Peter Brant

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American businessman (born 1947)

title: "Peter Brant" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1947-births", "living-people", "people-from-jamaica-estates,-queens", "businesspeople-from-greenwich,-connecticut", "20th-century-american-jews", "university-of-colorado-boulder-alumni", "american-businesspeople-in-manufacturing", "film-producers-from-new-york-(state)", "american-racehorse-owners-and-breeders", "american-polo-players", "american-art-collectors", "film-producers-from-connecticut", "21st-century-american-jews"] description: "American businessman (born 1947)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Brant" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American businessman (born 1947) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

FieldValue
namePeter Brant
imagePeter Brant.jpg
altBlack-and-white profile view of Brant
captionBrant,
birth_namePeter Mark Brant
birth_date
birth_placeNew York City, U.S.
occupationChairman of Brant Foundation
children8, including Peter
alma_materUniversity of Colorado Boulder
spouse{{plainlist
* {{marriageSandra Brant
::

| name = Peter Brant | image = Peter Brant.jpg | alt = Black-and-white profile view of Brant | caption = Brant, | birth_name = Peter Mark Brant | birth_date = | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | nationality = | occupation = Chairman of Brant Foundation | years_active = | party = | children = 8, including Peter | website = | signature = | alma_mater = University of Colorado Boulder | spouse = {{plainlist|

Peter Mark Brant (born March 1, 1947) is an American industrialist and art collector. He was also a magazine publisher until 2018 and a film producer and polo player. He is married to model Stephanie Seymour.

Early life and education

Brant was raised in Jamaica Estates, Queens, the son of Lily and Murray Brant. Both parents were Jewish immigrants from Bulgaria. Brant's father co-founded the paper converter (primarily converting paper into newsprint) Brant-Allen Industries with his brother-in-law (father of H. Joseph Allen). He has one sister, Irene Brant Zelinsky. Brant was a childhood friend of U.S. president Donald Trump.

He attended the University of Colorado but did not graduate; rather, he left school to work for his father's company.

Career

Newsprint

Brant went to work at Brant-Allen Industries, a paper conversion company co-founded by his father. In the early 1970s, Brant and his cousin, H. Joseph Allen — the son of Murray Brant's business partner — led the company into the manufacturing side of the business and expanded the company into paper mill (converting pulp into paper) ownership purchasing a mill in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec and partnering with the Washington Post and Dow Jones to purchase a mill in Ashland, Virginia.

In the early 2000s, as paper demand continued to decline, Brant embarked on a buying spree purchasing a second Quebec mill in 2004 for $205 million (from Enron) and a third Quebec mill in 2006 for $135 million. In 2008, he bought out his partner and changed the name of the company to White Birch Paper Company. Also in 2008, he purchased SP Newsprint Co for $305 million, a newsprint manufacturer with operations in Oregon and Georgia. The purchase gave Brant control of 22% of the North American newsprint market, second to AbitibiBowater with 43%. Brant expanded SP Newsprint into paper recycling operating 23 recycling facilities through its SP Recycling unit.

In a court filing around 2007, Brant said the ailing newsprint market and the recession had slashed his net worth to less than $500 million from $1.4 billion that year.

In February 2010, White Birch Paper restructured under Chapter 11 proceedings, due to excessive debt and declining demand for newsprint. The company emerged from bankruptcy in January 2012 and closed its main pulp and paper mill in Quebec City, sending home more than 600 workers. White Birch owns two other mills in Quebec, Canada and one in Ashland, Virginia. In 2012, Brant pledged a portion of his art collection as security to purchase White Birch Paper out of bankruptcy in partnership with Black Diamond Capital Management LLC for $94.5 million in cash and $78 million in debt. Brant remains as CEO of White Birch Paper.

In November 2011, SP Newsprint Co filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to excessive debt and declining demand for newsprint. SP Newsprint operates two mills in Dublin, Georgia and Newberg, Oregon and 23 recycling facilities. In September 2012, SP Newsprint was purchased out of bankruptcy by SP Fiber Technologies LLC for an undisclosed amount.

In May 2016, Brant, as Art Media Holdings, merged the magazine Art in America with its principal competitor ARTnews. Artnet reported his company announced that ARTnews would go to a quarterly publication schedule, down from monthly. The latter had run an article asking whether the Brant Foundation was a tax scam or an art investment vehicle.

In May 2017, White Birch Paper announced that it would idle paper making operations at its Bear Island newsprint mill in Ashland, Virginia. The mill produced 240,000 metric tons of newsprint annually.

In 2018, Penske Media Corporation, the parent company of Variety magazine, acquired ARTnews and Art in America from Brant.

Brant Publications, Inc.

Brant was the owner and chairman of Brant Publications, Inc., located in New York City, founded in 1983. BPI published various magazines:

  • Interview was founded by artist Andy Warhol and John Wilcock in late 1969. For a brief period in the 1970s, Brant and his wife Sandra Brant invested in Interview. Brant Publications acquired Interview from Warhol's estate in 1989. In 2018, a company owned by Brant, Singleton LLC, purchased Interview magazine out of bankruptcy.
  • Art in America was acquired by Brant Publications in 1984.
  • The magazine Antiques is a monthly arts publication that focuses on architecture, interior design, and fine and decorative arts. Regular monthly columns include news on current exhibitions and art-world events, notes on collecting, and book reviews. The magazine was founded in 1922 and underwent a complete redesign in 2009.
  • Modern, was launched in 2009 and is a magazine devoted to design, decorative arts and architecture.

Film producer

Brant's interest in art also led him to film production. He was a producer of the films L’Amour (1972) directed by Paul Morrissey, and Andy Warhol's Bad (1977) directed by Jed Johnson. Brant invested $800,000 in Bad, and when the film was a commercial failure it caused a rift in their friendship. Brant blamed Warhol for "not giving his all to the project, and proceeded to put five big Warhols up for auction at Sotheby’s in 1978." In September 1981, Warhol stated in his diary: "I had to meet Peter Brant for lunch at the office. ... He picked out some prints, and now we're all settled with him on the money he invested in Bad and he never has to come back. Good."

Brant was an executive producer of the award-winning films Basquiat (1996) and Pollock (2000). He was also co-producer of the Peabody- and Emmy-award-winning PBS documentary, Andy Warhol: A Documentary (2006). Brant was also a producer of The Homesman (2014).

Art collection and the Brant Foundation

Main article: Brant Foundation

Brant is one of the world's Top 200 art collectors. He bought his first pieces of art after turning an $8,000 investment into several hundred thousand dollars as a young man. His first purchases according to The New York Times, included "a couple of Warhols and, later, a major Franz Kline.” In 1970, his painting Campbell's Soup Can With Peeling Label (1962) by Andy Warhol sold for $60,000 at an auction, making Warhol the most expensive American artist alive at the time. In 1976, Brant commissioned Warhol to paint his cocker spaniel, Ginger. Warhol made two paintings of Ginger, as well as drawings. Brant is one of the largest collector's of Warhol's art.

Brant is a member of the Advisory Council of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles named Brant to its board of trustees in December 2009.

Brant's collection is on display to the public at the two locations of the Brant Foundation Art Study Center, in Greenwich, Connecticut and the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan. His collection includes numerous works by Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons, Dan Flavin, Glenn Ligon, and Cady Noland. Brant is one of Basquiat's major collectors. In 2020, he sold his Basquiat painting Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump (1982) to Ken Griffin for more than $100 million.

Kentucky Derby and polo

Brant was a member of the partnership who owned Classic winner Swale, who won both the 1984 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and was American Champion Three-Year-Old Colt that year. In addition, Brant was responsible for bringing stallion Mr. Prospector to Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Mr. Prospector, who began his stud career in Florida in 1975, went on to be one of the most influential sires in the American Stud-Book since the first of his progeny began racing in 1978. Brant was the breeder of 1995 Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch. Thunder Gulch is the son of Gulch out of the mare Line of Thunder, who were both owned and bred by Brant.

Brant is also a polo player and at one time was the highest-rated amateur player in the U.S. Brant is the co-founder of the Greenwich Polo Club, the Saratoga Polo Association, and the Bridgehampton Polo Club.

Personal life

Marriages

Brant's first marriage was to Sandra "Sandy" Simms, who he met while attending the University of Colorado. They married in 1969 and their divorce was finalized in 1995. She later married writer Ingrid Sischy.

On July 14, 1995, Brant married model Stephanie Seymour outside of Paris, with gallery owner Tony Shafrazi serving as best man at the ceremony. In 2009, the couple filed for divorce, but subsequently reconciled in 2010.

Children

Brant had eight biological children with his two wives, and one stepchild.

Brant and Sandra Brant had five children together. Four of their children have worked for Brant companies:

  • Ryan (1971–2019) as director of Brant Publications. He also founded Take-Two Interactive at age 21. He was CEO until 2001, and left the company in 2006. He died in March 2019 at the age of 47, due to cardiac arrest caused by aspiration.
  • Lindsay (born 1973), an artist and nurse, has not worked for a Brant company
  • Christopher (born 1980) as president of White Birch
  • Kelly (born 1980) as online director of Brant Publications
  • Allison (born 1980) as director of the Brant Foundation, and manager of her father's art collection

Brant and Stephanie Seymour had two sons and one daughter together, and Brant is stepfather to Seymour's son:

  • Peter Brant, Jr. (born December 30, 1993)
  • Harry (1996–2021), who died in January 2021 at the age of 24 as a result of a prescription drug addiction.
  • Lily (born October 27, 2004).
  • Dylan Andrews is Seymour's son from first marriage to guitarist Tom Andrews.

Tax evasion

In 1990, Brant was investigated for tax evasion resulting from having his company pay for $1 million in personal expenditures. He pleaded guilty to charges of failing to keep records and was sentenced to three months in a federal prison and $200,000 in fines.

References

References

  1. United States Public Record Number 266651146
  2. [http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Peter-Brant-and-Stephanie-Seymour-put-their-contemporary-art-collection-on-show/17201 "Peter Brant and Stephanie Seymour put their contemporary art collection on show"] from ''The Art Newspaper''
  3. Segal, David. (2010-01-23). "For Richer or for ... Not Quite as Rich". The New York Times.
  4. Friedman, Vanessa. (December 30, 2011). "Lunch with the FT: Peter Brant". [[The Financial Times]].
  5. Adams, Michale Henry. (January 25, 2021). "New York's Prince Harry". [[Medium (website).
  6. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-27/irene-brant-zelinsky-sells-greenwich-mansion-for-5-5-million Bloomberg: "Buy a Paper Mill Heiress’s Greenwich Mansion for $5.5 Million Irene Brant Zelinsky, whose family developed more than 1,400 acres in Greenwich, is moving on" By James Tarmy] July 27, 2016
  7. [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/greenwichtime/obituary.aspx?n=lisa-beth-zelinsky-berger&pid=114544922 Greenwich Time: "Lisa Beth (Berger) Zelinsky Obituary"] July 31, 2008
  8. (2018-05-16). "Donald Trump Biography: Before the Presidency".
  9. [http://www.momentmag.com/growing-up-trump/ Moment Magazine: "Growing Up Trump - How Donald Trump’s Youthful Encounters with Jews Helped Shape the Man, and President, He is Today." BY MARC FISHER] May 16, 2017
  10. {{usurped
  11. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-28/baron-brant-pledges-warhols-to-revive-family-business.html Bloomberg: "Baron Brant Pledges Warhols to Revive Family Business" By Miles Weiss and Katya Kazakina] September 28, 2012
  12. [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bd-white-birch-investment-llc-completes-acquisition-of-white-birch-paper-company-170236716.html PRN Newswire: "BD White Birch Investment LLC Completes Acquisition of White Birch Paper Company"] September 18, 2012
  13. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-media-spnewsprint-idUSTRE7AE1RK20111115 Reuters: "Peter Brant's SP Newsprint files bankruptcy" By Jonathan Stempel] November 15, 2011
  14. [http://waste360.com/mergers-and-acquisitions/sp-fiber-buys-paper-recycling-firm-sp-newsprint Waste 360: "SP Fiber Buys Paper Recycling Firm SP Newsprint" by Allan Gerlat] September 11, 2012
  15. (May 27, 2016). "Peter Brant 'Assumes Control' of His Magazines".
  16. Jerry Saltz. (January 12, 2015). "Is the Brant Foundation a Tax Scam or an Art Investment Vehicle?". artnet News.
  17. (2018-11-13). "PMC Buys ARTnews, Art in America". Variety.
  18. afinelyne. (2023-04-03). "The Brant Foundation to Present a Landmark Andy Warhol Exhibition at East Village Location - GothamToGo".
  19. "Brant Art Publications Inc".
  20. (1989-05-09). "Interview Magazine Is Sold". The New York Times.
  21. Jonathan, Randles. (August 29, 2018). "Publisher Peter Brant Buys Interview Magazine Out Of Bankruptcy".
  22. (1984-04-02). "Art in America Bought By Brant Publications (Published 1984)".
  23. [http://www.pubexec.com/article/brant-publications-launches-modern-magazine-408339/1 Publishing Executive: "Brant Publications Launches MODERN Magazine"] June 12, 2009
  24. [http://www.modernmag.com Modern Magazine on-line]
  25. Gopnik, Blake. (2020). "Warhol". ECCO, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.
  26. Rabinovitch, Simona. "Peter Brant".
  27. Colacello, Bob. (December 1989). "Interview—Back To The Future?".
  28. Colacello, Bob. (December 1989). "Interview—Back To The Future?".
  29. (1989). "The Andy Warhol Diaries". Warner Books.
  30. [https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/pollock-1200464384/ Variety: "Review: ‘Pollock’"] September 7, 2000
  31. [https://variety.com/2006/film/reviews/andy-warhol-a-documentary-film-1200513844/ Variety: "Review: ‘Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film'"] August 31, 2006
  32. [https://deadline.com/2013/04/hailee-steinfeld-tommy-lee-jones-the-homesman-472226/ Deadline: "Hailee Steinfeld Joins Tommy Lee Jones Frontier Pic 'The Homesman'"] April 10, 2013
  33. [https://variety.com/2014/film/news/cannes-film-festival-early-pics-include-tommy-lee-jones-the-homesman-how-to-train-your-dragon-2-1201157859/ Variety: "Cannes Film Festival: Early Pics Include Tommy Lee Jones’ ‘The Homesman,’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’"] April 16, 2014
  34. (2017-09-10). "Top 200 Collectors: Peter M. Brant".
  35. (1970-05-16). "WARHOL'S SOUP CAN SELLS FOR $60,000 (Published 1970)".
  36. Silva, Horacio. (January 27, 2020). "Peter Brant Is Still Shaking Up the Art World".
  37. [http://museumpublicity.com/2009/12/21/the-museum-of-contemporary-art-moca-elects-trustees-peter-m-brant-steven-t-mnuchin-and-victor-pinchuk/ Museum Publicity: "The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Elects Trustees Peter M. Brant, Steven T. Mnuchin, and Victor Pinchuk"] December 21, 2009
  38. Lerma, Martin. (2020-06-04). "A Jean-Michel Basquiat Painting Just Sold for $100 Million".
  39. Block, Fang. "Ken Griffin Buys a Jean-Michel Basquiat for More Than $100 Million".
  40. "Another Generation Takes the Helm, 1972-2015 - Claiborne Farm".
  41. [http://www.kentuckyderby.com/history/year/1995 Kentucky Derby, Derby History, Thunder Gulch]
  42. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1961&dat=19790719&id=uYUhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kIwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1006,1394247 Palm Beach Daily News: "Saratoga Celebrates Polo Club's Revival"] July 19, 1979
  43. [http://www.hamptons.com/Out-And-About/Within-The-Hedges/8317/The-Sport-of-Kings-Returns-To-Bridgehampton-Polo.html Hamptons Online: "The Sport of Kings Returns To Bridgehampton Polo Field" by Edward Callaghan] July 21, 2009
  44. (2011-01-12). "Meet the godparents of Elton John's new baby".
  45. Holson, Laura M.. (2010-08-20). "Brant vs. Brant: Divorce Celebrity Style". The New York Times.
  46. [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/04/model-stephanie-seymour-divorce-reconcile-husband-peter-brant-navajo-blanket.html Los Angeles Times: "Stephanie Seymour, husband Peter Brant call off divorce thanks to Navajo blanket" by Emily Christianson] April 13, 2011
  47. (2010-09-21). "Brant-Seymour divorce battle ends with reconciliation".
  48. (April 3, 2019). "Ryan A. Brant, 47, Art Publisher & Software Entrepreneur".
  49. Hatfield, Daemon. (October 18, 2006). "Take-Two Founder Resigns".
  50. (September 26, 2019). "Sotheby's to Offer Collection of Take-Two Founder Ryan Brant, Led by a Selection of More Than 25 Works by KAWS {{!}} Auctions News".
  51. "~LINDSAY BRANT « artloversnewyork.com".
  52. (September 27, 2024). "Building COMMUNITY: Lindsay Brant, RN".
  53. Vogel, Carol. (2017-03-18). "How Allison Brant Became Her Father's Heir Apparent".
  54. Chloe Melas. (January 19, 2021). "Harry Brant, son of model Stephanie Seymour, has died".
  55. [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/fashion/the-brant-brothers-the-new-princes-of-the-city.html?pagewanted=all New York Times: "The New Princes of the City (There’s Even a Harry)" By WILLIAM VAN METER] June 20, 2012
  56. "Harry Brant, Son of Stephanie Seymour and Peter Brant, Dead at 24". People.com.
  57. Weinberg, Neil. "Take Who?".
  58. (July 18, 1994). "New York Magazine".

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