Art Basel’s 'Meet the collectors' series celebrates today's most inspiring patrons

For Cypriot collector Dakis Joannou, collecting contemporary art began with a shock of recognition. On a trip to New York in the mid-1980s, he encountered a Jeff Koons’ ‘Equilibrium Tank’ and it radically changed his understanding of what art could be. ‘It was just so quiet, serene, perfect – almost classical in its look,’ Joannou recalls in this episode. ‘I was shocked. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.’ That pivotal encounter marked the beginning of a decades-long friendship with Koons and ignited a new way of seeing – and collecting – contemporary art.

From the start, Joannou saw art not as a series of objects, but as a conversation. ‘I did not start this as a collection. I started the foundation way before the collection,’ he explains, referencing DESTE Foundation, which he founded in 1983. DESTE’s inaugural show, Cultural Geometry (1987), signaled a bold curatorial approach by mixing antiquities with contemporary works and inviting artists, not curators, to organize the exhibition. ‘Right from day one, we showed our intentions.’

Over the years, Joannou’s collection has grown into an intricate ecosystem of friendships and ideas. ‘Some people say that Dakis collects friends, not artworks,’ he says. ‘All the artworks and objects, all these different ideas, personalities, artists and so on, become one being.’ His Athens home and DESTE’s radical project space on the island of Hydra – a former slaughterhouse turned experimental art venue – reflect his belief in risk, intuition, and deep engagement with artists. ‘I feel it’s extremely important that you know the person who is behind that piece of work.’

Opening June 11, 2025, at the Benaki Museum–Pireos 138 in Athens, ‘In a Bright Green Field’ is a collaboration between the DESTE Foundation, the New Museum, and the Benaki Museum spotlighting 29 emerging Greek and Cypriot artists exploring nature, community, and possible futures. 

Opening June 24, 2025, at the DESTE Foundation’s Project Space in Hydra, Andra Ursuţa’s solo exhibition presents new and existing works­ – including cast bronze and glass sculptures – evoking the ruins of a lost civilization through a display inspired by archaeological sites and historical museums.