Art Collector
Brant bought his first pieces of art after turning an $8,000 investment into several hundred thousand dollars as a young man. His first purchases according to The New York Times, included “a couple of Warhols and, later, a major Franz Kline.” In 1976, Brant commissioned Andy Warhol to paint his cocker spaniel, Ginger. Warhol made two paintings of Ginger, as well as drawings. Now he has a collection of over 15,000 works, including what is considered one of the largest collections of Warhol's work in the world.
On May 9, 2009, The Brant Foundation Art Study Center opened in Greenwich, CT. On the site of a converted 110-year-old stone barn, architect Richard Gluckman redesigned the 9,800-square-foot (910 m2) space as a gallery and learning center, which will showcase long-term exhibitions and promote the appreciation of contemporary art and design. The non-profit center is open to the public by appointment.The Brant Foundation Art Study Center featured an exhibition by artist Urs Fischer in 2010 and painter Josh Smith in 2011. Brant's tax returns for 2010 showed that he contributed $3 million to the foundation, and it spent $1.8 million on acquisitions, exhibitions and building-related costs.
Brant is a member of the Advisory Council of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles named Brant to its Board of Trustees in December, 2009.
Read more about this topic: Peter M. Brant
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