My Favourite Artists: Artur Trawinski

The founder of European ArtEast Foundation shares the stories behind his art collection. 

Polish-born, France-based Artur Trawinski made his fortune founding global cosmetics and perfume company FM World, in 2004. Five years ago, he founded the European ArtEast Foundation, an independent not-for-profit organisation that supports art from Eastern Europe by commissioning and producing projects in partnership with institutions and other arts organisations.

Earlier this year the European ArtEast Foundation staged the world’s first survey of Eastern European Female Surrealists at Cromwell Place in London, a trans-historical exhibition showing works by artists from the 1930s to present day.

He has a particular interest in abstract expressionism from the 1960s and its correspondents in Poland. He is also a member of the International Circle acquisition committee at Centre Pompidou.

He shares his favourite artists from his art collection with Billionaire.  

Jan Ziemski 

I cannot specify one favourite work by Jan Ziemski because I truly admire his whole oeuvre. He is one of my favourite artists, whom I have been collecting from the very beginning of my journey with art. He is one of the forerunners of op art and kinetic art in Poland and is also often associated with structural painting. Ziemski’s works are magnetic, captivating, calm and vigorous, an amazing combination of art, technology and scientific expression.   

Tadeusz Kantor 

Tadeusz Kantor works are incredible. He was a multitalented artist, filmmaker, photographer, painter and performance artist (to name a few of his trades). I am particularly attached to my collection of Kantor’s Informel paintings, a yet rather undiscovered and underappreciated part of his body of work. I often move them around my house, switch the locations of the works, and let them inspire and entertain me like watching a great film.  

Victor Vasarely 

One of the favourite works in my collection is one of the most important and fantastic works of Victor Vasarely. I acquired it from Patrick Derom’s legendary gallery in Brussels. He has a lifelong knowledge and focus on op art. It was a particularly good find, which I am proud of. 

Julian Stanczak  

One of my favourite works is this kinetic artwork by Julian Stanczak: it is magnetic and almost mesmerising. Stanczak is a US-Polish artist, one of the central figures in the development of the op art movement. 

 
 This article originally appeared in Billionaire's Next Gen Issue. To subscribe click here.