Ken Griffin, Citadel hedge fund founder and prominent art collector, announced a $10 million donation to the Pérez Art Museum Miami recently, marking one of the museum’s most significant gifts to date.
The announcement came during PAMM’s 11th annual Art of the Party gala, where Griffin was honored for his contributions to the arts. The funds will support the museum’s exhibitions and programs, including the future Kenneth C. Griffin Gallery, set to be PAMM’s largest exhibition space.
Griffin emphasized his support for PAMM’s racially diverse collection, which “brings us closer together.”
“The Pérez Art Museum Miami is a world-class arts and cultural hub that enriches our great city,” Griffin said. “I am proud to support this outstanding institution in unison with the broader Miami community.”
Griffin has a long, strong history in the art world. He has made headlines recently for snagging a copy of the U.S. constitution and a record-breaking stegosaurus skeleton. He has also donated millions to MoMA, acquired high-profile Basquiats, and even served on the Whitney’s board of trustees until 2019. In 2022, Griffin moved his business and art collection from the Windy City—where he enthusiastically supported the Art Institute of Chicago—to South Florida.
“We still have a lot of empty walls,” Pérez joked during his toast to Griffin.
“Those Basquiats, De Koonings, would look so beautiful.”
This year’s Art of the Party raised $1.5 million. The gala also feted artist Delcy Morelos as the winner of the 6th annual $50,000 Pérez Prize. Following the gala’s seated dinner, New York-based artist José Parlá, whose retrospective “Homecoming” opens at PAMMperformed a DJ set.