SANTIAGO GONZALEZ ON COLLECTING

By Crash redaction

santiago gonzalez is a man of many obsessions. son of handbag designer nancy gonzalez, he is not only an accomplished businessman who has launched
his own line of men’s accessories, he is also a passionate collector of art. With his brand and art collection alike, santiago strives for impact and consistency. opinionated, visionary and obsessive, he places these key words at the center of his thirst for art. in this interview for crash, santiago gonzalez speaks freely about what drives him in fashion and art, never shying away from sharing his opinion – always in his spirited, passionate way.

what is your current obsession?

In terms of fashion or art? You know, I don’t really have fashion obsessions. I do have two favorite brands. The first one I absolutely love, even though I’m not always wearing
it is Comme des Garçons. To me, that’s the most beautiful brand in the world. The second one is Saint Laurent, even with the changes of designers – because after all, it hasn’t changed much. The clothes fit perfectly, the collections are brilliant. Everybody talks about “timeless” these days. Today, your collection must be so strong it stands the test
of time. I think Hedi Slimane has done a tremendous job in that way. His clothes have this timelessness to them. He is building a wardrobe in a way that nothing goes out of
style. For a Saint Laurent piece, it doesn’t matter what season it is from; it doesn’t have a specific context; it is constant. That’s Saint Laurent’s relevance, compared to other brands.

which is odd, because when you see hedi slimane’s shows for saint laurent, the collections are presented in a context that is decidedly rock. it’s only in the shop that you notice their timeless aspect.

A show should be a show. The points of view can change, but it’s about consistency. For my brand, I have 150 styles per season, but the Nancy Gonzalez collection started fifteen years ago. It is permanent: one collection I keep adding and adding to. Another brand I’m obsessed with right now is Berluti. I’ve always worn Berluti shoes and the jackets are great. I love the Saint Laurent Safari jacket so much; I think I have it in 25 colors! As I was saying, I get obsessed by things. For me, these two brands – Berluti and Saint Laurent – have done a really nice job. They have a classic aesthetic but there is something new. It is not gimmicky, it is somehow effortless. Everything feels solid.

great clothes can also add confidence.

I don’t think that clothes can define if you are feeling confident or not. I think if you’re comfortable you will look good — which can give you confidence. Clothes don’t need
to feel like torture. I always like when a garment fits comfortably into my wardrobe and on me, which means I’m not forcing myself to wear it just because it’s beautiful. I don’t have to make an effort to wear it, because it just fits. People think I’m crazy when I say this but these clothes like the blazer I’m wearing now are very comfortable. I think you feel powerful if you’re in a good place in your life and you’re comfortable in your clothes!

what are your obsessions in terms of art?

As you may know, I have my core projects and other things I’m doing. My focus right now is to buy all the Louise Lawler pieces available; pieces available; the specific ones I know are very good. So this is what I’ve been doing for the last two years: working closely with one of her primary galleries and trying to find them all in secondary markets and auctions. I believe strongly in her work and I have a huge installation of hers at home right now. I haven’t had the chance to meet her yet. Right now, Colombian artist Doris Salcedo is about to open a very important retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, which will later travel to the Guggenheim. I’m very interested in her work.

would you say you prefer women artists?

I didn’t even realize that before someone pointed it out to me. I really didn’t notice that I own so many pieces by women artists, like Jenny Holzer and Roni Horn. I like everything, but I can’t buy everything because I try to stay focused. If I bought everything it would like a Morrocan souq in here! I’m very focused and disciplined. Sometimes
it’s tough because I might like an art piece very much, but it just doesn’t fit into the collection. It is about space and time, codes and numbers. I’m very focused on Marcel Broodthaers because I like his wordplay a lot. I think he’s the greatest wordsmith in art since Duchamp and Magritte.

do you think broodthaers will see a comeback soon?

The thing is, I don’t think about the market. But we are in the process of seeing how we can better follow the market, and not just acquire high-value pieces below market. I like
Jonathan Monk, because I think he’s clever in his use of messages. I also like Japanese artists, like Tatsuo Miyajima and his use of moving number displays. I like Mono-Ha for
their minimalism. I also like the very early and very late work of Lee Ufan. It’s interesting to see work by Lee Ufan and Soulages side by side. Both of their outputs started out
strong, sagged in the middle and have recently returned to form as the artists have grown old and lost all their fear. I also love Richard Prince. I think he keeps getting better
and better! His exhibition at Gagosian was the Instagram one, which I think got him kicked off the social media site. It’s phenomenal. He took images from Instagram,

including the original display and comments, and printed

them on canvas, so they’re really affordable. I think he is a very clever artist. I love Damien Hirst, too. He is undeniably one of the greatest artists of the century.

artists are often up or down at different points in their careers. jeff koons was down for some time, but then managed to get back on top of his art.

Jeff Koons is a brilliant artist. His vacuum cleaner is really an appropriation showcasing all his sophistication. And his porcelains are magically beautiful! He is a genius. As for Damien Hirst, the fact that he put his whole collection up for auction is a masterpiece in itself. He makes fun of the entire market that supports him, which is brilliant! And he
still has some amazing work, like the white sheep that another artist vandalized by covering it in black ink.

do you like any french artists?

I like late Soulages, and early Daniel Buren. He is probably my favorite French artist. What about you?

personally, i like adel abdessemed’s work a lot!

I really like his work, too. I even had dinner with him the other night! If we count Belgium, then there are a lot more French artists I like! (laughs) But I can’t keep up with it all.
I don’t even go to fairs anymore. I’m focusing on specific things so I can manage my collection budget. I love Joseph Kosuth and Jack Pierson, I am obsessed by language in art. I love Ed Ruscha of course also.