‘Collected’ is a new series of articles exploring the things we choose to curate and collect in our homes. To launch the series we met with Jennifer Higgie, Editorial Director of ‘Frieze’, to discuss approaches, agendas and advice for forming a personal art collection.
Jennifer Higgie: “There are many different kinds of collectors in the same way that there are different kinds of artists – and there are many different approaches and motivations for the collection you build. My advice would always be to expose yourself to as much work as possible and see what you’re drawn to.
“Some collectors have a small budget and develop personal, idiosyncratic collections based on works they have fallen in love with and are moved by. Others may have very serious collections that are focused on a specific medium or movement and have a very clear agenda.
“The Italian art collector Valeria Napoleone is one of the great supporters of art in London and her entire collection is developed around women artists. It’s a fantastic collection motivated by the under-representation of women artists in major collections and the desire to support their work.
“It’s wonderful to live with a work of art and it can be an incredibly enriching experience. The work that you might want in a domestic context could be very different to what you might encounter through public sculpture or major collections, and it can be a far more intimate relationship. It can also be very interesting to develop a dialogue between the art and architecture of your home.
“Frieze made a short film about artist Pablo Bronstein’s interest in eighteenth century art and his home on the east coast of Kent. It reveals the wonderful harmony between them, and a modernist house could be an ideal setting for a mid-century painting or sculpture.
“Many collectors come across new work by walking around the art fairs and speaking with the artists and gallerists involved. The gallerists at Frieze are extremely knowledgeable about the artworks they’re representing and they can provide a lot of insight and pragmatic guidance in line with specific budgets and interests.
“A lot of collectors also work with advisers to curate a collection, and they can be a brilliant entry point if you’re unsure of where to start. The art world can be quite complex to navigate if you don’t know it well, but a good adviser will be able to direct you to relevant galleries, invite you to private views, secure discounts or introduce you to the artists you might be interested in.
“From a financial perspective, the art market is incredibly volatile. Collecting art as a financial asset tends to be viewed as a very cynical approach. Sometimes the collection of a certain artwork can coincide with it being a brilliant investment – but few serious art advisers would see that as the motivating factor.
“Most advisers are more interested in curating a client’s collection around the most interesting and important artists that are working now, and that is a much broader investment.
“There has been a real boom in the establishment of private foundations in recent years with a lot of philanthropic collectors. In London, the Zabludowicz’s are great supporters of emerging artists and their gallery shows their collection in the most generous way.
“If you’re attending the Frieze Art Fair or thinking about building a collection, I’d recommend that you walk around and see what you’re interested in, keep an open mind, and talk to the gallerists.
“Most importantly, see the work in the way that the artist intended it to be seen. I wrote a piece about online art markets for the current issue of Frieze, and it is essential that the physicality of a work of art is experienced. Unless an artwork is specifically made online, you need to see it in the flesh to appreciate the qualities of the texture, scale, medium and its resonance in space.”
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