The Collectors: Robert Stilin
When it comes to outfitting the interior designer's own residences, photography plays a starring role
“Every piece of art I’ve collected has a story behind it,” says Robert Stilin, the interior designer admired for his extraordinary ability to give a crisp cohesion and an air of livability to the homes of his clients, which are most often packed with major works of art, as exhibited in his latest monograph, Robert Stilin: New Work (Vendome). When it comes to outfitting his own residences, photography plays a starring role. “I originally got involved in photography in the late ’80s because I felt like that was what I could afford at that time,” explains Stilin, who now owns about 200 examples, including prints by Wolfgang Tillmans, Tyler Mitchell, Candida Höfer, Thomas Struth, Herb Ritts, and Evelyn Hofer, to name a few. Now he’s constantly on the hunt for more, seeking out both legends in the field and talents on the rise.
Element of surprise: “A lot of what I collect showcases something unusual for the artist. I have a William Wegman of autumn foliage that just happens to have a dog in it and photographs by John Chamberlain, who is primarily known for sculpture.”
Laws of attraction: “I love the depth and how it captures a moment in time regardless of whether it is something that was created or is real life. Photographs have an aliveness to them that is exciting, interesting.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Late Fall Issue under the headline “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.