THE NEW YORK TIMES
Show Us Your Walls
By Ted Loos
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| Mercedes Vilardell, at her home in London, with her art. She specializes in African pieces and supports young African artists. Kader Attia/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Tom Jamieson for The New York Times |
LONDON — As a philanthropist and as a collector, Mercedes Vilardell has distinguished herself by her focus. In the former arena, there is a consistent mission; in the latter, a tight aesthetic. To carry out that mission, Ms. Vilardell travels several times a year — to places including Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal and South Africa — working to boost the fortunes of artists there by underwriting biennials and other projects. She also sponsors a residency for midcareer African artists at Gasworks, a London nonprofit. “Wherever I go, I try to support young artists,” she said, sitting in the cozy living room of her rowhouse, in the southwest corner of London. [
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| One of the hairstyle photographs by the Nigerian artist J.D. ’Okhai Ojeikere. |
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| Works on cardboard (framed) by Frédéric Bruly Bouabré in colored pencil and ball point, 1992-1993, with artifacts |
