed in this work which is contrasted by the soft, translucent color palette of mainly pastel pinks and mint hues.
I also love the skillful and aesthetically beautiful drawing technique Marianna developed to depict complex matters and also that this work is an output of her large project, Winner which is currently on view at the Museum Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. It coincides with the European Soccer Championship in Germany this summer and explores phenomenons of crowd psychology, from exhilaration to suffering, all co-existing in the nature of each game depending on triumph or defeat of the appropriated match protagonists.
“Do not buy art in a rush,”
— Christine Wuerfel Stauss
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors just getting started?
CWS: Do not buy art in a rush, feeling urged by limited availability, high demand or the context of the work and its presentation. Once you start to regularly see a variety of different artistic expressions in museums, galleries and others displays your personal taste in art continues forming and might change.
It is important to obtain as much information about the artist and his or her practice and reception in various art contexts. Your initial taste might become more specific which will lead to a higher long term appreciation of an acquired work. If possible try to visit a show opening of an artist whose works intrigue you to get a personal impression and maybe a studio visit can be arranged. It is a fact that the acquisition of an artwork is a decision for the artist and his or her work in general.
— Reporting Erica Silverman
Jeppe Hein, “Rotating Onyx Nuvolato,” 2021, Courtesy of the artist and Galería RGR.
