Pursuits
Dealer David Zwirner on the Art Market and Collectors Like Steve Cohen
Zwirner gave up jazz to represent top artists Donald Judd and Luc Tuymans. He explains why he thinks the art market—and collector Steven Cohen—are incredibly resilient
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Why did you decide to leave Germany after high school?
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a jazz musician. I applied to NYU, which was then the best school for jazz. I spent three years getting a B.A.
In drumming?
Drums and composition. Then I realized it’s going to be difficult to make a living in the field of jazz. I stacked up my talents against the talent of my colleagues, and I didn’t feel I was good enough. That made me turn in different directions.