The logic behind Noora Raj Brown’s collection is simple. “The older you get, the more you discover your own taste,” she says. “I believe in buying art you feel you can’t live without.”
Raj Brown and her husband, Ryan Brown, began collecting nearly a decade ago while living in New York’s West Village. “The first piece we bought together was a Matt Bilfield. My husband picked it—it's very Pop, colorful, and playful,” says the Goop executive vice president. While Brown favors the bright and bold, Raj Brown opts for a minimalist aesthetic. “The first work I bought personally was a Christopher Wool—a beautiful artist proof,” she recalls.
A lot has changed since these early acquisitions—the pair traded New York for Los Angeles and had their first child. Nevertheless, their collection, which now lines the walls of a sun-filled Pacific Palisades abode, remains a celebration of distinctive visions. “It’s easy for people who know us to guess who chose what,” Raj Brown says with a laugh.
These interwoven visual languages are a testament to a collecting philosophy that reflects both individual tastes and the passing of time. One of Raj Brown’s favorite works is a Stanley Whitney that hangs in her daughter’s nursery. “I loved the idea of starting her collection early,” she muses. “Even though Whitney’s work has such deep meaning, it felt like something a child could attach to. It’s a piece that will take on different meanings the older she gets.”
Beyond Goop, family life, and collecting, Raj Brown is a devoted philanthropist. She’s a founder of the voter engagement organization I Am a Voter, and a board member of the Hammer Museum. Raj Brown is particularly active with Hammer Projects, which supports emerging artists. “An incredible collector once explained to me the importance of meeting artists that you grow with,” she recalls. A custom mural by artist Caroline Lizarraga in the family’s dining room underscores these relationships. “Caroline and I are in the same life stage with young kids. I love that as her career grows, I can support her in different ways,” she says.
Above all, collecting serves as a continuous source of inspiration. “I believe in the power of surrounding yourself with beauty,” Raj Brown concludes. “In my job, I am constantly pulling inspiration and references from all over. I love living in a space where I get that by walking in the door.”
For more from the 2024 Young Collectors list, read conversations with Daniel English, Andy Gao and Peter Wei, and Jen Rubio.
