BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors

BASMOCA

One of the many initiatives of the Basma Al Sulaiman collection.

Joana Vasconcelos PORTUGAL True Faith, 2014 Handmade woolen crochet, polyester, on canvas, stucco, gold leaf, MDF, iron 186 x 311 x 67 cm. | 73.2 x 122.4 x 26.3 in. Copyright: Joana Vasconcelos Studio
Joana Vasconcelos PORTUGAL True Faith, 2014 Handmade woolen crochet, polyester, on canvas, stucco, gold leaf, MDF, iron 186 x 311 x 67 cm. | 73.2 x 122.4 x 26.3 in. Copyright: Joana Vasconcelos Studio

Basma Al Sulaiman’s collection originally began as a private collection when she and her husband began acquiring works during their travels abroad. Their first modern and contemporary acquisition was a David Hockney in 1994 while they were visiting New York, followed by a Frank Stella and Bridget Riley.

A few years later in 1997, upon visiting Charles Saatchi’s YBA’s exhibition “Sensation” at the Royal Academy in London Basma’s outlook on collecting took a different turn. She began becoming more interested in contemporary art and decided to get a diploma from Christie’s Education.

Shortly after in the early 2000s, Basma started getting involved with Chinese contemporary art. She took regular trips to China and acquired important works by Yue Minjun, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Huan among others. From that point onwards the collection became a personal project and grew increasingly international with important acquisitions by artists such as El Anatsui, Joana Vasconcelos, Tracey Emin, Gerhard Richter, Ai Wei Wei, Subodh Gupta, Pae White, Bill Viola to name a few.

In parallel, Basma collected artists from her home country as often as she could. She was among the first collectors to support Saudi’s local art scene. Through this process she gradually became more involved in patronage.

Bridget Riley UNITED KINGDOM Tambourine, 1988 Acrylic on canvas 110 x 237.5 cm. | 43.3 x 93.5 in. Signed and dated "88" lower right; signed, titled and dated "TAMBOURINE. Riley" on the stretcher; signed, titled and dated "1988" on the overlap Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Bridget Riley UNITED KINGDOM Tambourine, 1988 Acrylic on canvas 110 x 237.5 cm. | 43.3 x 93.5 in. Signed and dated "88" lower right; signed, titled and dated "TAMBOURINE. Riley" on the stretcher; signed, titled and dated "1988" on the overlap Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Yue Min Jun CHINA Face on the Land, 1998 Oil on canvas 200 x 280 cm. | 78.7 x 110.2 in. Signed and dated "yue minjun 1998" in Pinyin lower left; signed and dated "1998" in Chinese Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Yue Min Jun CHINA Face on the Land, 1998 Oil on canvas 200 x 280 cm. | 78.7 x 110.2 in. Signed and dated "yue minjun 1998" in Pinyin lower left; signed and dated "1998" in Chinese Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Kaloki Nyamai KENYA Two vaa twetele (iii) - 2022 Mixed media on canvas 208 x 260 cm. | 81.8 x 103.3 in.
Kaloki Nyamai KENYA Two vaa twetele (iii) - 2022 Mixed media on canvas 208 x 260 cm. | 81.8 x 103.3 in.
Manal Al Dowayan (KSA) SAUDI ARABIA I am an Educator | From the I Am series, 2005 Silver gelatin fibre print 41 x 51 cm. | 16.1 x 20.1 in. This work is from an edition of 10 + 1 Artist's Proof Copyright: 2005, MAD Studio
Manal Al Dowayan (KSA) SAUDI ARABIA I am an Educator | From the I Am series, 2005 Silver gelatin fibre print 41 x 51 cm. | 16.1 x 20.1 in. This work is from an edition of 10 + 1 Artist's Proof Copyright: 2005, MAD Studio

After being exposed to several public collections abroad, she decided to find a way to share her collection for educational purposes and to foster a dialogue between Saudi art and the rest of the world. The collection’s aim became to bridge the local with the global. In 2011, long before the metaverse, Basma launched BASMOCA (the first virtual museum of its kind) to share her collection with a wider public. Following her son’s passing in 2012, the collection and all its initiatives became dedicated to his memory.

Today the collection is considered one the most important ones in Saudi Arabia and the world. In 2022, the Royal Commission for AlUla invited her to share pieces from her collection to a seminal exhibition titled “What Lies Within”. The exhibition was the first in a series in AlUla celebrating the legacy of pioneering collectors and patrons in Saudi Arabia.

Shadia & Raja Alem The Black Arch Flat solid black ellipse, reflected mirrors, sound, light, stainless steel 2011 / 2022 Courtesy of the artist
Shadia & Raja Alem The Black Arch Flat solid black ellipse, reflected mirrors, sound, light, stainless steel 2011 / 2022 Courtesy of the artist
Zhang Xiaogang CHINA Comrade No.4 | From the Bloodline - Big Family serie, 1995 Oil on canvas 129.5 x 99.5 cm. | 51 x 39.2 in. Signed and dated "1995 Zhang Xiaogang" in Chinese and signed and dated "1995 Zhang Xiaogang" in Pinyin lower right Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Zhang Xiaogang CHINA Comrade No.4 | From the Bloodline - Big Family serie, 1995 Oil on canvas 129.5 x 99.5 cm. | 51 x 39.2 in. Signed and dated "1995 Zhang Xiaogang" in Chinese and signed and dated "1995 Zhang Xiaogang" in Pinyin lower right Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Georg Baselitz GERMANY Fruhling, 1998 Oil on canvas 200 x 162 cm. | 78.7 x 63.8 in. Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Georg Baselitz GERMANY Fruhling, 1998 Oil on canvas 200 x 162 cm. | 78.7 x 63.8 in. Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Gerhard Richter GERMANY Abstraktes Bild, 1994 Oil on canvas 50.8 x 55.8 cm. | 20 x 22 in. Signed, numbered and dated "817-4 Richter 1994" on the reverse Photo Credit: Nick Smith
Gerhard Richter GERMANY Abstraktes Bild, 1994 Oil on canvas 50.8 x 55.8 cm. | 20 x 22 in. Signed, numbered and dated "817-4 Richter 1994" on the reverse Photo Credit: Nick Smith
El Anatsui GHANA Fresh and Fading Memories - Part V, 2007 Aluminium strips and copper wire 500 x 420 cm. | 196.9 x 165.4 in. Photo Credit: Robin Friend
El Anatsui GHANA Fresh and Fading Memories - Part V, 2007 Aluminium strips and copper wire 500 x 420 cm. | 196.9 x 165.4 in. Photo Credit: Robin Friend

Jeddah (1)