Meet Frédéric de Goldschmidt, Collector and Luxembourg Art Week Selection Committee Member
Frédéric de Goldschmidt studied commerce and communication until the exhibition Les Magiciens de la Terre at the Centre Pompidou led him to the lecture halls of the Sorbonne to do a Master's in Ethnology. Having started out infatuated with rare ethnographic objects, Frédéric de Goldschmidt suddenly changed tack. He parted with the old Manet that lay dormant in the shadow of a bank vault and threw himself passionately into collecting contemporary art: "I realised, after a long process, that there was no point in owning an important work if it could not be seen by anyone. I preferred to 'recycle' a name in favour of more accessible pieces and thus support creation, as opposed to hoarding objects that don’t benefit anyone." In addition to encouraging today's creators, we must try to make their productions visible: "In my opinion, the role of a collector cannot be limited to buying pieces, he must also show them. The public dimension is very important, because it allows us to encourage the recognition of artists we appreciate.” A desire to share is at the heart of his activity as a "passer-by", as he likes to define himself, which in turn embodies the act of transmission so dear to ethnologists. Frédéric de Goldschmidt is always in search of new audiences and in order to pass on his passion to as many people as possible, seeks out opportunities to bring contemporary art to new places. For example, he has just opened a coworking space in Brussels that serves as a permanent exhibition space.
Sensitive to ecological issues, the French collector favours short circuit art fairs on a human scale and alternative transport methods for the circulation of his pieces. For this reason he is particularly fond of local initiatives close to his home such as Art Brussels and Luxembourg Art Week. Frédéric de Goldschmidt’s support of Luxembourg Art Week dates back to 2020 and he has high hopes for this new 2022 edition. His goal is to encourage artists and gallery owners to display originality in order to meet the many challenges of our time.