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| Art collector and philanthropist Peter Brant with the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award and Luciano Pavarotti Limited Edition writing instrument Photo: credit:Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Montblanc |
An intimate gathering of actors, artists and tastemakers gathered at New York’s Kappo Masa restaurant Tuesday to support Peter Brant as he received the 24th Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award. Guests included actress Sienna Miller, artists Urs Fischer and Todd DiCurcio, and fashion director Cameron Silver.
The award is given each year to individuals in 11 countries who have a history of giving their time and talents to support the arts and art projects. The luxury brand based in Hamburg, Germany, has a long history of supporting arts and culture throughout the world.
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| Montblanc North American CEO Mike Giannattasio, Sienna Miller and Peter Brant Photo:credit:Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Montblanc |
In addition to being an avid collector of modern art, Brant founded The Brant Foundation, Inc., which makes artwork available to institutions and individuals for scholarly study, examination and loan; and The Brant Foundation Art Study Center, a space in Greenwich, Conn., that serves as a gallery and learning center that showcases exhibitions and promotes the appreciation of contemporary art and design. These two organizations are the central elements that represent Brant’s three decades of support to the arts community.
A key element of the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award is a €15,000 ($16,164) cash gift, which Brant donated to the two organizations. He also received a Montblanc Patron of Art Luciano Pavarotti Limited Edition writing instrument specially handcrafted at Montblanc’s Artisan Atelier in honor of the opera icon. The writing instrument is specifically made for the 11 recipients of the arts patronage award around the world.
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| Sienna Miller Photo: credit:Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Montblanc |
On the podium Brant thanked those who helped him to appreciate and to pursue his passion for arts at a young age. His first purchases included works by Andy Warhol and Franz Kline. “The fondest moments of my life are the artists I collected and the dealers who taught me,” he said.
Brant told me afterward that he was surprised when he learned he received the award.
“It’s a great honor to receive the award from a company that supports the arts,” he said. “I love doing what I do and I don’t need an award but it’s nice.”
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| Sculptor Urs Fischer Photo: credit:Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Montblanc |
Sienna Miller was one of the two presenters of the award to Brant. “Art is in the heart of everything Peter Brant does,” she said.
Urs Fischer, a Swiss-born sculptor who was the other presenter, added, “The biggest artwork in the Brant Foundation is Peter M. Brant.”
Mike Giannattasio, CEO of Montblanc North America, expressed the importance of artists in the world.
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| Mike Giannattasio Photo: credit:Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Montblanc |
“Arts and culture plays an important part of who we are as an organization,” he said. “Artists are the journalists and diaries of our time. If we lose our culture we lose our memory.”
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