But billionaire Maezawa insists he is just an “ordinary collector” — despite his extraordinary bank balance. His purchases are born out of love and driven by gut instinct, rather than the instructions of any art advisor. Yukimasa Ida, a 27-year-old contemporary artist who has won the foundation’s special jury award, regards Maezawa as a “figurehead” of up-and-coming Japanese artists aiming to challenge the global artworld. “He is an encouraging collector, of a kind that has been hardly seen in Japan … in terms of fostering and influencing young artists,” Ida told AFP. “I’m happy that good works by young artists with limited chances will see the light of day by my purchasing them,” he added.

Source: Egypt Independent June 10, 2017 14:48 UTC