On the joyful occasion of Art Week, Whitewall caught up with the most dynamic art Mexico City collectors and cultural leaders. Read on to learn more about their captivating, recent acquisitions and essential advice for emerging collectors.
Tanya Moss
Jewelry Designer, Art Collector
Portrait courtesy of Tanya Moss.
Courtesy of Tanya Moss.
The ever-inspiring Tanya Moss is a skillful and esteemed jewelry designer. Based in Mexico City, her coveted creations are developed with meticulous attention to ethical sourcing and an ethos of thoughtful sustainability. In dynamic partnership with local artisans, enthralling pieces, such as the well-known “Tanya Moss Butterfly,” evoke liberation and metamorphosis.
WHITEWALL: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
TANYA MOSS: My advice to young people is to attend as many art events as possible, visit museums, learn about art, and identify the styles that resonate with them the most. They should also set aside some money to purchase their first piece—most likely from an emerging artist—within their means. This process helps develop their personal taste and allows them to surround themselves with art that enhances their living space.
It’s also crucial to stay informed about current art trends in different regions and follow major auction houses to discover new artists. Personally, with my first paycheck, I bought a painting that I still enjoy today.
Ultimately, the most important thing is to understand that art should be something you genuinely want to live with and experience in your everyday spaces.
Patrick Charpenel
Director of El Museo del Barrio in New York
Portrait courtesy of Patrick Charpenel.
With a formal education in philosophy, Patrick Charpenel is a perceptive curator and art collector, and currently served as the distinguished Director of El Museo del Barrio in New York. With nuanced insight into our swiftly-evolving world, Charpenel has spearheaded notable presentations including Gabriel Orozco at the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City; “Walks” by artist Francis Alÿs at the Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City; Franz West at the Museo Tamayo, Mexico City; “Interplay” at Moore Space, Miami; and “Substance-Substances” at Collegium, Arévalo, Spain.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
PATRICK CHARPENEL: Anna Hulačová (born 1984, ČSSR), Untitled (2024), concrete, ceramic, 47x 31 x 27 cm.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
PC: Young collectors should educate and inform themselves as much as possible. Once they achieve intellectual clarity, they should be as intuitive and free-spirited as possible. Both approaches are crucial: conceptual rigor and ample freedom.
Bertha González Nieves
CEO & Co-Founder of Tequila Casa Dragones
Potrait of Bertha González Nieves, Courtesy of Casa Dragones.
Ian Michael, “Spring Fling,” 2023, courtesy of the artist, Bertha González Nieves, and Mariane Ibrahim, Mexico City.
As the CEO & Co-Founder of Tequila Casa Dragones, Bertha González Nieves stands as the first certified female Maestra Tequilera by the Academia Mexicana de Catadores de Tequila. The visionary González Nieves is a trailblazing entrepreneur, and has been steadily evolving the tequila industry for more than 20 years.
Tequila Casa Dragones is a world-renowned small batch, independent tequila company, and González Nieves places timeless Mexican craftsmanship and creativity at the heart of her practice.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
BERTHA GONZÁLEZ NIEVES: I’m so excited about my latest acquisition from Mariane Ibrahim gallery in Mexico City. The piece is Spring Fling, by Ian Michael, 2023. It’s so positive and bright and I just fell in love with the feeling it gives me whenever I look at it.
Also, I was so surprised by a gift that Clotilde Jiminez from Mariane Ibrahim recently gifted me—his version of a Casa Dragones Blanco bottle! Both artists are so talented and original, and Mariane is also a dear friend.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
BGN: Collecting for me is about falling in love with the art and learning the story behind it. Knowing the artist or the gallery makes all the difference for me.
“Collecting for me is about falling in love with the art and learning the story behind it,”
Bertha González Nieves
Most of my collection is of Mexican artists from Mexican galleries like kurimanzutto—who have been fantastic partners to us over the years and they are also very close friends of mine. Because of this, I’ve had the opportunity to become friends with (and collect) some of the incredible artists they represent, such as Danh Vo, Gabriel Orozco, and Petrit Halilaj. My best advice is to collect what you love and take the time to learn about the artist and the story behind the piece.
Bernardo Saenger and Fernanda Alvarado
Gallery Owners and Mezcal Entrepreneurs
Portrait courtesy of Bernardo and Fernanda Saenger.
As the principal partner of Mexico City’s SAENGER Galería, Bernardo Saenger infuses a robust finance background, as well as a Masters degree from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, into every facet of his soaring contemporary art gallery. Saenger and his wife Fernanda Alvarado began their focused passage into art collecting in 2012, and in 2017 their devotedness to the industry and its forward-thinking creatives evolved into a prestigious book publishing platform. Under the title SAENGER Editores, 15 compelling books have been released and Saenger has deftly curated more than 50 limited edition editorial and art projects. In 2019, the innovative duo raised the curtain on their stunning art space.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
BERNARDO SAENGER AND FERNANDA ALVARADO: Of course we are constant collectors from the SAENGER Gallery program. Last 2024 we had acquisitions from: Robert Janitz, Scott Reeder, Yoab Vera, Mark Whalen, Iván Trueta, Javier Peláez, Alain Urrutia, Alexander Wertheim, Cecilia Barreto, Ale de la Puente, Alejandro García Contreras, Tania Ximena and recently we have also added: Mio Yamato, Shinya Azuma, Minerva Cuevas and Amanda Ziemele.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
BS AND FA: Our advice for young collectors is trust their eye, to go get what they like but always document themselves a ton before doing the purchase. It’s important to develop a relationship with galleries as well as with the artists, this relationship will end up in a “friends’ zone” hopefully.
“It’s important to develop a relationship with galleries as well as with the artists,”
Bernardo Saenger and Fernanda Alvarado
Also, as young collectors, we firmly believe in supporting young artists, of course through the acquisition of their work, but also helping them financially for plane tickets and expenses for a residence program, materials and production for a new kind of media they would like to work on, word of mouth by introducing them to other collectors, curators and other art agents, the list is endless.
Don Antonio del Valle
Founder of Museo Kaluz
Portrait courtesy of Don Antonio del Valle and Museo Kaluz.
Don Antonio del Valle is an illustrious Mexican businessman, art collector, and the founder of Museo Kaluz. The leading museum was founded in 2020 and features the luminary’s sweeping art collection which has been garnered gradually, with rigorous detail and effort. Central to the must-see collection is the recovery and conservation of Mexican artistic heritage, as well as the championing of the country’s most profound creatives. Treasures of figurative heart intertwine with masterpieces from an array of styles and time periods, providing a closer look at singular pieces, from beguiling landscapes to portraits to still lifes.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
DON ANTONIO DEL VALLE: One of the most exciting recent acquisitions of the Kaluz Collection is the archive of the great Mexican artist José María Velasco. This addition not only expands the understanding of his artistic legacy but also opens multiple avenues for research, providing new perspectives on his work and influence. Another significant acquisition is the collection of Francisco Marco Chile which offers a powerful illustrated chronicle of life in concentration camps in France. These acquisitions, alongside the integration of Terry Welch’s Japanese art collection into an academic program at El Colegio de México, have greatly enriched the collection, reinforcing its mission to preserve and promote significant artistic and historical narrative.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
DADV: I advise new collectors to approach collecting with discipline, intuition, and clear objectives. A collection should reflect the collector’s personality and aspirations, serving a meaningful contribution to the cultural landscape. He also emphasizes the importance of seeking professional guidance to develop a well-informed selection criterion, as well as fostering curiosity to explore lesser-known artists and perspectives. Lastly, he encourages aspiring collectors to think beyond acquisition—engaging in research, exhibitions, and collaborations that enrich both the collection and the broader cultural community.
