Art Basel Shopping Spree: If I Had $10 Million

MIAMI—ARTINFO wanted to know what it was like to be a rich collector, and what it was like to be a very rich collector. So we asked two writers to go on virtual shopping sprees at Art Basel. We gave Judd Tully a considerable amount ($10,000,000) and Robert Ayers a much more modest sum ($10,000), and asked them each to come home with no more than six works. Here’s what Judd picked. For Robert’s picks, click here.

What would you buy at Art Basel Miami Beach with a sudden cash infusion of $10 million and just one hour to decide before the magic wire-transfer expired?

As any serious collector would expect, the galleries in play for these spur-of-the-moment transactions grudgingly allotted 10 percent collector discounts as long as payment was immediate.

Works are listed in the order they were “purchased,” though admittedly there was no time to bother with paperwork.

Click on the photo gallery at left to see Judd's picks.

(Editors’ note: We don't remember telling Judd that he had only an hour to make his “purchases,” but it makes for an interesting adventure. We do remember telling him to limit himself to six works, but maybe it's hard to keep your cool when you have $10 million to burn.)

Judd Tully is editor at large for Art+Auction.