Collector’s Birthdate: NALambert, wife of collector Baron Philippe Lambert of the prominent Belgian banking family, is one of the first collectors and patrons of contemporary photography.

Her photography collection Veronica’s Revenge was assembled thanks to her close relationships to artists as well as her keen collector’s sense. The exhibition was shown at the family-founded Bank Brussels Lambert in 1996 in Geneva. Subsequent protests from the bank director led to its removal and ultimate sale at auction in 2005.

Key works include Mike Kelley’s “Ahh… Youth”.

On collectors:

“Collectors are hoarders, and probably fodder for shrinks. I am no exception, although with the years I have learned to control myself while weeding out the mediocre and superfluous from the essential and best…Collectors often do not make an attempt to establish a discourse between the works, and do not build something coherent. They buy names, fashions, trends, and what their neighbor has.”

She adds, “people who only buy art to invest, sooner or later will fall flat on their faces.”

Lindemann, Adam. Collecting Contemporary: Los Angeles, Taschen GmbH 2006.