Cristina Chacón and Diego Uribe grew up in Colombia and met when they were teenagers. They have been together ever since. Collecting art and supporting artists have been consistent common interests, and the couple currently serve on the chairman’s council of the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami. In 2021, Chacón and Uribe founded Miami’s DC Art Foundation, supporting mid-career and established artists from around the world through exhibitions, residencies and access to the coveted US art market. The foundation’s current resident artist, Sonia Navarro, hails from Spain and works largely with textiles—weaving the histories of women and labour into her multidisciplinary works.
Chacón and Uribe’s extensive art collection spans across Miami, Bogota and Madrid. It is focused on Modern and contemporary art, largely from Latin America. The couple became enthusiastic about Modernism while visiting exhibitions at Colombian museums and seeing works by artists like Eduardo Ramírez Villamizar and Carlos Rojas. From there, their interest expanded into the Modernist movements of Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Chacón and Uribe also collect contemporary works, particularly those with an abstract or geometric aesthetic, reaching out beyond Latin America to acquire pieces by artists like Christian Boltanski, Ugo Rondinone and Chiharu Shiota.
The Art Newspaper: What was the first work of art you ever bought?
Cristina Chacón and Diego Uribe: Our first artwork was an oil-on-canvas still-life from Alberto Nuño, a Colombian artist, in 1992. At that time in Colombia what people bought was figurative art, and Nuño’s still-lifes were very famous, especially because their colours were not very strong.
What was the most recent work you bought?
The most recent work we bought was a painted-plywood construction from the Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco, an early work from 1999.
What do you regret not buying when you had the chance?
A Ruth Asawa piece. When we saw her work, we fell in love with her wire sculptures, but we weren’t familiar with her. Over time, we saw her tremendous evolution and her significant price increases—and that’s why we regret not having bought her work sooner.
If you could have any work from any museum in the world, what would it be?
Anselm Kiefer’s Questi scritti, quando verranno bruciati, daranno finalmente un po’ di luce (these writings, when burned, will finally cast a little light) from the 2022 Venice Biennale. The exhibition was at Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace). It was a site-specific work, and we loved seeing the artist’s versatility in adapting his art to the ideas of the Venetian philosopher Andrea Emo (1901-83), who spoke of rational destruction and creation.
Where do you like to eat and drink in Miami?
Strada in Coconut Grove is an Italian restaurant we opened in 2013. It’s been an iconic restaurant in the area for its family-friendly atmosphere. It has maintained its reputation, thanks to its excellent food and great prices.
What is your least favourite thing about art fairs?
There are too many of them.
What tip would you give to someone visiting Miami for the first time?
Avoid tourist traps. Miami has become a very expensive city, and prices for everything have skyrocketed. We see this as a disadvantage, as people avoid coming during busy seasons like the week of Art Basel.
