Dear Mr. Mugrabi,
I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal about your unparalleled collection of 800 works by Andy Warhol. First, I commend you for your insight into collecting and the shrewd manner in which you control the market value of Andy's work. It is a brilliant strategy and demonstrates not only exceptional business acumen, but great market finesse and exceptional taste as well.
This message is really about my daughter Juliette.
Living in DC, Juliette and Genevieve have had substantial exposure to fine art, with a strong emphasis on contemporary and past century giants. Evie enjoys Edward Hopper, having visited the recent National Gallery exhibit twice, she can quickly spot his minimalistic brilliance. Both girls also really enjoyed the Jasper Johns show early in 2007 as well. Juliette enjoys almost any art period, but there is really only one artist that she LOVES, and that is Andy Warhol. I wish I could take credit for this as I love Warhol too, but it has more to do with her amazing uncles, especially her artist uncle Jerry who taught her to spot Warhol's work last summer when she was four and she has been hooked ever since. Today when we were talking about fun things to do in DC, she brought up going to see Andy Warhol at the Portrait Gallery and said it simply had to be on the list.
You may or may not know she turned five last week. Like her sister, Genevieve, Juliette is an adored little girl - doted on by friends and family. Her grandparents, aunt & uncle and parents all chipped in to get her a new bicycle. There were lots of other presents too, so we held the bike in the other room until last. Before we brought it out, after all of the other presents were opened, we asked her if she was disappointed she didn't receive any specific gifts (many hints had been dropped about the bike and she had been without one for a few months.) She thought about it for a moment, said she loved ALL of her presents, but had really been hoping for something by Andy Warhol. We think she meant stationary, but with the timing of the Journal article...
This is where you come in Mr. Mugrabi. You no doubt have something Warhol has done that Juliette would love - she is particularly fond of the shoe series he did early on (she has the calendar), the cats, and most of all the Marilyns. I expect your stockpile of Marilyn's is too valuable to part with, but do check with your assistant about some of the lesser known, less valuable pieces that come to mind when you think of Juliette. We would consider a trade of Juliette's art, and if you are willing to stockpile yet another artist this would be another chance to get in early as you did with Warhol.
It would make her fifth birthday even better, and would definitely help when it comes time to put her (and Evie) through college.
With respect and admiration,
Juliette's mom
