Pérez Simón, modern Médici, lover of timeless art
The private art collection of this Spanish-Mexican philanthropist, has grown into one of the most significants in the world.
Juan Antonio Pérez Simón is a man whose life is shaped by an undying love for art.
Born in Asturias (Spain) in 1941, he was still a child when his family moved to Mexico.
After decades, he rose to success in telecommunications, but his soul was drawn to a different pursuit: collecting art with deep emotion, not just as objects, but as fragments of time and aesthetics.
His love for beauty in all its forms has led him to acquire more than 4.000 paintings, ranging from Renaissance to Modern Art.
His picture selection transcends time and geography, encompassing the wide array of artistic movements that have marked history: Renaissance, Baroque, Realism, Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Modernism, Pop, Abstract…
His gallery is a testament to the boundless scope of art. It includes Old Masters such as Titian, Rubens and El Greco, whose works evoke the drama and grandeur of Renaissance and Baroque. Pictures full of spiritual intensity, with light and shadow, create a dialogue between the earthly and the divine.
But Pérez Simón’s taste extends beyond classical art. He also collects 19th-century Romantic and Pre-Raphaelite paintings, reflecting his fascination with myth, beauty with idealised visions of artists like John William Waterhouse, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Edward Burne-Jones.
These sensuous Victorian pictures transport us into dreamlike worlds, where ethereal figures seem to float between reality and fantasy.
Moving into Modern Art, he chose Surrealist and Abstract artists such as Salvador Dali, Picasso and Joan Miró.
The boldness of these pieces, with surreal forms and bright colours, speak of his appreciation for the Avant-garde.
The collection features iconic Mexican artists, like Frida Kahlo, whose introspective personal sensitivity adds depth to his holdings. This blend of Surrealism and Mexican folklore, resonate with our protagonist’s own roots.
Unveiling a soul for Art: Paris, Rome, Madrid
Pérez Simón’s love for art is not confined to his private enjoyment. He shares beauty with the world.
Therefore he arranges to loan his pictures to European museums and cultural centers, where mesmerised audiences enjoy its diversity and emotional power.
In 2010 he organised one of the most notable exhibitions at Musée Jacquemart-André in Paris. He showcased 50 masterworks from different eras and styles.
It was a celebration of his curatorial vision, highlighting his ability to weave together the sacred and the secular, the old and the modern, into a cohesive story of artistic achievement.
In 2014 his collection was displayed in Rome, at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, entitled Enchanted Beauty, focusing on his Pre-Raphaelite works.
His passion for this delicate aesthetics, defines his exquisite taste, fond of Romantic idealism, a world of myths and legends.
The central work was “Roses of Heliogabalus”, masterpiece by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, of great dramatic emotional intensity.
Now his collection has returned to Spain for an exhibition at Centro-Centro Madrid, titled Winds of Beauty. It marks a homecoming for Pérez Simón, as he brings his treasures back to the country of his birth.
It offers a panoramic view of artistic gems, highlighting the greatness of universal masters of all times.
We start with Renaissance giants, the Italians: Bronzino, Canaletto, Tiepolo… the Flemish: Lucas Cranach the Elder, Rubens, Van Dyck… the Spanish: El Greco, Murillo, Goya… and the British Romantic Turner.
From the 20th century we admire French impressionists: Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley; post-impressionists: Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin… and Spanish geniuses: Sorolla, Zuloaga, Dali, Miro, Picasso…
It continues with Figurative Cubist Fernand Léger, Swedish symbolist (precursor of Expressionism) Munch and sensual Art Deco nudes of Tamara de Lempicka and the Belgian Surrealist René Magritte.
It ends with Mexican Naif, Frida Kahlo, and vivid American colours: Figurative Pop, Alex Katz and Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko with his “colour fields.”
The show celebrates a lifelong dedication to art, presenting his personal choices as a living legacy of his love for beauty.
A Pérez Simón’s dreamed Museum
Beyond the past and present travelling shows, now Pérez Simón dreams of designing a permanent home for his art.
His vision is to create a museum in Spain where he can share with the world his extraordinary art collection. It would be more than just a gallery.
He envisions his future museum as a place of learning and inspiration, where visitors engage with art observing and participating in the ongoing dialogue between past and present.
He envisions the museum as a celebration of human creativity, a place where beauty is contemplated, studied and preserved for future generations.
He feels that art is not merely an aesthetic pursuit, but a profound expression of human experience.
The museum will stand as a legacy to this extraordinary collection and unwavering commitment to sharing his art treasures with the world.
This dreamed museum is the reflection of a philanthropist’s deep belief in the power of art to transform and uplift humanity.
A life shaped by beauty
Juan Antonio Pérez Simón is a sublime man who has dedicated his whole life to preserving and celebrating aesthetics in art.
His extraordinary collection, spanning centuries and continents, is the faithful reflection of his own journey: from Spain to Mexico, from business to art, from private collector to cultural benefactor.
As his gallery continues to grow and travel, his influence keeps growing.
He is a collector of paintings and sculptures, a guardian of the past and a visionary for the future.
Our protagonist is the architect of his own story. His life, like the art he loves, is a masterpiece of beauty, emotion and generosity. We are deeply grateful for his legacy that will endure as long as there are eyes to see, minds to appreciate and hearts to feel.
Through decades of meditated meticulous collecting, major European exhibitions and his dream of a museum, Juan Antonio Pérez Simón opens the doors of his heart and soul to the world, offering us a glimpse into generous philanthropy and the timeless power of art.
- Exhibition “Vientos de Belleza”
- Centro-Centro Madrid
- 20 sepember 2024 ~ 12 january 2025
