Anita - The Billionaire Art Collector The Extraordinary Collector

For the country's super wealthy, there's only one man

to turn to when it comes to good taste.

I think I've got what the antique trade

and the dealers call "the eye".

There's no question - I've got to buy all three.

I've got a very defined and, some would say, refined sense of taste.

What's extraordinary is how beautiful it is in this room.

Gordon Watson is one of the world's leading authorities

on 20th century design.

-17,500 and we are friends.

-OK, thank you very much.

-OK.

Turning his passion for collecting into a multi-million pound business.

At 4,250,000, sold!

It's a mania.

It's not natural how much I buy, and how much I need...I need to buy.

Oh, my God, this is so exciting.

Always on the hunt for the most desirable pieces to buy...

It's been a long time.

..he's charming his way into the grandest of homes,

gambling he'll make the deal of a lifetime.

Very nice to see you.

I've a feeling it's going to be an easy sell,

and I'll make a lot of money.

I'm hoping.

One of London's most cutting edge galleries

is celebrating its 20th anniversary,

and Gordon's on his way to meet the founder, Anita Zabludowicz.

The prolific collector is a close friend of Gordon's...

but there's one thing about their friendship that frustrates him.

She thinks outside the box,

she really is an unusual character in the art world.

But I have never, ever managed to sell her, Anita, anything -

and I'm going to try and rectify that.

I'm not sure how, but I'm going to really try.

For the last two decades,

Anita and her billionaire husband have been collecting

and supporting the world's most experimental artists,

building a collection that is now world-famous

with a gallery in London, plus spaces in Finland and New York.

Anita Zabludowicz is our foremost collector of young unknown artists.

She's, I would say, on the pulse of art.

We are definitely the avant-garde.

We are doing things that no-one else is looking at.

Usually no-one else wants to acquire it, it's not marketable -

but it is becoming the next movement in the world.

-Hello.

-Hi, it's Gordon, for Anita.

OK.

I'm quite excited.

There's a bit of buzz in town about this show

and I literally don't know what to expect.

The exhibition features some of the collection's 3,000 pieces

by 500 artists, including valuable early works

by Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Sarah Lucas.

When we started collecting, it was a love, but we didn't know

that we were going to be creating this collection -

we were just art addicts, basically.

Then, one day, about 10, 11 years ago, I woke up and decided

that we need a place to show this platform, and we founded this space.

Because of her passionate support of emerging artists,

Anita has had two rooms at the Tate Modern named after her,

and has even received an OBE for services to art.

-Anita?

-Hello.

God, I couldn't wait.

They were all looking for you, I thought I'd find you. You know me.

So, Anita... I haven't been back for about a year, and it's...

totally different.

I met Gordon about 20 years ago, and immediately we clicked,

and we became pals.

Here we are, we have a lost paid of trainers,

and this is by an artist called Pamela Rosenkranz,

and she is looking at the human body.

Can I be really rude, and ask you how much you paid for that?

Not too much, maybe 2,000, 3,000 at the time.

-Well, I think people would be horrified!

-Yeah!

-Is it specific how far you put them apart?

-Let's be cheeky, shall we?

-GORDON GASPS

-Anita Zabludowicz! No!

-Whoa!

There's even a black cross where it's meant to be.

-Do you think they'll notice?

-God, that's... Can I do that?

Go on, then.

SHE LAUGHS

Oh, and I see the silicon inside.

Yes, so you couldn't actually put your feet in them.

-No, definitely not.

-No. No, OK.

And you weren't meant to touch it, either.

You'll get told off.

Surrounded by innovative and challenging contemporary art,

Gordon will have to come up with something bold

if he's to stand a chance of selling something to Anita...

..but with 35 years of art and furniture experience,

he thinks he's finally spotted his opportunity...

in the gallery's cafe.

This...is a horror.

The lights...

Well, actually I don't mind the lights,

it's the tables and the chairs.

I've got to sell something to Anita,

and I think she really needs to smarten up the reception area.

I think she should give some of that energy,

and a little bit of that budget that she's on,

to giving furniture designers a break.

Anita's focus... she's only interested

in the most innovative, cutting-edge art,

and I want her to see that a chair can be as good

as one of her video artists.

-There you go.

-Yeah.

-Just for you.

-LAUGHTER

Anita, all the cakes in the world aren't going to sweeten me up,

-because I want to have a chat with you. OK?

-Oh, I'm scared.

There's no other way of saying it, because it is rude.

I think this...the common parts, the cafe, the reception area...

I think you're letting yourself down.

-And I think you're letting the building down.

-Why?

This has to be brought up to the same level

as the Zabludowicz Collection,

-and I think there's such exciting things out there...

-Yeah.

..that I want, when people come in here, they feel joyful.

This should be an installation as much as you have installations.

-Don't you feel joyful when you walk in?

-No.

I want you to have something unique,

and I want you to have something that just made for you.

OK.

I think I was a little bit under pressure there.

I really don't want to be sacrificing artwork

because I spent all my money on the front of house.

It's like the old scenario, all fur and no knickers,

you know what I'm saying?

I think, when people come in here, they should...

Immediately they should understand,

we are somewhere that's on the cutting edge.

I think it'll be fantastic, and I think you'll love it,

and I'll love it, and please God, I'll make a few bob. Oh, no!

-I mean, it's not about money, I'm really excited.

-All right.

-I'm happy to look. I'm really happy to look.

-OK.

-Yeah.

She hasn't said no, which I expected her to say.

She's fully capable of saying "No, are you insane?

"I don't have the money, and I like this."

She hasn't said that.

What she has said, she's given various caveats, in the sense...

"Yes, I'm up for it, if you can show me something fantastic,

"if it comes in on budget, if it's all those things,"

and then at the end,

"But I've got to like it, you know how fussy I am."

I know how fussy she is, she doesn't have to tell me.

But that's... It's not going to be a walk in the park.

If Gordon can find contemporary furniture

to rival Anita's art collection.

he could finally, after 20 years, make his first ever sale.

In keeping with Anita's radical style of art,

Gordon will need to introduce her to cutting-edge furniture designers.

And he knows just where to find them -

Amsterdam.

Holland has become the epicentre of modern design,

it really has become a Mecca, an epicentre of good taste.

His first destination is Studio Job.

Founded in 2000, it's pushing the boundaries of experimental design.

Its work is highly prized by collectors,

and features in over 40 museums around the world.

I don't know where to start, I'm speechless.

They combine traditional craftwork with modern techniques,

like 3D printing, and call their award-winning style "New Gothic".

It's stunning.

I really love that.

Gordon already owns a table by designer Job Smeets.

-I bought a few pieces from you.

-Yes.

-What was it called, that series?

-Industry.

-Industry, yes.

-Black-and-white, mark three.

-I bought a table. And I bought a stand.

-Yes. I know.

-And the stand was fabulous, and I sold the stand.

-Very good.

-And it went somewhere really great, it went to Mick Jagger.

-Oh, OK.

-Cool.

-He just loved it, and I said, "Oh, anyway..."

I had to do the deal.

Gordon's hoping to find chairs for Anita,

but he's spotted something else -

one of the studio's most talked-about pieces,

and it's not seating.

There's something that's really taken my fancy upstairs.

And it's Mr Pussycat.

Recently shown at the prestigious Miami Basel Art Fair,

the bronze sculpture is, in fact, a lamp -

with rather unusual features.

-The idea is the cord will get out of his little poop-hole.

-All right.

And these are little testicles that go here.

And if you push them, the lights in the eyes will go on.

God, it's fabulous.

These are the eye lenses, and then when the light is hit,

-when you touch the balls.

-Yep.

-the light will hit.

-This is part of an edition?

-Yes, an edition of, I believe, 11, total.

-And this is the last one I have.

-OK. And how much would that...?

-I was not really planning on selling this one.

-Oh, really?

-To be honest.

-Yeah, but there's a big difference between planning and doing.

-I know.

I could buy a half share, then you could come and visit it in my house.

Well, that's a possibility. Let's do that.

Tell me, what would you like to give for it, then?

-I'd like to give 15 for it.

-Sorry, I can't do that.

Sorry, I don't want to be mean. 17,000.

-17,500 and we are friends.

-Thank you very much.

-OK.

-Love that. So excited.

-See you soon.

After a £13,000 impulse buy, but no chairs for Anita's gallery cafe,

Gordon is heading to the Dutch countryside.

I'm going to visit a studio of a designer I really admire,

Maarten Baas.

He is one of the most revered and one of the most respected

of all the contemporary designers in the world today.

Maarten Baas has sold his unique handmade pieces

to the likes of Brad Pitt and Kanye West,

while featuring in New York's Museum of Modern Art

and London's V&A.

When I was, like, 14 or 15 or so,

I kind of discovered the idea of being a designer.

I thought, "Oh, wow, that feels like my cup of tea."

I'm very happy with the work.

It's exactly what I believe in.

If that is appreciated, then, yeah, well,

what else can you wish for? It's great.

-Gordon.

-Hi, how are you?

-Good to see you.

-Gordon Watson.

-Come in.

Maarten, I cant believe I'm here.

I've been following your career for years and years and years.

It's such an honour, thank you very much for...

Thank you, thank you for coming here, it's nice.

And could you show us some... Could you show me something...?

Yeah, yeah, sure.

This is the grandfather clock.

Baas's unusual clocks show an actor filmed

drawing the time, minute by minute, for 12 hours.

These famous pieces are on display in museums around the world.

Every minute is being wiped away, and he puts in new ones,

and it goes on for the whole day.

I'm actually working also, now, on a self-portrait clock,

in which I am the actor, so there are various editions.

Well, if you need anyone else,

-I'd do it for you.

-HE LAUGHS

I wouldn't charge a lot, honestly. That is genius.

Absolutely love it.

Gordon is especially keen to see chairs

from Maarten's clay collection.

The brightly coloured designs, metal frames covered in synthetic clay,

are where art meets design,

and Gordon's hoping Anita will agree.

We're going to have a look here at the attic...

where... These are mostly clay furniture pieces that are in stock.

I wanted to design a chair in the naivety of a child, actually.

That's why the bright colours.

And they're always a little bit different,

because they are literally clayed by hand, so...

The clay is actually inside...

-The colour comes by the paint that we put over that...

-Yeah.

..in the end, yeah.

And how much are these?

The price of this... I don't know exactly, but it's around...

£2,500.

At over £2,000 each, furnishing an entire cafe

will be an expensive option for the billionaire,

who would rather spend money on art.

-So, I just want to thank you.

-Yeah, thank you very much.

You've been so hospitable. It's been such an honour, I've loved it.

Will Maarten's chairs help Gordon convince Anita that furniture

can be viewed as art rather than design?

Back in London, the Institute of Contemporary Art

is hosting a party for the movers and shakers of the city.

A new book, showcasing 200 of the capital's creative elite,

is being launched.

It's going to be quite a smart gathering of the great and the good.

It's a book that I'm in, and it's called London Burning,

and it's about the creative force of London.

So, it's people from the art world, from the theatre, from ballet,

from music, from writing.

It's about the people that make London really hum, make it alive.

And apparently I'm one of those people.

I'm very flattered, but honestly, I can't say any more.

I think one of the defining and unique things about the city

is the wealth of creativity that we have here,

and in many ways it's something that isn't celebrated often enough.

Well, I look like a beached whale sitting in the window of my shop.

How did they get me to do that?

Also here is Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate,

and a leading figure in the contemporary art world -

and Gordon's keen to say hello.

-That's a lovely photo.

-Pretty good, eh?

-Yep.

Not as good as mine. Do you want to see my one?

Look at this. I have no recollection.

-How did they get me sitting in the..?!

-Giving a photograph.

That's a frightening thing.

Bye.

A little chat with Nick Serota

is like I'd been given manna from the gods.

I've come out in a sweat.

With the cream of the contemporary art scene on the guest list...

Portraits from a creative city.

-Absolutely.

-I mean, it really...

-What more creative city than London?

..it's the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends

and scope out rising stars.

-Come on - Lobster Philip!

-How you doing?

-Very well.

Philip is an artist who has an amazing design company which,

which, at the moment, has this popcorn pop-up shop

at the Tate pop art show.

Oh, right, I've heard of you. I didn't know you were so handsome.

-Oh, no, come on.

-That's a fabulous suit. Did you make that?

I did, yeah. This is my Lobster Pac-Man.

-What else do you do? Could I buy anything?

-I do artwork, sculpture...

Well, painting, sculpture, clothing, furniture...

and branded stuff.

With Anita's chairs as his top priority, Gordon,

the ever masterful dealer, sees an opening to do business

with emerging furniture designer Philip Colbert.

Can I come and visit you in your mad world?

-Gordon, I would be delighted.

-OK.

-I'll put a pot of Earl Grey tea on.

-I'll pop myself in a cab.

-Because, for you, I'd crawl, tomorrow.

-Let's do it, yeah.

-Yep.

Buy.

Thank you, Philip.

I've heard about this guy, I've never met him.

And I think he might...

He looks as though he's got some really fun pieces.

Tonight was a great evening.

Free book and a contact. It was good.

And I've had fun.

Featured in Vogue Magazine for his fashion creations,

Philip's recently branched into furniture design.

I just want to double check you're getting together

all of the additional tables we had.

I want to show Gordon all my different designs for those.

Known for his outlandish designs,

his work is inspired by the pop art movement of the 1960s.

That's a sort of pop seaside experience, there.

This is more of a DIY table.

That's me just working on a cheese table,

I haven't filled the...a Swiss cheese.

I haven't made the colour right yet.

I was thinking it could be quite fun

to have a croissant-shaped small breakfast table.

You know, shaped like a croissant.

Could be quite fun to eat a croissant on a croissant.

I see, it's a submarine, isn't it?

It's very clever.

How are you? God... Is it Col-behr or Colbert?

Whatever you fancy. I mean, if you...

I find myself calling you Philippe Col-behr in the French...

It does send better, doesn't it?

Because I grew up in Scotland so there's no way, pal,

-you're going to be saying Col-behr.

-Where, Glasgow?

-No, Perth.

-Oh, right.

The thing, actually, is my wife is French,

so for her it's a no-brainer.

OK, well I'll continue calling you... Col-behr.

So, these are the chairs you told me about at the book launch?

Indeed, yep.

His latest range of furniture is a playful set of chairs,

that Gordon thinks could be right for Anita's cafe.

So, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. How much are they?

They are 950 squid each.

Because I've got to make some money out of this as well.

Say multiples of ten, how many would ten cost?

You really want me to confirm a price here?

With it just... I mean, would it be 30% discount on each one?

I could, probably, for you,

as a fellow Scot, I could probably do a sweet sort of 15-20%.

Yeah. OK. Good. Well, we're in the ballpark. Perfect.

-I'll get my studio to send you the images today.

-Great.

Gordon's managed to wangle a cheeky 20% discount

off a £950 price tag, in the hope of selling a number of chairs to Anita.

-Speak you soon.

-Splendid.

-Thank you.

The chairs are wonderful.

They're funny, they make me laugh,

they're sturdy, they're the right price.

It's very clever. I think Anita will go for them.

I'd be surprised if she didn't find them fun and amusing.

They're not serious.

It's not her trying to make a great design statement,

they're just what they are - fun.

It's delivery day at Gordon's.

His £13,000 lamp - with special features -

has arrived from Amsterdam.

This is the part I love. This is why I'm an antique dealer.

-The unwrapping.

-Christmas every day.

Christmas every day.

Only I'm paying for it, so, it's slightly...

And there aren't many surprises.

Here, kitty cat.

Right, put it on there.

And put it that way round, so I can get, cos the plug's over there.

Great.

Oh, my God. How fabulous.

My giddy aunt Fanny. Isn't that unbelievable?

CLICK

Oh, a caress does it, as well.

So, you can tap it or you can caress it.

CLICKS ON AND OFF

It's fun and I completely adore it. It's one of my...

The best things I've bought recently.

Well, I always say that, don't I?

But, this is truly something that might stay

in the Gordon Watson collection.

At least for a week.

Or two.

At the gallery, Anita's chairs have also arrived.

I love that sign.

Isn't that great?

That's the best thing in here.

Gordon's chances of a deal rest on whether he can convince Anita

that furniture designers can be considered as artists.

I'm quite nervous, actually.

Well, I hope I haven't built it up too much.

I mean, I'm not showing her, you know,

Rennie Mackintosh or Josef Hoffmann or Giacometti furniture.

You know, it is the lovely Philip Colbert.

Da, da, da!

There you go.

And, actually, I just want to see what they look like.

You know, it's all very well seeing something in Colbert's studio

and the lovely chairs that I saw in the Netherlands

at Maarten Baas's workshop.

But, actually seeing them physically...

You know, I haven't seen them since then, so, erm... Oh, dear.

There you go. It looks more like a moose.

Well, yeah, I know.

But, I have been told it's a lobster.

What starts off as a great idea in my mind -

and this is the realisation -

maybe it's not such a great idea. That often happens to me!

Oh, I'm all uncovered.

I'm all exposed.

-Hi, James. Oh, my God, both of you. So, can you put that one there?

-Yes.

Four. And let's that put that one right at the end, please.

So, we're nearly there.

-They are super fragile, these, aren't they?

-Very light, James.

Billionaire collector Anita is waiting nervously in the wings.

I think it is a good idea that we do change the furniture.

I'm very worried about the budget,

but, if it is a young designer

and it's helping that designer move on in his career,

then I'm open to another discussion with Gordon.

James, go to your right.

Yeah, hide them in there.

Thank you.

Small, aren't they?

God. Now I am getting nervous.

With the reveal now imminent,

Anita isn't the only one who's feeling apprehensive.

Anita!

Don't look so anxious!

I've never seen you look scared before.

You're never scared.

What have you been doing?

First, Gordon wants to show Anita Philip Colbert's range.

I went to the book launch of London Burning

and I met this incredible bundle of Scottish energy,

like a Haggis on acid, and he's come up with a range of chairs

Egg.

I love the fish.

OK.

And the fish is rare, because it's finished at the back.

-Aww!

-They're fabulous, aren't they?

She was genuinely surprised.

That's what I loved. She was really shocked.

-Oh, and then...

-Whoo!

-And the lobster.

-Oh, my God.

Come, my darling, sit.

Sit on a lobster, why don't you?

Or a crayfish.

Yeah, or a crayfish or an egg, yes.

It's not plastic. It's not industrial.

It's art.

Because he's a sculptor. He's an artist.

I think it could be a lot of fun, no?

So, do you want to know the prices?

Yes, please.

How much do you think?

I would say it would be a bit more expensive

-than you would be buying normally, so...

-Yeah. Yeah.

They probably should be about £200 and he's probably selling them

-for about 400, 500.

-No, you couldn't, no, no...

-These are actually 950 and I think you can bargain a bit.

-Right.

I thought that was quite cheap.

So, I would be paying, if I wanted four chairs and a table,

I'd be paying something like £6,000.

£6,000 and you'd have to think about a little commission for me,

-but I could bargain for you on the other side.

-Yeah, so...

But, it's around that. It's not terrible, is it?

-Erm, I think these are a little bit too much fun...

-Yeah.

..and I think it's a lot of money just to kind of show

a young, up-and-coming artist.

With the playful chairs not grabbing Anita,

Gordon's keen to move on to the clay series.

So, this is one end of the spectrum of design and furniture and fun,

and now I'm going to take somebody serious and deeply intellectual.

-Come with me, OK.

-OK, thank you.

Off we go.

So.

Oh, this...

Absolutely extraordinary.

They are the real deal. Wow.

It's the most extraordinary... he's called Maarten Baas.

Oh, yeah, I love his work.

And this is from his thing he designed in 2006

and it's called the Clay series and I think they're just extraordinary.

-No, they are works of art. They are... That's art.

-Yeah.

-That's beautiful.

-I mean, that's real design.

That's beautiful. I love it.

When she saw the Maarten Baas,

she couldn't wait to touch it.

When people go to touch,

be it a jewel or a piece of furniture, that means they love it.

They want it.

It's already theirs.

Anita's impressed with the chairs.

Let's get them in this light.

But is it enough to get her to part with her cash?

-And look. I'm a big boy and they're comfortable.

-Comfortable.

-Yeah, they're comfortable.

-They're good, aren't they?

-Yeah.

How much do you think these are?

-So, it's production from Italy.

-If it's production...

-Very limited.

-..that'd be about one and half grand, two grand.

-You're a genius.

-Yeah.

-That's what they are.

This is a different story for me. These are works of art.

This is furniture worshipping, as in art worshipping.

It's the same thing.

I mean, you could have that in your house, couldn't you?

-Definitely.

-They're available.

-They're beautiful.

-I love the black and I love the red.

-I'd definitely take the black one.

-OK. That's great.

Cos, you know what? I'm going to buy the red one.

-I think that's fabulous.

-Well done. They are beautiful.

-So, I've sold you something.

-Yeah! We did it!

-I did!

Gordon may not have convinced Anita chairs for the whole gallery,

but, after 20 years,

he's finally made that all-important sale.

I know exactly where I'm going to put it

and I'm going to really enjoy that furniture.

I'm going to walk past it and look at it every day and appreciate it.

I'm so proud, because she's so difficult to sell furniture to.

She's legendary.

And then there was one.

And that's going to Anita's house.

Deal done.

After 20 years, I've sold her something.

And I'm really proud. I don't know why it seems...

So bizarre. I've made no money.

Cost probably more to get here and back in the taxi.