Collecting Without the Gallery: Art as Conversation

Most people approach art collecting with one of two mindsets. The first is investment: what's going to appreciate? The second is decoration: what will look good above the sofa? Both are valid. Neither captures the real value of living with art.

We spoke with one of our art consultant partners, who has spent two decades advising collectors across Asia, about why the most interesting collectors aren't motivated by returns or aesthetics. They're motivated by conversation.

The Conversation Piece, Literally

"The most rewarding part of my work isn't helping people buy art. It's watching what happens after they hang it. A piece on the wall changes the dynamics of a room. Guests notice it. They ask about it. They share an opinion. And suddenly you're having a conversation about creativity, about culture, about what moves you, that you'd never have had otherwise.

"That's the real value of collecting. Not the object. The conversations it generates. Every piece in your home is a doorway to a story. Where you found it. Why it caught your attention. What it means to you. These are the kinds of stories that create connection between people."

Starting Without the Gallery

"I always tell new collectors: don't start at a gallery. Galleries are wonderful, but they can be intimidating if you're not sure what you're looking for. The pressure to buy, the gallery assistant hovering, the sense that you should know more than you do.

"Instead, start at art fairs. Singapore has several excellent ones. Art SG is the obvious starting point. Walk the entire fair before you even consider buying. Look at everything. Notice what makes you stop. Notice what makes you feel something, not what you think you should like, but what actually moves you.

"Your eye develops through looking, not through reading. Spend six months looking at art with no intention to buy. By the end of that period, you'll know what you respond to. And that self-knowledge is the foundation of a collection that actually means something to you."

The Asian Art Market

"Southeast Asia is one of the most exciting art markets in the world right now. The talent coming out of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand is extraordinary. Prices are still accessible for emerging and mid-career artists. And the work has a vitality and specificity that you don't always find in more established markets.

"Singapore is the hub for all of this. The gallery scene in Gillman Barracks, the annual fairs, the private collections that open their doors periodically. There's an infrastructure here for collecting that didn't exist ten years ago.

"For someone starting out, I'd recommend focusing on Southeast Asian contemporary art. You'll find work that challenges you, that teaches you about the region you live in, and that will almost certainly appreciate over the next decade. But appreciation should be the bonus, not the reason."

Building a Collection That Tells a Story

"The best collections aren't defined by a single artist or medium. They're defined by a point of view. They tell you something about the person who assembled them.

"When I work with a new collector, I start by asking questions that have nothing to do with art. What do you read? Where have you travelled? What keeps you awake at night? The answers inform the collection. Because a collection should be a reflection of your curiosity, not a replication of someone else's taste.

"Some of my favourite collections include pieces that would never appear in the same gallery. A traditional ink painting next to a contemporary installation. A photograph from the 1970s beside a sculpture made last year. The juxtaposition is the point. It creates tension, surprise, and conversation."

Art and Community

"There's a natural affinity between art collecting and community building. Collectors tend to be curious people. They tend to appreciate beauty. They tend to have opinions and enjoy sharing them.

"Some of the most interesting conversations I've had in my career have happened not in galleries but in people's homes, standing in front of a piece that means something to them, listening to them explain why.

"That's what art does at its best. It gives us a reason to talk to each other about things that matter. And in a world where most professional conversation is transactional, that's worth more than any investment return."