Collecting art to be more 'interesting'
A meditation on why we really collect art
The other day, a friend of mine introduced me to her friend, who was a potential new client for me. The friend was looking to ‘get into art collecting.’ After the initial chit-chat chat, I jumped straight to the question, ‘So why do you want to collect?’ and he answered,’ To be more interesting.’ At first, this response made me feel funny; I didn’t really know what to say back. Is that a good response or bad response, or what is it actually supposed to mean? And that got me thinking - aren’t we all collecting just to be more interesting in a way?
This article is a meditation on why we really buy or collect art. Consuming it in the form of museum and gallery visits is one thing, but spending money is different. I don’t claim to have any right to know the definite answer to this, but I can at least share from my buying ( as a collector) and selling ( as a gallerist/advisor) experience what I think are the main reasons and I am happy to hear everyone thoughts on this.
Firstly, I would like to refer back to this article: who is actually considered an art collector. When you tap into buying ‘real’ art, you sort of enter the invisible’ club’ that the art world is. It, of course, has many layers consisting of emerging artists starting off with a pop-up show all the way to high net-worth individuals and blue chip galleries. However, regardless of the ‘cast’ system, only you and other art purchasers know how it truly feels to buy art.
I see it like a Venn diagram: there are four categories (circles) that overlap. And various combinations of these categories create a reason for collecting.
Investment
I believe there is no single or straightforward reason I only collect for investment because even if you claim this, you develop ‘feelings’ and an overall understanding of art while doing your research ( even if you work with an art advisor and you are actually not the one doing the homework, you are the one who gets to say yes or no). Otherwise, you would just place money into an art investment fund. But even in that case - you again probably have some kind of relationship with art. Not a completely art ‘blind’ person decides to place a portion of his money into art.
Investment motive usually comes with enjoyment and appreciation sort of ‘I have money, I want to spend it wisely, but I also want to enjoy it’
Status
Many collectors collect art because they see it as luxury goods. And why do you buy luxury goods? Because of their status.
Why shop for dresses in Zara and art in Ikea when you can shop at Dior and Gagosian? Some Collectors love being treated by mega galleries, attending VIP events, and buying overpriced ultra-contemporary artworks to hang in their homes and talk about them at dinner parties. However, even this motive overlaps with ‘investment’ and/ or true ‘enthusiasm’. It’s like a package deal.
Another type of ‘status’ is a desire to appear cultured and sophisticated which can be achieved by collecting art. ‘Roman orator and educator Marcus Fabius Quintilianus questioned the motives of early collectors, suggesting they were driven only by desires to appear cultured.’
Pure enthusiasm
When it comes to art at lower price points I think the ‘luxury’ status goes down as the ‘brand’s of the artist is smaller (less known). That’s when ‘enthusiasm’ comes in as the main motive.
You might still enjoy having a controversial piece of art in your dining room to strike up interesting conversations, but you are not purely after status or investment. You are a huge art fan, love supporting emerging artists, and know your game. You might get a thrill from connecting with artists, going to their studios, and buying directly from them. Maybe you have a limited budget, but perhaps you don’t, and you just love to ‘invest’ in emerging artists even though no return on investment is guaranteed.
This is collecting in its purest form.
Function
Lastly, you might start by purchasing a piece for your living room, but you end up loving it so much that you slowly flood your house with art. Before you know it, you are no longer buying art just to fill up a space on the wall. You become a pure enthusiast, and/or you might enjoy the status and potential investment.
This might be an unconventional comparison, but for me, it was like getting a tattoo - it took me ages to decide on my first art purchase, but once I had one, I wanted more. Obviously, I didn’t end up with a body covered in tattoos, but I did end up with walls covered in art. I am trying to say that art is an addiction, and there is a certain excitement when joining the ‘invisible’ collecting club. It feels like a community, and it might even give you a sense of belonging.
Now, back to the answer my potential client gave me: ‘I want to start collecting to be more interesting’. When I meet new people, after introductory small talk about who does what for a living, the conversation often stays on the topic of art. Of all possible careers, people tend to find the ‘art’ career the most fascinating and often ask me many questions. The same happens when friends come to my house and see art on my walls - they ask questions. The art world and art itself are still a mystery for the majority of people. So yes, you definitely are more interesting.
If you want to read more about the psychology of collecting , I can recommend
There's always the building of an identity portfolio. Yes, you could call it status, but it's more like - this is what I stand for, I have voted with my dollars, it represents my values.