LX: How did you become interested in art?
VS: It hit me during my senior year of college, when I was studying art and architecture in Spain. I was captivated. After graduation, I moved to Washington, D.C., and accepted an internship at the U.S. Department of State in the office of Art in Embassies.
LX: Dream collaboration:
VS: Building a space designed by architect Renzo Piano and including artists who could enhance his aesthetic, like Anish Kapoor, James Turrell and Brice Marden.
LX: Greatest influence:
VS: My father, a driven self-made man, who, when in medical school, made money on the weekends drawing people’s portraits. He encouraged me to follow my dreams, even when they were risky.
LX: Current project:
VS: We’re starting a three-year partnership with the Tate Modern and the U.S. Embassy, London, called the American Artist Lecture Series, which will feature six major artists yet to be seen at the Tate.