“Many people promise never to sell works they own” – Kommersant FM

Kommersant FM columnist Dmitry Butkevich talks about what guides art market participants when buying works of art.

Back in 1990, the world’s most famous art portal ARTnews began publishing an annual list of the 200 best collectors. At that time, the art world was at a turning point in collecting. In the late 1980s, prices at auctions rose to record levels. In the early 90s there was a recession – then a rise again.

Experts now note that every year more and more people around the world are buying works of art. This raises the question: when exactly do they become “top collectors” and enter the top 200? Here’s what some representatives of the collecting community responded…

“There are as many definitions of a collector as there are collectors,” says Jarl Mohn, whose collection is known for the work of American masters, with an emphasis on emerging artists from Los Angeles.

According to Anita Blanchard, “all that matters is that the collection ultimately reflects the collector’s authentic journey through the world of art.”

And here is another American, Barbara Hamsun: “I think a common misconception about the so-called “art collector” is that this is a person who continues to buy even when he runs out of walls.”

For Pamela Joyner, the main thing is to be reasonable. “Being a collector in the fullest and noblest sense of the word includes advocacy, purchasing works at critical moments, exhibiting works to key sections of the public, active lending and donations, encouraging scholarships and, of course, the ability to withdraw from your collections, some parts of it.”

Many, by the way, promise never to sell works they own. At the same time, others believe that collecting should be more dynamic and flexible, allowing it to take risks on untested artists and support new styles. In general, as you can see, collectors do not clearly answer the question of how to get into the top 200.