Art for me is a hobby, albeit an expensive one! But I can’t deny the fact that collecting is an investment. There is currently a big demand for art.
What role did art play in your childhood and teenage years? Were there any artists or collectors in your family?
Nobody in my family was art-inclined. There were neither collectors, nor artists, nothing. I think I only started to appreciate art around the time I was studying in Beijing Tsing Hua University. My major was in architecture, so perhaps that had something to do with my developed interested in art.
For you, what is art? Is it your passion, profession, addiction, or an alternative form of investment?
Art for me is a hobby, albeit an expensive one! But I can’t deny the fact that collecting is an investment. There is currently a big demand for art, with an increasing number of new galleries and auction houses, and of course, with rising prices, all this makes art an invaluable investment.
How and when did you start collecting?
I started collecting in the early 1980s, I don’t exactly remember which year. I never set out or planned to become a collector, therefore I never kept close track of it. My first purchase was a landscape painting from a local Indonesian artist.
How did you decide which artworks to collect and which direction to pursue? Was it a conscious decision or was it driven mainly by what you liked the look of?
As I said, collecting art was not something I did intentionally. It flowed naturally for me. It started with my appreciating art and, from then, I slowly began to buy works of art. I purchase works I find interesting at first sight. For example, in 1999, the Komaneka Gallery in Bali sent me a few paintings by an artist they were representing. When I saw the pictures, I was captivated, the artworks were truly unique. I bought two of them by Nyoman Masriadi. These pieces included the “Winner” and “Diet Sudah Berakhir” with the price 1,000 and 2,000 USD. That was back when Masriadi was an unknown painter. Look at him now! His works are really innovative and meaningful to me and his price now already reaches between 300,000 and 1,000,000 USD. I didn’t collect artworks intensively then, nor do I now.
How has your taste changed since you started collecting?
Honestly, I don’t have a very defined taste. If you look at my collection, you’ll see a wide variety of artworks: realism, expressionism, abstract art, cubism, contemporary art. I just try to keep up with the times and follow trends in the art world like fashion or music. I like classical music, rock, pop and even R&B.
How many artists are represented in your collection? How many artworks do you estimate you own?
I’ve never counted, but I’d say that 60% of the works I own are by Indonesian artists, 20% by Chinese and 20% others.
How important is it for you to meet the artists who have created the artworks?
Meeting and talking to the artists is very important to me. In fact, I like visiting artists when I travel around Indonesia or inviting them over to my house in Jakarta. I invited the Chinese artist Chen Wenling to my house once, when I met him at the Beijing Art Fair. I wanted him to advise me on the best location to display the 3 red sculptures which I had bought from him. We placed them by the poolside because the sculptures talk about how children feel cold and therefore it made sense for them to be near a water element. I loved how the sculptures appeared to belong there.
Where do you display most of your works? Are they publicly accessible?
My collection is on display in my house. Anyone can come to my residence to view my collection. Just contact me for an appointment.
What do you see as the main difference between other collectors’ approaches and yours?
What differentiates me from other collectors is that I have a variety of different genres in my collection. I don’t collect artworks with a specific theme or have a preference for a certain art movement. You will also find many small or emerging artists in my collection. I don’t generally go for big names, unlike many collectors who buy “safe” artworks, for investment. They collect works by the so-called “blue-chip artists”. I’m not saying that is wrong, but that is not the direction my art collection has taken.
What are your current interests?
Right now, I am focusing on promoting Indonesian art and artists. I believe Indonesia has a lot of potential: we can produce artworks of a good quality, comparable to foreign ones but much cheaper. My biggest achievement in promoting local talent was when I took 20 Indonesian artists and 40 artworks to ART PARIS in 2010. We had a great reception there and a lot of apparent interest and inquiries from galleries, museum, foundations and collectors.
Photo credit: c-artsmag.com
