Inside the Collection: Dianna Cohen

The motivation behind the art she collects, the artists on her radar, and a museum she considers her metaphorical place of worship.

Meet Dianna Cohen — founder, CEO and female powerhouse of Crown Affair, the intentional hair care brand that is rapidly transforming the beauty space. The founder is giving us an exclusive look into her personal art collection, from her most cherished pieces, favorite museums, advice for budding collectors and so much more.

How long have you been collecting art? What was the first piece of art you bought and what about it caught your eye?

I’ve been collecting contemporary art for 7 or so years now. I studied art history in college and I’ve always been someone who loves to collect objects my whole life. I enjoy surrounding myself with things that bring me joy and hold meaning, so there’s no better way to do that than with art. The first proper piece I bought was by an artist named Skylar Fein. He’s a New Orleans based artist who has this incredible series of matchbooks from iconic places that no longer exist. I have the one from Nell’s, which was a club in New York City that opened in 1986. It’s now famously known for being the club they go to in American Psycho.

Dianna Cohen with Skylar Fein’s Nell’s matchbook and Ben Skinner’s “Anything Bagel”

Can you tell me a little bit about the artists in your collection?

Every piece in our collection has a personal story or meaning. Ideally I get to know and spend time with the artists before collecting their work. I would say there’s two themes overall: ‘word and image’ and art with a Japanese sensibility. My freshman year of college I took a class called ‘Word and Image’ and something just stuck me with how playful one can be with art and text. For context, Ed Ruscha is my favorite living artist— a master with word and image. The Skylar Fein matchbook, the ‘Welcome’ by Adam Stamp, ‘I Hope For This Feeling Again and Again’ by

RF Alvarez

, the Ben Skinner pieces we have around the apartment (Anything Bagel) — they all play with words and bring me so much joy when I see them. The pieces by Japanese artists Miya Ando and Sho Shibuya bring a sense of calm and peace. More recently I’ve been collecting whimsical works that have a play on the crown or hair. Vince Skelly is an incredible sculptor who’s work I’ve been wanting to bring home for a while. I just acquired his work, “Crown” which I dreamt about since the moment I saw it. I also recently commissioned a piece by Spanish artist, Nauzet Mayor— two ceramic brands with the Crown Affair green scrunchies, a color inspired by a work from Ed Ruscha.

Do you have a specific piece that you cherish the most?

Miya Ando’s wishing mandala has a very special place in my heart. She gifted us this mandala made of hand-dyed bodhi leaves for our wedding in 2021. It was placed at the entrance of the ceremony and all guests were given a bodhi leaf upon arrival. We asked our wedding guests to make a wish for us (the couple) and release the bodhi leaf into the mandala. The gathered leaves and this final work are a token from that special day. Miya also spoke and said a beautiful prayer during our wedding ceremony, so this piece has to be my most cherished work.

Dianna Cohen with Miya Ando’s “Wishing Mandala”

Do you have any go-to sources for art inspiration such as specific galleries, museums or fairs?

1. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC. My husband and I met here at a Rene Magritte curatorial walk through in 2013

2. The Noguchi Museum in NYC

3. The Museum of Natural History in NYC

4. ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) in Miami

5. I’m a member of the art group The Cultivist, so I’ll go on the art trips they host around the world for inspiration. They host a number of artist studio visits, which I find the most inspiring.

I saw an artist you have collected, Sho Shibuya, helped design your brand Crown Affair. Can you tell me more about how you knew you wanted to collaborate with the artist and more about how that process came to be?

The decision to collaborate with Sho was one of the most intuitive decisions I’ve made for the business. We worked together years ago as early team members at the luggage company Away. Sho was my favorite person to work with on the team— he’s so remarkable as an artist and a person. The second I started dreaming about bringing Crown Affair to life he was the first person I called. He has such an intentional process around his rituals and I knew he would be the perfect person to translate my visual literacy into graphic design and a brand system.

Is there an artist you would love to collaborate with on your brand Crown Affair?

Ed Ruscha.

Do you have an all-time favorite piece of art or artist?

Of ALL time? Hmmm Mark Rothko, White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) 1950. I wrote my senior thesis on Rothko and I’ll always have a soft spot for his work.

Mark Rothko, “White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender and Rose,” 1950, 205.8 x 141 cm.

One of the most fascinating stories I have seen you speak on was how the name “Crown Affair” came to be, and also where you and your husband met - standing in front of René Magritte’s painting Son of a Man at the MoMA. Are there any other artworks or artistic experiences that have left a lasting impact on you or influenced other aspects of your life?

Magritte, Ruscha, Brancusi, Boticelli, and Gnoli are the references I find myself reaching for again and again when it comes to the well of inspiration for Crown Affair, however, from an experience perspective it was the 2008 Pipilotti Rist: Pour Your Body Out show at MoMA that made me viscerally realize that art is the thing that fuels me. I remember how I felt going into that show compared to how I felt walking out of that show. That show was the moment I realized that MoMA was my metaphorical place of worship.

Do you have any advice for new collectors?

Collect because you want to live with it. It can be a tiny piece, a fun object an artist made, a work on paper. Of course many of us dream about collecting blue chip works but the most special pieces are the ones that feel like a part of your soul. For me, each piece brings out an element of my inner child— that’s who I’m collecting for. More tactically there’s great places like Uprise Art that showcase accessible emerging artists if you want to dip a toe in collecting.. Also, the best advice is to get out there and see work. Go to galleries, join a museum group, just immerse yourself in the art and you’ll know when you’re feeling something.

Lastly, what artwork or artists are on your wishlist to add to your collection?

I have my eye on Rae Kline and Butch Anthony pieces. On the dream list are Ed Ruscha, Yoshitomo Nara, Daniel Arsham’s furniture, a Hayao Miyazaki illustration, a Dr. Seuss illustration, and anything from Lisa Yuskavage.

Rae Klein