George Merck’s collecting journey has taken him from an early enthusiasm for street art to an interest in Arte Povera and, nowadays, building a substantial collection of Light and Space art and West Coast Minimalist works. In addition to a James Turrell light installation, his home in Palm Beach includes works by Larry Bell, Donald Judd, Peter Alexander, Iván Navarro, Helen Pashgian, Fred Eversley and Mary Corse. Merck has said that he sees a formal affinity between many of these works—defined by artists’ use of industrial materials like Plexiglas and urethane, and the play of light on their highly polished or translucent surfaces—and the Florida surfing and beach communities in which he grew up.
In addition to collecting, Merck is a significant supporter of institutions both in Florida and further afield. Since 2017, he has served on the board of trustees of the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art, an invaluable resource that preserves and provides access to artists’ writings, correspondences, research materials and other documents. In 2022, he was elected board chair, the youngest person in the archives’ history to hold that position, with Liza Kirwin, the interim director at the time, praising “his passion for our mission and for the history of American art”. Closer to home, he serves on the board of the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach.
George Merck’s most recent purchase is Xiyao Wang’s Échappé No. 1 (2024); the collector (below) recommends heading to Little Havana for an authentic Cubano
Courtesy of the artist and MASSIMODECARLO
The Art Newspaper: What was the first work you ever bought?
George Merck:The first work I acquired was an SMS (Small Mirage Study) work from 2000 by Larry Bell. It was an inception piece for me, as I now have 11 works by the artist; each body of work is exceptional to me.
What was the most recent work you bought?
A beautiful abstract painting, Échappé No. 1 (2024), by the incredibly talented artist Xiyao Wang. The work is about movement and physical liberation through painting.
What do you regret not buying when you had the chance?
The maquette for Larry Bell’s seminal sculpture The Cat in 2015. Nearly ten years later, it still haunts me, in a Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost way.
If you could have any work from any museum in the world, what would it be?
I wouldn’t mind an Alberto Giacometti from the pond viewing room at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, or the deed to [James] Turrell’s Roden Crater. Turrell, if you’re reading this, please get in touch!
Where do you like to eat and drink in Miami?
If you don’t go to Little Havana and get an authentic Cubano, you’re missing out.
What’s your least favourite thing about art fairs?
Traffic. It can be excruciating at times. Have your podcast queue ready.
Where do you go to relax and unwind in Miami?
The beach is the best lounge in town.
What tip would you give to someone visiting Miami for the first time?
Book your hotel no later than September, be kind to your Uber drivers (everyone is working hard to accommodate the influx of people during Art Basel in Miami Beach) and plan your evenings with the same rigour as you schedule your day.