Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Bell, Maria print view role Collector dates 1963- city Los Angeles state CA sex F historical notes For Maria Arena Bell and William Bell Jr., collecting art is a shared passion. Before their marriage, Maria, who had studied art history, was buying vintage George Hurrell photographs of Hollywood’s Golden Age stars of the 1930s and 1940s. Now the couple — of soap-opera fame, notably "The Young & the Restless" — own work by Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp, Damien Hirst, and many other leading figures. Additionally, Maria has championed the work of many Los Angeles–based artists including Alex Israel, Jonas Wood, and Mark Ryden, in addition to commissioning projects by the likes of Dan Colen. The Bells are noted collectors of Jeff Koons - he was their first major foray into contemporary art collecting in the 1990s. Maria has also dedicated a good part of her life to philanthropic endeavors in the art world—service which springs from a belief that everyone should have access to the arts. Maria is a life trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. She served on the board for around seven years, beginning in 2008, and was board co-chair for four-and-a-half years. She was instrumental in hiring Jeffrey Deitch as that institution’s executive director, but stepped down at the end of 2013, months after Deitch’s resignation amid controversy. In 2023, a Malibu home that was commissioned by the Bells sold to Beyoncé and Jay-Z for $200 million. According to TMZ, the deal made the home the most expensive one for a California residence ever conducted. decades of activity 1990-2000 2000-2010 2010-2020 2020-2030 updated 10/31/2024 13:33:21 bibliographic search Search Frick Art Reference Library Catalog Search Photoarchive Search Worldcat Archives/Repository Collection Title Collection Details Harvard Film Archive, Harvard Library, Harvard University Bell, Maria. Maria Bell film collection, 1939-2005 (hfa00038): Guide. see details... «  back