The Beauty of Collecting

Most art dealers/consultants/gallerists would probably tell you that if they had it their way (and an unlimited budget) they would spend all their time on the collector’s side of the table. Collecting for passion and love is rewarding on so many levels. Of the tangible and material objects that we gather throughout life, none infuse our souls as much as art. 

A vibrant ‘Bunny Wall’ in Hunt Slonem’s studio.

There are multiple directions from which one can approach collecting, from pictures or paintings of things that bring us joy or evoke memories, to supporting local and emerging artists, to creating a design and aesthetic within which we live, to investing and ultimately becoming a patron of the arts. There is, however, one rule above all others to which most artists, dealers, and collectors abide – buy what you love.

Prices and investments aside, art is the subjective expression of one individual or collective; a tangible vision of their mind and ideas. The collector can only viscerally connect with that which speaks to them personally, regardless of the opinion of others. It takes time and patience to learn one’s own wants and tastes. Advice from friends and experts; and exposure, education and immersion, will only enhance the experience. When it comes to art, beauty and meaning are truly in the eye of the beholder. This is a simple tenet that is at the core of DTR Modern Galleries and its consultants first and foremost.

Annie Oakley, screenprint by Andy Warhol, in a collector’s home.