Aaron Cezar on Cultivating Creativity: Inside the Vision and Impact of Delfina Foundation
Few institutions have had as profound an impact on artists, curators and collectors worldwide as the Delfina Foundation. The London-based nonprofit was founded in 2007 by the charismatic Spanish-born philanthropist Delfina Entrecanales. A key player in the city's art scene, she was passionate about funding artists and providing them with studio spaces. Today, the foundation has become a hub not only for artists but also for collectors and curators from across the globe. We sit down with Founding Director Aaron Cezar to explore his upcoming panel discussions at ART SG which explore the evolving role of collectors in Asia.
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Interview by Payal Uttam
Aaron Cezar, 2019. Photo Tim Bowditch.
Can you introduce the Delfina Foundation. What sets it apart from other similar nonprofits?
AC: Delfina can be defined in many different ways. It’s a space to incubate artists’ ideas and practices. It is a home: A physical place in central London where we host artists and thinkers from around the world. It is also a platform for exhibitions, talks and discursive events that stem from research by our residents. Delfina stands out because of the way in which we nurture artistic practice. What we’ve cultivated over the last four decades is a sense of care for our residents and this idea of fostering global connections with other institutions and other practitioners.
Who are some Southeast Asian artists that you have had in residence?
AC: One of the artists we were excited to work with last year was Moe Satt from Myanmar. We staged his first European exhibition last October, which showed a series of new works he had produced since leaving Myanmar to study at the Rijksakademie in the Netherlands. Like many Southeast Asian artists, he grapples with the difficult history of his homeland. Moe recently restaged a performance F n’ F (face and fingers), 2008, at the Tanks at Tate Modern. Personally, I am interested in performance because I have a background in dance. A number of the artists we’ve hosted from Southeast Asia, such as Thai artist Pratchaya Phinthong and Cambodian artist Khvay Samnang, use performance to discuss complex ideas in their work.
You’ve helmed the Delfina Foundation for more than a decade. What are you particularly proud of?
AC: The Politics of Food program, which examines food production, consumption and distribution. We explore issues related to the food on our plate, which is ultimately a manifestation of global politics and economics—both good and bad. We’ve produced residencies, commissions and events on the subject since 2014. We’ve engaged practitioners from across the globe, including individuals from Southeast Asia, such as the artist Derek Tumala from the Philippines. During Singapore Art Week, we are collaborating with The Institutum to host a meal created by artists and chefs from Southeast Asia. It will be based on the idea of time. We will reflect on foods eaten during celebrations in a fun, performative, yet critical way.
Aside from supporting artists, you also have a collectors-in-residence program. What inspired this idea?
AC: We were hosting an event, and I invited Belgian collector Alain Servais to stay at Delfina Foundation, as we happen to have a free bedroom available. He agreed but said he would stay for a few days. At the event, I jokingly introduced him as our first ‘collector-in-residence.’ We all laughed, but then we started to really think about it. The next day, I saw how he was interacting with the artists. They were arguing about the art market in the kitchen. Later, they were lamenting about the state of the art world together. I was listening and thought: ‘Where else can you have these kinds of conversations in a very genuine way?’ So we invited Alain back formally nine months later as a collector-in-residence. Our whole ‘Collecting as Practice’ program came out of this.
What are the goals of the Collecting as Practice Program?
AC: We want to support the role of collectors in society like we support artists. There are few programs about the wider role collectors play in nurturing the ecosystem, philanthropy, conservation and the preservation of certain stories and voices. We wanted to honour that and hold them up as an example to others. We support a lot of younger collectors who are thinking about philanthropy and creating spaces for artists in their regions. Over the last few years, we’ve hosted several Asian collectors from countries such as China, Japan and Taiwan. Some collectors may be thinking about how to set up an art space or reflecting on their role within the ecosystem. We help them to think through these ideas. At its core, the program is about transforming private passion into public impact.
Could you share an example of an Asia-based collector who has played a pivotal role in contributing to their local art scene?
AC: Mimi Brown from Hong Kong. I often raise her as a model to others trying to set up public institutions. She founded Spring Workshop, which was a five-year project. It was amazing because it created a social space in a city that doesn’t have these kinds of forums where people can connect. It embraced radical approaches around visual art and performance. Because it had an expiry date, they didn’t hold back. They were bold and ambitious. These are principles I recommend to our collectors-in-residence.
What do you think of Singapore’s art scene?
AC: I see the immense potential of Singapore as a place of connection for the broader region. There’s so much energy behind ART SG. There is also a multi-layered ecosystem of commercial galleries, grassroots nonprofits and private initiatives by collectors that have emerged recently. In a place like Singapore, which has a certain kind of intimacy, there’s a possibility of a genuinely interesting entanglement of these different players. The more they become entangled, the more opportunities for expansion [of the scene] will emerge.
Daisuke Miyatsu, Quynh Nguyen, and Tony Lyu
At the fair, you will be moderating two talks including the Collecting with Purpose panel discussion which explores the responsibility of collectors in Asia. Can you introduce the speakers?
AC: We are honoured to have Daisuke Miyatsu from Japan, who was among Delfina’s first group of collectors-in-residence, Quynh Nguyen from Vietnam, who founded the Nguyen Art Foundation, and Tony Lyu from South Korea, who is a forthcoming collector-in-residence at Delfina Foundation. I’m excited to ask them to share their ‘origin stories’ as collectors, how they got engaged in the arts, who inspired them, and how they are transforming our perception of collectors.
Why is this an important topic for the region?
AC: Firstly, it is important that we demystify the notion of a ‘collector’ to encourage others to consider acquiring art. Each of our panellists are at different stages in their journey as collectors and operate in various contexts. It’s always helpful to hear why someone got started, the opportunities and challenges they encountered, and how their purpose for collecting has evolved.
Secondly, it is useful to redefine the role of collectors. While each of our panellists’ journey in the arts began with their own private passion, they are now exploring how to make a larger public impact.
At a time when several private initiatives have the potential to transform art across Southeast Asia, it is helpful to look at different models and experiences and encourage new approaches to collecting, patronage and institution-building.
Click here to view the ART SG 2025 TALKS Program, supported by AXA XL.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: PAYAL UTTAM
Payal Uttam is a freelance journalist who has been covering art and design across the globe for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in publications including: CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Quartz, Artsy and The Art Newspaper among other titles. She divides her time between Hong Kong and Singapore.
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