The Art Business course – ARAD 1550 – presents Mr. Dani Levinas, distinguished Collector, Philanthropist and Patron of the Arts, Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 4:00 PM in Campbell 153. 

Dani Levinas was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and earned a degree in law from the Universidad Museo Social Argentino.

As an entrepreneur he has started 5 companies in the areas of Publishing, Retail, Construction and Financial Services, all of them in Washington DC metropolitan area.

Mr. Levinas is Founder and Chairman of ICE, The Institute for Contemporary Expression, which proposes to transform Washington’s Franklin School.

He was a member of the Board of Directors of SIPA (Specialized Information Publisher Association) from 1996 to 2005.  Levinas is a member of the Group of 50 and is an active member of the Board of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, and is a former board member of the Hirshhorn  Museum

Dani Levinas began his interest in collecting contemporary art in 1970 in his native Argentina.  The collection started with Argentine artists and evolved when Dani and his family immigrated to the United States in 1980.

The collection is now international, with a main focus on Latin America, including established and emerging artists.   Of his collecting Richard Koshalek, former Director of the Hirshhorn Museum, noted that Mr Levinas has a “singular explorative sensibility” with regards to emerging artists and contemporary art.

Mr. Levinas organized and curated an exhibit on Leon Ferrari, winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, at the Arlington Arts Center in February of 2008.  He also organized an exhibition at the OAS Museum of the Americas in Washington DC: “Argentina in Focus: Visualizing the Concept, Christian Segura/Sergio Vega.

Dani and his wife Mirella live in Washington DC.

The talk should be of considerable interest to Art History, Studio Art, Arts Administration, Urban Planning and other students.