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The Artsy Questionnaire: Ivanka Trump Shares her Philosophy on Art, Collecting, Technology & More

Artsy Editorial
Sep 12, 2013 3:43PM

Businesswoman, fashion designer, author, model, mother—Ivanka Trump wears many hats. Did you know she’s also an avid art enthusiast and collector? This week Artsy was lucky enough to catch up with the high-profile New Yorker for a quick chat. Read on to find out her favorite artists, design philosophy, advice for aspiring collectors, and secrets to social media success.

Artsy: Who are some of your favorite artists?

Ivanka Trump: I love Christopher Wool and Cy Twombly.

There are also so many great younger artists that I really love including Wade Guyton, Nate Lowman, Alex Israel, Dan Colen, Joe Bradley, and others.

Do you collect art? If so, can you tell us about some of your favorite pieces?

My husband and I started collecting a couple of years ago. We really enjoy visiting various artists’ studios both in NYC and during our travels. It has been a fun exploration of our personal and collective tastes. We only have two rules: we don’t buy art that we don’t love and we only buy something if we BOTH love it and want to live with it.

What advice do you have for aspiring collectors?

Buy things you love and trust your gut. While there are certainly a few pieces we have outgrown, most of the art we own we have fallen even more in love with as we have lived with it.

What’s your favorite museum and why?

The Met—the building, the history, the location and, obviously, the art.

What role do you think technology/the Internet has to play in the art world?

Historically, some new technologies have played an important role in changing how images are reproduced and the ways we view reproduced images. The Internet, with sites like Artsy, certainly has been one of the most influential in this sense and has contributed to the “democratization” of art, which I believe is a positive result.

The first thing that comes to mind is the accessibility to masterpieces that the Internet offers to everyone.  Sites like Artsy allow us to both view works and have information about those works readily available in a way that didn’t exist for museum goers from past generations.

At Artsy, we spend a lot of time and energy thinking about design. What do you think the key to good design is?

Great design has to be contextually relevant to the moment yet stand the test of time.

What is one design object that you own that you couldn’t live without?

I can live without anything, but I happen to really love our Lindsey Adelman light fixtures and the tepee in my daughter Arabella’s room.

We are really big fans of your presence on social media. Can you tell us any of your secrets to success?

My approach to social media is very much an honest display of who I am in my day-to-day life, sharing my thoughts, observations, and interests. I try to post thought-provoking articles and share news that I feel is important, both personally and to those who “follow” my feed. Instagram is my favorite of the social media apps that I use. I am best able to express myself visually so it really appeals to me.

Who are some of your favorite people to follow on Instagram and Twitter?

On Twitter, I follow many of the major news outlets, industry influencers, media personalities, and people I admire. On Instagram, I follow family, friends, and a few really great random photographers that I have discovered.

What projects are you working on at the moment that we should know about?

Our massive $250 million dollar renovation of the iconic 800 acre Doral resort in Miami is underway so I will continue to spend a lot of time commuting to Miami to oversee the project. When completed, the resort’s reputation as a pinnacle of luxury will be fully restored, and exceeded. I’m very excited to be spearheading this project along with my father and brothers. I’m also spending a lot of time in Washington, D.C. as our redevelopment plans for the Old Post Office move forward. It is truly one of the most iconic buildings in the country, the tallest building in DC and located right on Pennsylvania Avenue and we are so thrilled to have the opportunity to transform it into one of the finest hotels in the world, while preserving its historical integrity.  In addition to my work with the Trump Organization there are several exciting projects in the works for my lifestyle brand, Ivanka Trump. Early next year I will be launching home décor, a collection of cold weather accessories including scarves, hats, gloves and belts and children’s footwear, which will be a great compliment to my existing collections including footwear, handbags, apparel, sunglasses, outerwear, fragrance and fine jewelry. It’s such an exciting time for the brand as we continue to experience rapid growth and implement a corporate infrastructure to support our expansion and promote integration among the other projects I’m involved in. There is a lot of synergy between the Ivanka Trump brand and the Trump Organization and our goal is to continue to enhance that for the consumer.

Portrait of Ivanka Trump courtesy of the Trump Organization

Artsy Editorial