Collectors Suzanne and Eric Syz marry art and business.
Suzanne and Eric Syz are two of the most renowned European ar t collectors.The Swiss couple—she’s a jewellery designer, he’s a banker—star ted their collection in New York in the 1980s. It’s now displayed at the offices of their p ivate bank in Geneva.
As I fly over the Alps on my way from Madrid to Geneva, I remember the first time I visited the offices of the Syz Group, newly relocated to the Quai des Bergues. It’s a magnificent building, purpose-built to house the Group’s private banking activities—and to host the owners’ spectacular art collection. The couple began collecting in New York in the 80s, after a tiny setback: they very nearly bought a Basquiat, back when he was all but unknown. They never hesitated again.
On this visit, I’m once again brought to a stop in the atrium of a 7-storey building where more than 200 people work. From this spot I can see the works of art on all seven floors, and I’m stunned. Art is the building’s backdrop, and has
replaced the often grey and dull walls within which workers’ lives unfold. Dozens of employees coexist with the colour, creativity and power of the best contemporary art.
What Suzanne and Eric Syz—along with the other mastermind behind the collection, curator Nicolas Trembley—have accomplished is entirely unprecedented in this dimension.
Shortly afterwards, I see how green envelops the exterior of the Syz’ home with all the voluptuousness of semi-tamed vegetation (in true Swiss style). The interior is all drama, with a lively dialogue playing out between modern, understated furniture and the brilliant, vibrant, vivacious art that’s everywhere. I can’t stop stealing glances at the magnificent “peacock chair,” with its hexagonal back and square seat—designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1920s for the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo (which no longer exists)—or at the earrings worn and designed by Suzanne, featuring a target punctuated by a dart right in the bullseye. This exceptionally talented jewellery artist’s spectacular creations are always replete with humour and thoughtfulness.
Carmen Reviriego – You began your collection in New York in the mid-80s, where you met a lot of people. Did they have an influence on you?
Suzanne Syz – An enormous influence. We had come from Switzerland, which was this very calm place, whereas New York was “the place to be” at the time. Everything was happening. It had the best museums, restaurants, artists who were drawing lots of attention… there was nothing like that in Europe in those days. Young artists who were still relatively unknown were being ‘created’ right before our eyes. Nowadays, buyers can’t go to artists’ studios and meet them personally. But it wasn’t like that in the 80s. Artists were free to receive guests. You could see how they made the
colours, how they chose the themes… it was inspiring. The way I think as an artist today is greatly influenced by those years and my visits to the studios of Schnabel, Francesco Clemente… the impact of all this is what led us to collect. Now when we acquire a piece, we don’t have that same relationship with the artist—and it’s a shame. I remember Julian Schnabel painting a portrait, and meeting the woman in it, because she was his girlfriend at the time.
Eric Syz – For me, it was interesting to experience the break away from the minimalism of the 70s towards the more figurative and colourful art of the 80s. The art was much less abstract and more expressive, and it quickly made waves. It was extremely interesting to be connected to that movement, and to see how the beginnings of more expressive, figurative and colourful art came about at a time when the world was recovering from an economic recession. It was a master class in how to approach life.
C.R. – What moments stand out to you… which ones would you choose to relive?
S.S. – I had more time from the beginning, so I was the one who would visit the studios and galleries, and I met Annina Nosei, who at that time was a gallery owner with a great vision. She had a show that she put on in the basement of her gallery. It was a new artist, who she wasn’t too sure about. That artist was Jean-Michel Basquiat, and the exhibition was
‘Indian Heads’, and when I saw it I said to myself, ‘Wow! This artist has so much strength’. So when I got home I told Eric that we should buy his work; that he was an artist with a great deal of potential. And he said, ‘Ok, let’s go see his pieces’, and in the gallery we saw that the prices were very high for the time, so we decided to wait and see how his work evolved. But it was a huge shock to me, because this happened right at the beginning, and although I had no training in contemporary art, I could already tell that he was a great artist. I told myself that I wanted to collect his work. E.S. – If I had to go back in time to 20 years ago, Wade Guyton would be another one of the artists that I’d put in that group. We also knew Warhol very well, but back then we couldn’t afford his work. He did a portrait of Suzanne and Mark (our son), and we had a good relationship, but it wasn’t a discovery per se. I’ve met Wade Guyton, and his work speaks to us; we have more of a relationship with his art than with him.
C.R. – When you went back to Switzerland, you became a banker and created Banque SYZ. And Suzanne, you set up your jewellery design company. Can art play a helpful role in business? E.S – Yes, art gave me the courage to break down those barriers that we always have.
C.R. – And does it still help you now on a daily basis? E.S. – When I lived in New York I worked for Donald Marron, who later became the president of MoMA in New York. He had a lot of art in his home and offices; he lived surrounded by art. He taught me that interacting with art, living surrounded by something that’s distinct to your business activity, distracts you in a positive way. It opens up your spirit, even if only for a fraction of a second, and it removes you from your daily life. It opens up your mind and helps you think differently.
C.R. – It keeps you in constant evolution.
E.S. – Completely, It helps you to evolve, to grow. And this is the reason why, when we moved to this new building in Geneva, we wanted to transfer the collection. It’s very interesting to see all the people who didn’t get it before, and now if you ask them if they’d like to move to a different space, they say no. People become more productive when they’re comfortable in their workplace.
C.R. – And you, Suzanne, how has art helped you in your business?
S.S. – In my business I can’t live without art. It’s part of my life. My children have grown up with art, in this crazy environment, and they love it. In the 80s we had already started to buy very colourful pieces, and at first they were shocked and didn’t understand, but now they love it. When they left home, they took all the furniture and art from their bedrooms because they were very comfortable in those spaces.
E.S. – The interesting thing is that we never forced them to go to museums; we always tried to get them to come, but we didn’t make them.
S.S. – We let them go to museums on their own, and then they told us the impressions they got from looking at a painting.
E.S. – What’s more, they’ve evolved in different ways. One got interested more quickly and the other took longer, but we never forced them. Eventually they both became great art lovers, and the freedom we gave them made them want to follow in our footsteps as collectors.
C.R. – What are your thoughts on patronage?
S.S. – Without patronage, there is no future. We lend a great number of pieces to museums, we support several institutions such as the Swiss Institute in New York, we have the Biennale, and of course the artists; we support lots of artists. It’s something we’ve done ever since we started out in New York. We had artist friends who needed help at some point, and we would buy their work or pay their rent. We still have pieces by friends who didn’t quite manage to find their niche, but they tried. We were enamoured with them and wanted to support them.
C.R. – Let’s imagine that someone is just starting to think about entering the art world today…
E.S. – If you’re going to collect art, the important thing is to really do it, and do it for the right reasons. There are collectors today who collect whatever is chic, but nothing new. When we lived in New York there were collectors who would buy whatever their friends bought, just so they could show it off in their living rooms. Many people still collect in this way, based on hearsay. That’s not to say that you can’t build a good collection like this, but you could find yourself one day with a soulless collection, with no heart or depth. There are even some museums that were created with lots of money, but no spirit. And it doesn’t have to be contemporary art; it can be ancient art or African art, but you have to buy with conviction. Your collection represents you. I’m not sure if many people collect this way, with their heart. I also think that it’s very important to try to surround yourself with people who help you achieve that goal.
C.R. – I saw some very powerful Renaissance drawings in one of the rooms of your house.
S.S. – Yes, we started buying them, in fact, at the same time we were buying our first contemporary pieces. We had various friends who introduced us to antique drawings. What we liked about old painting sketches was that they represent the artist’s first impression. We were able to buy several interesting pieces.
C.R. – Perhaps we could say that European collectors coexist better with art from various historical periods… S.S. – Our history, and above all the period that we collect in, is very important. In the case of engravings, we’re interested in pieces from the 15th century to 1750, give or take. Not necessarily religious drawings, but important portraits. We’ve mostly collected Italian drawings from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.
E.S. – Passionate collectors are eclectic. You can’t just collect one thing in depth. We collect photographs, antique drawings, furniture… if you like something, you start to collect it and to understand how its world works.
S.S. – It’s important to have a keen eye, a big heart and a deep wallet. But you also need help. Nicolas (Trembley) has helped us immensely. We had quality pieces of art in the collection, but it wasn’t headed in the direction we
NOW IF YOU ASK THEM IF THEY’D LIKE TO MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SPACE, THEY SAY NO. PEOPLE BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE WHEN THEY’RE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR WORKPLACE.
thought it needed to. He gave it a new vision. He told us which artists we were missing, and which ones would be interesting to complete the collection and create a dialogue with the work we already had.
C.R. – In order to be up to date on what’s happening in the art market, you have to be in it. That’s not easy to do without help.
Nicolas Trembley – It’s also important to mention that the collection’s mission is to support the art of our era. To be closely related to the art that’s being made today. It’s not so obvious, but it’s important.
E.S. – A very interesting and positive synergy exists between Suzanne, Nicolas and I. C.R. – The collection clearly conveys that you want to be contemporary, and live in the present.
E.S. – Living in the here and now is very difficult, but that way you have a better chance of embracing the future that awaits you. These values are conveyed to our clients, but also to the people who work at the company. What’s in the past has gone, and we have to focus on the now—that’s what we do through contemporary art.
S.S. – Last November we held a big dinner party, and there were people there who weren’t familiar with Banque SYZ. Many of them were impressed. Without being clients, they wanted to be a part of the bank. It was really interesting to see that phenomenon. They wanted to be part of something very contemporary—something that’s happening now.