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a contemporary art collection
TOBAM initiated its contemporary art collection in 2010, a few years after its creation. “Überall” by Dutch artist, Bart Domburg was bought in 2010, at a Christies’ auction of Lehman Brothers Artwork and was the first piece to enter TOBAM’s collection. TOBAM now owns several contemporary art masterpieces in its Paris office from various international artists, emerging as well as more recognized ones. Faithful to its name, TOBAM supports artists that have a creative thinking, a divergent production process, artists that Think Out of the Box. But most importantly, each masterpiece selected resonates with TOBAM’s investment philosophy, or with our research-driven corporate culture.
In 2010, TOBAM acquired “Uberall” by Dutch painter Bart Domburg
An allegory to the Anti-Benchmark® approach?
According to the Dutch painter Bart Domburg, this and his other newer paintings examine how “an abstract painting can be done by realistic means.” Moreover, the juxtaposition of purely painterly sections with the overall realism of the picture leads the viewer to question the painted reality itself, as well as the general possibilities of artistic representation. Bart Domburg confronts the viewer in his paintings with these questions in a liberating, intriguing multitude of facets.
In this painting, the Dutch painter Bart Domburg’s “Uberall” exposes two complementary perspectives from the same vantage point, a powerful allegory to the Anti-Benchmark® approach.
The paintings create an atmosphere where both dissolution and disintegration take place. Bart Domburg, born in 1957 in Zwolle (Netherlands), lives and works in Berlin.
In 2011, TOBAM acquired the statue “Fat Lady” by the Chinese artist Zhang Hongbo
TOBAM purchased the “Fat Lady” at the Christies’ September 6, 2011 auction of the Jan and Monique des Bouvrie collection in Amsterdam.
Painted in vibrant hues of yellow, fuschia and kelly green, Fat Lady literally oversees TOBAM’s daily operations. Fat Lady’s unique charm instills both a sense of the familiar and the mysterious in the observer. Her formidable stature – she measures 1,77m tall, 2,24m wide and 84 cm deep – literally takes the viewer’s breath away.
Fat Lady’s imposing presence belies the contradiction that is present in many of Zhang Hongbo’s works: the juxtaposition of Fat Lady’s ‘presence’ – size and colors – and a certain ‘absence’ in her facial expression. Different from most of the conceptual artists who emphasize the narrative quality of their works, Zhang Hongbo’s works incite people not to ‘look,’ but to observe and construct.
Zhang Hongbo, born in 1966 in Guizhou Province, graduated from the Central Academy of Art and Design (Beijing) in 1989, and subsequently taught in the Art Department of the National Academy of Guizhou, China.m
In 2011, TOBAM acquired the picture "Windows of la Défense" by Anne McAulay
TOBAM bought the unique print of the picture from Anne McAulay in 2011. Anne McAulay has been employed by tobam since 2006.
Essentially a spontaneous street photographer, Anne is well known for capturing emotional story-telling moments during the day and night of city life, in the metro, streets and cafés.
Anne has the eye to capture geometrical, abstract moments, with a touch of human life. The picture taken in 2005 “Windows of La Défense” is symbolic of her vision.
“I am naturally attracted by structures, street moments, architectural works in their geometrical aspect, but what I like is the hidden moment of life behind the lines” …….or the hidden moment of Life behind the “Windows of la Défense.”
Born in London, Anne McAulay is half French and half English. She has moved to and from a total of 6 countries during her life-time, but a few years ago she decided to settle in Paris, the city where many of her photographs were taken.
In 2014, TOBAM acquires "Untitled" by Stevens Dossou Yovo
The artist Stevens Dossou Yovo dedicated himself to metal sculpture and was soon producing anthropomorphic sculptures and automata. In recent years, Stevens has moved away from figurative sculpture and now focuses on the representation of space through powerful mural compositions. Steel remains his favourite medium: a fairly basic material, it lends itself to all sorts of experimentation.
“Untitled” acquired by TOBAM in 2014 is part of series that take illusion one step further. Surface is painted uniformly white, the resulting impression is one of weightlessness and stillness, verging on dematerialisation: here the metal becomes an invisible and abstract expression of volume, space and movement.
Stevens was born in Paris in 1969, where he later graduated from the Penninghen design school
In 2015, "Image incurable N°1" by Jacques Monory joins TOBAM
TOBAM acquired “Image incurable N°1” in 2016, painted in 1972, part of the paintings series “les premiers numéros du catalogue mondial des images incurables”.
Jacques Monory is considered to be one of the main representatives of the “narrative figuration”, a movement which, in the mid 1960s, objected to abstract painting, Jacques Monory borrows the techniques of photography and film to describe a fragmented, violent reality. The themes are developed through a series and the images it uses are directly from contemporary society. Monory uses monochrome to create cinematic compositions, often immersed with a blue colour.
Jacques Monory (1924 – 2018) was a French painter whose work was highly influnced by photography and cinema.
In 2015, TOBAM bought " a birth of a star" by Alain le Boucher
TOBAM bought “A Birth of a Star” in January 2015 from Alain le Boucher, a French sculptor, specialized in “light” sculptures.
Alain realized it was possible to sculpt the light, give forms and to work as he could as a sculptor with other traditional materials.
The sculptures of Alain Le Boucher are light and transparent, poetic and fascinating. The sculptures are of small stature and their conception is founded on the idea of amalgamating light with the dynamics of Time. The electronic components, even the structure of the logical circuits, are at the origin of the forms – of the bursts of light that travel over the entwining lines.
Alain Le Boucher is born in Paimpol in 1950 and produced his first sculptures of light named “Luchrones” in 1982.
In 2017, TOBAM acquires "Clockwork Cloud" by Alain le Boucher
This light sculpture marks the second piece created by Alain Le Boucher that TOBAM has acquired.
Two years after purchasing “A birth of a star”, TOBAM purchased this amazing light sculpture.
Created with the same idea and feel of the first, this piece is even more intricate than the first. Still echoing tobam’s investment in technology, this piece is a truly magnificent addition to our ever growing art collection.
Alain Le Boucher is born in Paimpol in 1950 and produced his first sculptures of light named “Luchrones” in 1982.
In 2018, TOBAM acquires "Sans Titre" - Série Labyrinthe des Passions by Joël Andrianomearisoa
This art piece, purchased by TOBAM in 2018 is made out of paper.
Joël’s work is multi-disciplinary: it explores perceptions of realit and their relationship to conceptions of time. The artist has worked with paper, textile, audiovisual, sculpture, architecture, installation.
Andrianomearisoa left Madagascar for Paris when he was 19 in order to study at the Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, where he obtained a diploma degree in architecture in 2003. He has exhibited in Paris, London, Dusseldorf, Tokyo and Antananarivo (Madagascar) in a number of major group exhibitions.
Born in Antananarivo, Madagascar in 1977 Joël lives and works between Paris and his home town of Antananarivo.
"Out of the Box" by Anne McAulay was acquired by TOBAM in 2018
Inspired by TOBAM’s philosophy to ‘Think out of the Box’, Anne McAulay uses geometrical patterns to illustrate this inspiration.
In 2011, ‘The Windows of la Défense’ by Anne was acquired. The similarity between these two pieces is the organised asymmetry.
Both pieces are aesthetically pleasing and organised, but in an asymmetrical way. This observation can be compared with TOBAM’s investment philosophy of mathematical innovation.
Anne’s work has been published internationally and she was selected for the Russian photomagazine Photomasterskaya.
Born in London, Anne McAulay is half French and half English and has been an employee of TOBAM for over 15 years.
TOBAM bought this unique piece in 2019 from Moroccan artist, Mohamed Lekleti
This unique “mixed media on paper” was bought during the 1-54 international art fair in Marrakech.
1-54 (one continent, 54 countries) is the first and only international art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. TOBAM’s long time support to youth, creativity and innovation has a particular tenderness to the African continent.
This piece embodies lots of key features of TOBAM’s work: The sphere (as a symbol of TOBAM’s patented Maximum Diversification approach) and Diversity. We see art as a mean to accommodate complementary objects, or one thing and its opposite: Men & Women, Black and White, Drawing and Photograph, Shadow and Light.
Born in Taza (Morocco), Mohamed Lekleti lives and works in Montpellier (France).
Born in 1986 in Bouaké (Ivory Coast), Roméo Mivekannin now lives and works between Toulouse (France) and Cotonou (Benin).
In 2019, TOBAM acquires "Apocalypse Now", collection photograph by Jean-Erick Pasquier
Jean-Erick Pasquier is an « eclectic » photographer such as Robert Doisneau considers him in « l’Imparfait de l’Objectif ».
Curious about the most varied worlds, he is a obstinate and patient observer of the daily life of his fellow men.
The photograph pictures the verticality and geometry of Paris business district, la Défense.
TOBAM bought “Apocalyse now” in 2019, for the aesthetic of the project, resonant with TOBAM work and research dedication to beauty, geometry and reality.
Jean-erick Pasquier is a French photographer, living and working in Paris.
These two pieces of work were bought by TOBAM in 2019 as a commitment of support to the victims of the Paris attacks on the magazine Charlie Hebdo
“George Wolinski” and “Cabu” picture two of the journalists murdered in the Paris attacks on 7 January 2015 on the magazine Charlie Hebdo.
These unique art pieces (painted photographs), purchased by TOBAM in 2019 are a tribute to to the victims and to freedom of speech that is Charlie Hebdo key mantra.
Philippe Bonan is a mixed media photographer.
He learned the technique of photography and took his first portrait of artist Jean Messagier. He collaborates with artists such as Keith Haring, Zao Wou Ki, Ben, Cesar, Arman, Robert Doisneau, Edouard Boubat, Richard Texier and French sculptor Louise Bourgeois. Philippe Bonan is interested in the daily life and the work of artists.
His portraits are impregnated with a special sensitivity but they also display with a certain correctness. “Philippe takes pictures and collects the works of these artists. This is perhaps his secret: there is no separation between his art and his life.”
Born in France in 1968, Philippe Bonan lives and works in Paris.
This original and autographed poster of Terry Gilliam’s movie Brazil was acquired by TOBAM in 2020
This style B poster is different to the main release British poster used throughout cinemas in the UK. This poster is the most sought after on the title.
Brazil is a 1985 dystopian science fiction film, directed by Terry Gilliam.
The movie is set in a dystopian world in which there is what one could qualify as an excessive reliance on machines.
Brazil is a satire of totalitarism and hyper surveillance of citizens. The movie is reminiscent of Kafka’s The Trial Novel, or George Orwell’s 1984.
This autographed poster by director Terry Gilliam was bought in 2020, as it echoes TOBAM’s commitment to Human Rights.
TOBAM bought this Banksy lithography in 2020.
The worlds’ most famous and most secretive graffiti artists, translates his notorious style into bold prints. Banksy’s art can impact any location at any given moment.
His identity remains unknown, even after over 20 years of being involved with the graffiti scene.
His work is an appeal for freedom of speech and expression, as well as disruption.
Banksy art expression is absolutely Out of the Box.
"Martin Luther King" and "Rosa Parks" by Roméo Mivekannin was acquired by TOBAM in 2021
Each work selected by TOBAM for its art collection resonates with one or more of TOBAM’s core pillars: investment philosophy, research-driven corporate culture or long-standing engagement towards and support of, the preservation of human rights, freedom of speech and of artistic expression, entrepreneurial freedom and the celebration of diversity.
As a celebration of the legacy of Martin Luther King in the days following his birthday, TOBAM added two major pieces celebrating African-American civil rights activists to its collection in 2021.
Created by French-Beninese Artist Roméo Mivekannin, the works feature the images of key figures within the US civil rights movement Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King.
Text from the writings of renowned civil rights activist and pan-Africanist, W. E. B Du Bois’ “The Souls of Black Folk” form a resonant backdrop to the activists’ images.
Born in 1986 in Bouaké (Ivory Coast), Roméo Mivekannin now lives and works between Toulouse (France) and Cotonou (Benin).
TOBAM bought “Falling Light” in 2021 from Artist Daniele Genadry
TOBAM bought these drawings (Pencil on paper) in 2021 from americano-lebanese artist, Daniele Genadry.
Daniele works with various media to examine how distance, light and movement affect visual experiences.
The Falling Light drawings are part of body of works that examine the relationship of photography and painting. A mechanical failure of early black and white photography to capture movement in landscape images, results in an inadvertent capture of light itself. The absence of a represented or recognized form becomes the site where another (invisible) force can emerge.
The works draw from this potential and consider how light assumes a material form through surface, matter and subject. TOBAM got interested in this art piece, made of four individual drawings that build a story, for its beauty, uniqueness and by the fact that this story is made possible only out of the frames (box). It is definitely a rather out of the box way to tell a story.
Polaroid Sea enters TOBAM’s collection in 2021
Lebanese photographer, Serge Najjar is an unconventional artist. Renowned lawyer in Beirut, he started to become a recognized photographer in 2011.
Serge Najjar proceeds like a goldsmith of cities as he shows their manifold geometric potential.
He casts his photographer’s eye on our interaction with materials and their correlation with the history of modern art and geometric abstraction.
This shared passion for geometric abstraction is a key reason for Polaroid Sea to join TOBAM.
Yves Choueifaty, TOBAM’s president, usually says when seeing this picture “The sea’s so big outside of this box!”.
Serge Najjar is a Lebanese photographer born in Beyrouth Lebanon in 1973.
