When the Old Meets the New: an In-depth Look at François Pinault’s Personal Collection of Contemporary Art Named the most influential person in the world of contemporary art by the magazine Art Review, François Pinault is one of the largest collectors in the world. In 2005 he bought Palazzo Grassi, the last palace to be built on the Grand Canal in 18th C Venice. Refurbished by the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Palazzo Grassi hosts temporary exhibitions, most of which displaying works of contemporary art belonging to the François Pinault Collection. In 2009 the French magnate expanded his holdings in the city with the opening of a new centre of contemporary art at Punta della Dogana, the former customs house of the Serenissima, located on one of the most extraordinary and scenic sites in Venice, the tip of the Dorsoduro district, where the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal converge into St. Mark’s Basin. Tadao Ando’s measured and respectful response to the old existing structure is superb…A refreshing breath in the city where time might flow slowly but surely has not stopped…