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John Kaldor

b. 1936

Australian art collector

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About John Kaldor

Born 1936. John Kaldor is an Australian businessperson, art collector, philanthropist and entrepreneur.

John William Kaldor (born 1936 in Budapest ) is an Australian art collector, philanthropist, and the founder of Kaldor Public Art Projects.

Biography Kaldor was born in Budapest to textile manufacturers Andrew and Vera Kaldor. After a short time in Paris as a refugee, Kaldor moved to Australia in 1949 with his parents and younger brother Andrew. Kaldor was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, studied in the United Kingdom, and attended the Textile College of Zurich under the direction of Johannes Itten.

Kaldor has undertaken thirty-two contemporary art projects, working with international artists including Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Gilbert and George, Sol LeWitt, Richard Long, Jeff Koons, Charlotte Moorman with Nam June Paik, and Marina Abramović. In 1990, Kaldor brought Christo to Australia for a twenty-year retrospective at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Kaldor has been chair of the Museum of Contemporary Art Board, and a trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and has participated on the boards of the Tate Modern, MoMA PS1, and the Biennale of Sydney. He currently serves on the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art.

In 2008, Kaldor gifted his collection of more than 260 works to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, including works by Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Long, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Sol LeWitt, Jeff Koons, Ugo Rondinone, and Bill Viola.

Kaldor was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993 for service to the arts, and in 2016 was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to contemporary visual art, as a supporter of public art projects, to the development of education programs for children, and through philanthropic contributions to cultural institutions.

He married Naomi Milgrom, the chair and group CEO of the Sussan Corporation in 2007. They divorced in 2024.

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Important facts

Born
1936, Budapest
Birth century
Nationality
Awards
Officer of the Order of Australia; Member of the Order of Australia
Also known as
John William Kaldor

Family & relationships

Spouse
Naomi Milgrom

People in John Kaldor's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Kaldor's

Frequently asked questions

Who is John Kaldor?

Australian art collector

When was John Kaldor born?

John Kaldor was born in 1936 in Budapest.

What is John Kaldor's occupation?

John Kaldor is a businessperson, art collector, philanthropist and entrepreneur.

What nationality is John Kaldor?

John Kaldor is Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Kaldor

· Wikidata: Q25184595

· DBpedia: John Kaldor

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Kaldor. https://biography.guide/john-kaldor/

MLA: "John Kaldor." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-kaldor/.

Chicago: "John Kaldor." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-kaldor/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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