Draft:Steeve Nassima

Steeve Nassima (b. July 20, 1974, in Milan) is a Belgian-Israeli art collector, businessman, and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of the Nassima Landau Art Foundation in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Early life and education

Steeve Nassima was born in Milan and raised in Antwerp. His father is of Iranian descent, and his mother is French. Nassima pursued studies in economics and business at ICHEC Brussels Management School and in London as part of an exchange program.

Career

Nassima’s career began when he was a real estate agent while still in university in Brussels, renting a luxurious villa to the Ambassador of Japan. The experience was the trigger for Nassima's attraction to Japanese culture and norms which led him to travel to Japan for a few months once graduated.

He later became the CEO of Royal Gem, an international diamond company founded in Antwerp in 1979 by his father, Freddy Nassima. The company quickly grew to become an important manufacturer and supplier of diamonds and jewelry to prestigious clients globally.

At the age of 40, Nassima took a pivot and decided to change direction, significantly downsizing the company, which was at the height of its success.

Today Nassima is the co-founder of the Nassima Landau Art Foundation in Tel Aviv, established in November 2020 alongside Suzanne Landau. In parallel, he is also active in real estate both in Israel and abroad.

Art Scene

Nassima’s passion for art began during his early 20s. After closing a real estate deal, he purchased his first artwork by Japanese artist Nobuyoshi Araki as an investment, wanting to spend his first-ever income wisely. Nassima's fascination with traditional Japanese culture was in direct contrast to Araki's work, which motivated him to purchase it

His interest in Japanese art led him to become a prominent collector and dealer of Yayoi Kusama’s artworks. In 2021 Nassima loaned pieces from his private collection for the Tel Aviv Museum of Art exhibition Yayoi Kusama: A Retrospective curated by Suzanne Landau.

In November 2020, Nassima co-founded the Nassima Landau Art Foundation with Suzanne Landau. The Foundation, a first of its kind in Israel, features major exhibitions, residencies and unique one-time events showcasing international contemporary artists, both emerging and established. The Foundation also initiates collaborations with major cultural institutions in Tel Aviv such as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Batsheva Dance Company and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Personal life

Following a personal tragedy in 2004, in the Tsunami in Thailand, Nassima and his family moved to Israel. He lives in Tel Aviv with his two children, Eyal and Nela.