‘I do believe in love at first sight’: plastic surgeon Charles Boyd on why his heart rules his head in matters of art
Charles Boyd, a renowned plastic surgeon based in Michigan, is deeply embedded in the Detroit art scene. He is the chair of the board at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and serves on the board of the Detroit Institute of Arts. His support for the arts extends to New York, where he serves on the acquisitions committee of the Studio Museum in Harlem.
Boyd’s passion for visual art was sparked during his years as a student at Howard University in Washington, DC, in the 1980s, when he took an art-appreciation course focused on African American art. He subsequently served on Howard’s board of trustees and, at one point, chaired its art committee.
The St Louis-based artist Basil Kincaid’s Root and Flame: Hands Full of Light Courtesy the artist and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
Boyd’s journey as a collector began in earnest in 2004, when he inherited art from his father, including a piece by Romare Bearden. His collection began to grow significantly a few years later and now includes works by many of the most important Black American artists working today—among them the photographer Ming Smith (a fellow Michigander and Howard alumnus), Kerry James Marshall, Titus Kaphar, Deborah Roberts and Sanford Biggers.
The Art Newspaper: What was the first work of art you ever bought?
Charles Boyd: The first work I ever purchased was a sculptural work on a visit to Côte d’Ivoire. I am told that it is better than the one in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts by the museum’s African art curator.
The late Cuban artist Belkis Ayón’s Untitled (Sikan with white tips) (1993) Courtesy the artist and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
What was the most recent work you bought?
The most recent work I purchased was by the late Cuban artist Belkis Ayón.
How quickly do you decide to buy a work of art?
I do believe in love at first sight.
What do you regret not buying when you had the chance?
I was a resident making less than $30,000 with a family of three, and I was offered a Norman Lewis painting for $26,000. I wish we had not eaten for a few weeks!
The Austin-based artist Deborah Roberts’s Here Comes Trouble (2020) Courtesy the artist and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
If you could have any work from any institution in the world, what would it be?
I would choose an Alma Thomas work from Howard University’s collection.
What are you most looking forward to seeing during the exhibitions, fairs and auctions in New York this spring?
The Rashid Johnson retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum [until 18 January 2026].
Where do you like to eat and drink in or near Chelsea and Hudson Yards?
I like to hit Hav & Mar, Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant.
