History

Daros Collection is a private collection of contemporary art with a focus on North American and European art from the second half of the 20th century.  Several features set the Daros Collection apart from others of its kind. Although it is privately owned by one family, it does not reflect the interests and preferences of a single collector but is the outcome of clearly defined strategies and their professional implementation. Daros is a prominent player as buyer and seller in the market without subverting the fundamental values of the collection.

The Daros Collection started out as a wide-ranging collection of over 1000 single works. In addition to such outstanding acquisitions as Number 11 (1951) by Jackson Pollock or Chartres (1963) by Barnett Newman, core elements of the collection include groups of work by Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly. These icons of contemporary art continue to exemplify the Daros Collection.

In 1997, Stephan Schmidheiny decided to hone the profile of the collection, both paring it down and acquiring first-rate work, under the aegis of the professional structure of Daros.

In keeping with these policies, the decision was taken around the turn of the millennium to add new artists to the collection, specifically with a view to their significance within the contemporary art world. Works were acquired by such artists as Gerhard Richter, Agnes Martin, Bruce Nauman and Louise Bourgeois.

Over the past decade, they have followed a consistent strategy of consolidating groups of works by the important artists featured in the collection. In addition to acquiring first-rate works of Abstract Expressionism by such artists as Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning, they have enriched the collection with a series of works by Gerhard Richter. The spectrum of the collection has also been widened to include groups of works by such artists as Christopher Wool and Thomas Schütte. Important artists like Philip Guston and Mark Bradford have also found a place in the collection.

The Daros Collection comprises some 250 works, including outstanding bodies of work by Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, Brice Marden, Willem de Kooning and Cy Twombly. Impressive groups of work by Mark Rothko, Robert Ryman, Barnett Newman, Agnes Martin, Sigmar Polke, Bruce Nauman, Robert Gober, Christopher Wool and Thomas Schütte additionally enhance the collection.

The Daros Collection fosters exchange with contemporary art practice and recent trends, ensuring its continuing relevance and impact. For years, precisely focused management of the collection has gone hand-in-hand with making the holdings accessible to the public. Between 2001 and 2008 Daros had its own museum premises in Zurich where part of the collection had been showcased in monographic exhibitions.

Since 2010, the Daros Collection has been working closely with the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, near Basel. Groups of work from the collection are regularly integrated into the presentations of the Fondation Beyeler’s holdings. This unique cooperation will be consolidated through a substantial contribution from Daros for an extension to the building in Riehen.