Treasure hunters: Seven industry specialists behind the art auction block
There’s more to collecting than following markets and speculating on value appreciation. We meet the people at the heart of the action, from a veteran auctioneer to a design-fair director.
Are your walls looking a little bare? Is your furniture failing to elicit effusive praise from your dinner-party guests? Perhaps it’s time to refresh the objects with which you surround yourself. Whatever the scope or scale, collecting can be both intellectually and aesthetically satisfying. But where to start? Here, seven art and design aficionados share their perspectives on the current state of the market and what it takes to build a great collection – including where to source a megalodon.
1.
Yü-Ge Wang, the auctioneer on a bid to bring art collecting to a new generation
We speak to the woman holding the gavel at Christie’s auction house on the art of reading a room, and the thrills and spills of the auction world. Read the full story here.
2.
‘Posters are more than just images on paper.’ Susan Reinhold, the poster dealer elevating prints to fine-art status
After acquiring her first-ever vintage poster more than three decades ago, Reinhold has been on a mission to revamp the image of the printed medium. Read the full story here.
3.
Thinking of starting your own art collection? Design Miami CEO Jen Roberts has some tips for you
The CEO behind the world’s premier collectable-design platform shares her insights on the future of the market, and collecting for the love of art rather than as an investment. Read the full story here.
4.
Art advisor Yuki Terase on how to build a great collection in the digital age
The powerhouse art advisor who set a new benchmark in the sale of contemporary Asian art at Sotheby’s outlines shifting trends in the art world and finding value in historical narratives. Read the full story here.
5.
Antiquities collector James Perkins invites guests at Parnham Park to holiday among dinosaur fossils
The UK collector is restoring Dorset’s 16th-century manor house after a fire in 2017 destroyed the property, transforming it into a hospitality destination where ancient creatures take centre stage. Read the full story here.
6.
Anthony Gallery founder Easy Otabor on his cross-genre approach to collecting artwork
For the Chicago-based gallerist and collector, collecting is an act of ‘building bridges’ between creative disciplines – as well as artists and communities. Read the full story here.
7.
Collector by chance: How Pertti Männistö became one of the world’s most accomplished Alvar Aalto archivists
For the Finnish furniture collector, staying true to his interests and following his instincts was the key to amassing a collection even larger than Finland’s Alvar Aalto Museum. Read the full story here.
Collecting calendar
In cities from Copenhagen to Kanazawa, the coming months offer both seasoned and budding collectors unmissable opportunities to pick up their next great piece. Here’s our pick of the art fairs, design festivals and auctions that you should clear your diary for.
JUNE
Copenhagen
3daysofdesign
Northern Europe’s most significant design festival encourages collectors to take a thoughtful approach with this year’s motto, “Make this moment matter”. Cycle between venues, stopping off for the odd kanelsnegl, to make the most of all that Copenhagen has to offer.
3daysofdesign.dk
New York
Phillips Modern & Contemporary Art Auction
Phillips’s flagship contemporary sale is the prime hunting ground for postwar masters and fresh discoveries.
phillips.com
Basel
Art Basel
The original Art Basel event continues to be a central meeting point for the art world every June. As well as checking out almost 300 galleries, make time for satellite fairs Liste and Volta.
artbasel.com
JULY
Saint-Tropez
PAD Saint-Tropez
The French Riviera debut of pad design fair will fill Place des Lices with about 20 top galleries showcasing both historical and contemporary works.
padesignart.com
SEPTEMBER
Rio de Janeiro
ArtRio
The 16th edition of ArtRio offers a comprehensive introduction to the burgeoning Latin American art market.
artrio.com
OCTOBER
London
Frieze London & Frieze Masters
As autumn arrives, Frieze London and Frieze Masters will bring together contemporary artists, collectable objects and historic masterpieces.
frieze.com
Paris
Design Miami Paris
The French capital will be a key destination for collectors in autumn, when this fair – timed to overlap with Art Basel Paris – opens in L’hôtel de Maisons.
designmiami.com
NOVEMBER
Dubai
Dubai Design Week
The Middle East’s most important design event has a focus on installations and commissions from the region.
dubaidesignweek.ae
Lagos
ART x Lagos
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, West Africa’s buzziest art fair has a multidisciplinary programme spanning music, film, design, art and literature.
artxlagos.com
Kanazawa
Kogei Art Fair Kanazawa
The 10th edition of Japan’s only art fair dedicated to crafts gathers 42 galleries showing contemporary work from the country and beyond.
kogei-artfair.jp
Further reading:
The art of collecting, and why people do it
Art collecting in the age of artificial intelligence
The London art director collecting Earth’s rarest sculptures: Meteorites
