A Collector's Guide to Acquiring Contemporary Art

Starting — or Deepening — Your Collection

The decision to acquire a work of art is rarely purely rational. It begins with a physical response — the feeling of being stopped in front of something, of wanting to look longer, of wanting to live with it. That feeling is the foundation of any serious collection.

But feeling alone is not enough. Here, we share some principles that guide our approach to advising collectors — whether you are buying your first piece or adding to an established collection.

Buy What You Love, Not What You Think You Should

The art market is full of received wisdom about which artists are 'important', which movements are 'significant', which works will 'hold value'. Some of this is useful. Most of it is noise. A work you love, that you want to wake up to every morning, will give you more over ten years than a 'safe' investment that leaves you cold.

Consider the Work, Not Just the Image

Images — on screens, in catalogues — rarely capture what a work is actually like. The scale, the surface, the material, the presence of an object in a room: these are things you can only experience in person. We encourage every serious collector to visit works before acquiring them.

Build a Relationship

The most satisfying collections are built through sustained relationships with galleries and artists, not through isolated purchases. When a gallery knows your taste and sensibility, it can bring you works before they are publicly available — and advise you honestly when something is not right for you.

Document Everything

Provenance — the documented history of a work's ownership — matters enormously, both for insurance and for future sale or loan. Keep your receipts, certificates of authenticity, and correspondence with the gallery. We provide full documentation with every acquisition.

To discuss building your collection, please contact us at [email protected].