ELLA CISNEROS
"Queen of Miami's Art Scene"
By Kay Harwell Fernandez
International art collector and philanthropist Ella Cisneros was born in Cuba, raised in Venezuela and resides in
Miami where she proudly wears the moniker “queen of Miami’s art scene.”
Cisneros is a long-time champion of Latin American artists from the geometric abstracts of Jesus Rafael Soto
and Mira Schendel, to the pop culture work of Vik Muniz whose humor stands out in works created in chocolate
sauce, cotton, diamonds and thread.
In 2002, she established the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, which provides grants to Latin American
artists. The next year, she founded Miami Art Central Museum, a collection of contemporary art that she
donated to the Miami Art Museum in 2006.
For her passion, she was honored with the Visionary Award from the Museum of Arts & Design. She also
received the United Nations Women Together Award for promoting art in and from Latin America.
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We had the opportunity to sit and speak with Cisneros, and here is what she had to say:
Upscale Living Magazine: How and why did you begin collecting art?
Ella Cisnero: I began collecting art in the 1970s. Initially, I set out to collect geometric abstract works from
Latin America because I was extremely interested in the development of Modernism in the region. Since then, I
have continued to build a substantial body of geometric abstract works from both Latin America and Europe
but I have also expanded my collection to include photography, video and installations by international
contemporary artists.
Upscale Living Magazine: What do you look for in collecting?
Ella Cisnero: Collecting is a process. Throughout my travels and visits to art fairs worldwide, I have
researched and learned quite a bit about art history and the art market so I look for certain pieces that I know
will complement my collection. I also look for a personal connection with pieces as well as with the artists
themselves.
Upscale Living Magazine: Do you do all the collecting on your own?
Ella Cisnero: I do most of the collecting on my own. However, my foundation works with different curators
every year when organizing an annual exhibition of works from my collection. This process is particularly
interesting for me because I open up my collection for research and interpretation. In this case, I work
alongside the curator to acquire pieces that are relevant to the exhibition and to the collection as a whole.
Upscale Living Magazine: Will you continue to collect art after you beautiful penthouse sells?
Ella Cisnero: Of course, art collecting is a process and a life-long commitment for me.
River Mandala
Imaginary Shoreline Graphite on paper drawing
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