Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza
Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza | |
---|---|
Born | Francesca Anna Dolores Freiin von Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva 7 June 1958 Lausanne, Switzerland |
Spouse | |
Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza | |
Mother | Fiona Campbell-Walter |
Baroness Francesca Anna Dolores von Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva (born 7 June 1958), formerly Francesca von Habsburg-Lothringen, is a Swiss art collector. By birth, she is a member of the House of Thyssen-Bornemisza. She is also the former wife of Karl von Habsburg, current head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
Early life
Thyssen-Bornemisza was born in
Career
After leaving Saint Martin's School of Art, she worked as an actress, singer and model.[3] Her partying lifestyle in London in the 1980s earned her reputation as an It girl.[1]
For the ten years after she left Saint Martin's, she lived in England, New York and Los Angeles before moving to Lugano to become curator for her father's art collection.[4] During the 1991–1995 Croatian War of Independence she visited the country to help protect Croatia's heritage and artworks[1] and to help restore churches and paintings damaged during the fighting.[3]
Thyssen-Bornemisza also appeared as Queen Marie-Henriette in the production Kronprinz Rudolf (2006), directed by Robert Dornhelm.[2]
TBA21
Thyssen-Bornemisza regularly participates in biennales by commissioning new works of contemporary art through a foundation called Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (TBA21) which she founded in 2002 in Vienna.[1] She has built up her own art collection with around 700 works of contemporary video and digital art,[4] by artists such as John Akomfrah,[5] Kutluğ Ataman, Candice Breitz,[6] Olafur Eliasson,[5] Simon Starling[6] and Ai Weiwei.[5]
In 2002, Thyssen-Bornemisza rented a four-storey palace in Vienna's UNESCO-protected first district, set up home there and opened TBA21's first exhibition space in the same building.[7] From 2012 until 2017,[6] TBA21 had an exhibition space in Vienna's second district, within the Augarten park. It exhibited works from the collection in thematic exhibitions twice a year. The Foundation also organises exhibitions of its collection worldwide.[citation needed] In 2018, works from the collection went on show at the National Gallery Prague.[6]
Between 2008 and 2012, Thyssen-Bornemisza regularly criticised her stepmother, Carmen Cervera, for the latter's management of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, including on the 2012 sale of John Constable's painting, The Lock.[8] In 2018, the museum unveiled a multichannel video installation by the British artist John Akomfrah that was co-commissioned by TBA21.[9] By 2019, TBA21 signed a four-year agreement with the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza to present a series of contemporary art exhibitions from the TBA21 collection, along with contemporary commissions.[10]
In 2021, TBA21 and the Regional Government of Andalusia announced a three-year-long partnership on showing parts of the TBA21 collection at the Centro de Creación Contemporánea de Andalucía (C3A) in Córdoba.[5]
TBA21 Academy
Established in Vienna in 2011,[11] the TBA21 Academy is an offshoot of TBA21 that focuses on ecological and social issues.[6] In 2017, it relocated to London.[6]
Other activities
- Phillips, de Pury and Company, Member of the advisory board (since 2005)[12]
Personal life
Francesca married the heir to the Habsburg dynasty, Karl von Habsburg, son of Otto von Habsburg, in Mariazell on 31 January 1993. They have three children.
- Eleonore von Habsburg (born 28 February 1994 in Salzburg). Married civilly to Jérôme d'Ambrosio on 20 July 2020.[13]
- Ferdinand Zvonimir von Habsburg(born 21 June 1997 in Salzburg).
- Gloria (born 15 October 1999 in Salzburg), whose godparents are Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis, and Hereditary Prince Heinrich of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn.
Francesca and Karl separated in 2003, but did not divorce until 2017.
Honours
Dynastic Orders
- Dame of the Order of the Starry Cross (House of Habsburg)[citation needed]
Austrian Order
- Commander of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, Gold
Croatian Order
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Byrnes, Sholto (18 June 2006). "Francesca von Habsburg: The It-girl who became an empress". The Independent. Retrieved 22 February 2008.[dead link]
- ^ a b "ARTPULSE MAGAZINE » Dialogues for a New Millennium » Interview with Francesca von Habsburg". Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Milner, Catherine (13 May 2006). "'It's like an invasion – without rape and pillage'". The Daily Telegraph. p. 1. Retrieved 22 February 2008.[dead link]
- ^ a b Milner, Catherine (13 May 2006). "'It's like an invasion – without rape and pillage'". The Daily Telegraph. p. 2. Retrieved 22 February 2008.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d Villa, Angelica (10 December 2021). "Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Teams Up with Córdoba to Revitalize Spanish City". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Final show in Vienna for Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary as organisation relocates to Prague". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ updated, Emma O'Kelly last (28 February 2019). "Art patron and TBA21 gallery founder Francesca von Habsburg opens the doors to her Vienna residence". wallpaper.com. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- euroweeklynews.com.
- ^ "Family feud forgotten as Thyssen-Bornemisza plans contemporary shows". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ "Collector Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza invests in Madrid after leaving Vienna". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ Andy Battaglia (March 12, 2019), To Save the Ailing Oceans, TBA21-Academy Turns to Art and Science ARTnews.
- ^ Daniel Grant (8 November 2005), Eclectic Advisory Board Is a First for Phillips ARTnews.
- ^ Foussiane, Chloe (23 July 2020). "Eleonore von Habsburg Weds Race Driver Jérôme d'Ambrosio in Low-Key Royal Wedding". Town & Country. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ Archdiocese of Vienna – " Oberste Schutzfrau: Gabriela Habsburg-Lothringen "
- ^ Jamaica Gleaner Archived 22 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Odluka o odlikovanju Redom Danice Hrvatske s likom Marka Marulića broj 01-051-96-13-1-11/1".