What do you do when you acquire a story-high assemblage of fabrics and sequins from Nick Cave? If you're Kelly Williams, you build a room to match.
CULTURED caught up with the Palm Beach collector at home ahead of this year's Norton Museum of Art gala, held in support of the Florida institution where Williams serves as vice chair of the Board of Trustees. With a thoughtful focus on artists of color and female creatives in her own collection, Williams has helped steer local institutions and the creative community at large toward these essential voices.
In her house, she's surrounded by pieces from established names like Cave or Frank Bowling, as well as works from Jeffrey Gibson or Firelei Báez (an acquisition she's actually waiting to welcome home, after it makes the exhibition rounds). Here, she takes readers inside her negotiations, collecting considerations, must-see shows, and offers her best tip for nascent art-world explorers. As deep as she's gone, Williams proves that art isn't just for the white cube, or white canon.
What do you think makes the Palm Beach art scene distinct? And what are you looking forward to when the community gathers for the Norton’s gala?
The thing that makes the Palm Beach art scene so distinct is the level of knowledge and sophistication among the residents. We are fortunate to have some of the most extraordinary collectors in the world here in Palm Beach, many of whom are incredibly generous with their time, expertise, and philanthropy. This makes the art scene incredibly vibrant, as museums, galleries, auction houses, artists, and collectors are constantly in contact, sharing a common goal of expanding access to world-class art for the residents of our region.
This year’s gala is really going to be extraordinary. Our chairs, Audrey Gruss, Amy Phelan, and Sue Hostetler Wrigley, have worked closely with the amazingly talented David Monn and his team to design an experience for our patrons that will truly be memorable. At the top of the list of things I’m excited about is seeing our honoree, the incomparable Rashid Johnson, who is someone I so admire. The Norton is fortunate to have Rashid's work in our collection, and we are really excited to honor such an innovative and thought-provoking artist.
Where does the story of your personal collection begin?
The collection in our Palm Beach home starts with a very special piece by Whitfield Lovell entitled Bleck. I acquired it in 2016 after seeing it in a show at the Philips Collection in Washington, DC, and it captured how I felt at the time. Whitfield is such an incredible artist, and his assemblage and painting techniques are so evocative. Our collection is focused on artists of color and female artists, and it brings us such joy. We are drawn to works that are full of color and texture and have layers of meaning.
Which work in your home provokes the most conversation from visitors?
The work that is most discussed is a sculpture by Alicia Piller, which is installed in our family room. It is an extraordinary piece that incorporates balloons, leather, and color slides of Alicia’s family and looks to me like an armature that you could wear. It is something that everyone stops to marvel at, and people are always noticing new elements that I have not noticed before.
Which artist are you currently most excited about and why?
The artist I am most excited about is also an artist I am most excited for. One of the earliest pieces I acquired for our current collection was a piece by Firelei Báez, which I acquired during the Venice Biennale in 2017. Firelei won the Future Generation Art Prize from the Victor Pinchuk Foundation for her installation in Venice. The piece is called Given the ground (the fact that it amazes me does not mean I relinquish it). It is an incredibly beautiful part of a diptych of two women in intricate red headdresses. The funny thing is that we have never actually lived with the piece because it has been traveling in museum exhibitions ever since! We are incredibly honored to own this piece and have loved seeing Firelei gain increased recognition for her extraordinary talent. We do hope to have it in our home one day, but we are so happy to have so many people around the world have an opportunity to experience this very special painting.
What factors do you consider when expanding your collection?
Like so many collectors, I no longer have any free wall space, so if I acquire something, it means something has to rotate out, at least for a while. I do consider whether something is better suited for one of the arts organizations with which I’m involved. I am very drawn to abstract work, and so I am always looking for artists who are exploring color and abstraction and are willing to try something new or controversial. I like to find artists who are still early in their careers with whom I can establish a direct relationship. I trust my eye and my instinct, and if I see something that makes my heart skip a beat or something I haven’t seen before, I will look to acquire it, even if I don’t have a place for it yet.
How has your collection changed as your home and space has changed? Is it true you designed several rooms around pieces of art?
When we renovated our Palm Beach home, I designed it exactly as I wanted. The house is full of color and pattern, and the art just sings in these spaces. The collection has grown extensively since the renovation and has gotten larger and more bold. There is really only one room that was designed around a piece of art, and that is our dining room. I was very fortunate to acquire an incredible "Tondo" by Nick Cave. I love tondos, and one of my favorite pieces of art is the Doni Tondo by Michelangelo. The Nick Cave piece is an assemblage of beautiful fabrics in vibrant colors, many covered in sequins or embroidery. My intention was to cover the walls with a very traditional grisaille wallpaper depicting tropical flora and fauna. The wallpaper ended up having a bit of a purple tinge, which went perfectly with the tondo. The room is now layered in shades of purple and is a fabulous room for entertaining. It’s a real “wow” moment when the doors open.
What are the three must-see shows this month?
One of the most incredible shows we have recently seen is the "Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael" show at the Royal Academy in London. I doubt that you will ever have the opportunity to see these works together in one place again. The Nick Cave show ["Nick Cave: Amalgams and Graphts"] at Jack Shainman is spectacular. And I highly recommend the boxing show now on view at the Norton Museum of Art, entitled "Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing."
Do you collect anything other than art?
We collect Italian furniture and have pieces from the 16th century to the 21st century. At our home in Nantucket, we have a collection of Nantucket baskets, scrimshaw, and Nantucket art.
What is the strangest negotiation you've ever had with an artist or dealer?
I would say the strangest negotiation is one that many collectors have had of late. For artists who are in high demand, galleries will often only allow you to acquire the work if you agree to also acquire a piece for a museum. The strange aspect of the negotiation is that, in most cases, the artists are not aware that this condition has been placed on their work. However, I do understand the desire to help museums and other institutions acquire this work, and we have been very happy to help institutions expand their collections.
What piece of advice would you give someone who wants to get into collecting?
The biggest piece of advice I give is not to be intimidated. I have found that galleries and auction houses are more than willing to take the time to provide information. Art fairs can often be overwhelming, but I find that gallerists are very happy to discuss the pieces, the artists, and their practices. Take the time to attend the art fairs, go to the lectures by the artists, and stop to talk with them and ask them about their work. The most fun I have in the art world is talking to artists. They are truly unique, special, and magical people.
