Some collect according to a theme, some concentrate on the setting they have. For others, ’name dropping’ is more important. I find it interesting to observe how a collector’s character is reflected in his or her collection.
What role did art play in your childhood and teenage years? Were there any artists or collectors in your family?
No, I have no background in art; my interest just began to develop one day. I started to engage with it more and to visit museums and galleries. My interest in art was the result of individual initiative.
What influenced you to take up an interest in the arts?
As I mentioned, I started to engage with art more by looking at art-related things; and by meeting other collectors. I began to realize that collecting was feasible. It was a process that arose out of itself; it cannot be narrowed down to a specific moment in time.
How did you get to know other collectors?
I got to know a number in Basel, almost directly on my doorstep. There are a number of good museums, and many collectors and art fairs in the area. I was therefore able to socialize in these circles and to build up an art-network. That was only possible due to my geographical situation.
For you, what is art? Is it your passion, profession, addiction, or an alternative form of investment?
Art can become an addiction. But for me, it is the intellectual analysis of an artwork which is the most important. The essence which I can draw out of the work and what it comes to mean for me personally is also very important. It is, indeed, also an addiction. Of course, due to my background in economics, I am also interested in how the art market functions. My art collecting is not determined by financial interest, even though I do like the stable value of an artwork. But I don’t see collecting as your typical investment. I see it rather as my hobby, seeing as I don’t have any other major ones.
How actively do you take part in the public art scene? Are you a member of any boards, institutions or networks of friends of a museum?
I regularly visit exhibitions and art fairs and have a lot of artist friends and connections in the art world. I am also an active member of the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie Berlin (Friends of the National Gallery) and of the board of Freunde der Kunsthalle Basel (Friends of Kunsthalle Basel).
Do you use this network in any particular way?
I use it mostly to gather information and to look at artworks. There is actually quite a varied exchange between collectors, gallery owners and artists. Obviously the focus is on art: where to find something new. At art fairs it is more about finding and purchasing artworks.
How and when did you start collecting?
Since getting into art more, my interest has increased exceedingly. By visiting exhibitions and reading more about art I have managed to develop an expert view and opinion. I tend to automatically create a pattern with which to analyze art; one which, in my case, includes collecting.
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?
It is difficult to say where choice begins and desire ends. Contemporary and Abstract Art are the genres that are the most represented in my collection. I mostly own paintings and sculptures.
How has your taste changed since you started collecting?
For me, it was a very personal process. But it definitely hasn’t ended yet. Aesthetics play a role. Aesthetics… are you still allowed to call it that, since the term is so loaded? Still, for me, it is statement one has to make for oneself. Everyone should consider their interests, their tastes, whether it is more about the meaning of a work or, for example, the historical aspect of art.
How many artists are represented in your collection? How many artworks do you think you own?
I would guess there are around 20 artists and approximately 60 artworks in my collection; with two or three bigger ones and there will be new ones added every year.
What was the first artwork you purchased and what motivated you to buy it? Do you still own it?
I bought my first artwork about six years ago at an art fair in Basel. It’s a work by the Berlin artist Christian Awe and hangs on a wall in my private space. I did, however, already own a couple of editions and print graphics before this.
Who are the star artists and artworks in your collection?
I am not particularly interested in these sorts of things. I don’t purchase from the top ten artists. But to name a few I would go for Kenneth Noland, Katharina Grosse and Thomas Struth. In my opinion, I find it quite boring, the idea of advertising your collection by ‘name dropping’. It is so removed from the philosophy behind my collecting.
How important is it for you to meet the artists who created the artwork?
Most of the time, you meet the artist first and then you get to ‘know’ the artwork. I like it when that happens. Although getting to know the artist could, in some cases, be interesting, it is not an essential criterion. It does also happen that I don’t know the artist, but only the artwork.
How do you decide which artworks to purchase? Do you consult an advisor, rely on other’s opinions or do you choose works purely on your own?
The choice is entirely my own and it is important for me to know the market, even sometimes the artist. It is actually me who gives advice to other people: they rely on my opinion. If the purchase were, however, to be an investment, then I would probably have to consult an advisor.
What is the main motivation behind your collecting?
For me, collecting does not necessarily mean you want to own something; rather it gives me the opportunity of being confronted with art on a daily basis. I am therefore always trying to establish correlations within my collection. For me, collecting is a very personal thing. It has no decorative purpose, nor do I aim to make it the biggest collection of such an artist or theme.
Where do you display your works? Are they publicly accessible?
Some of the artworks are displayed in my home; some at my parents’, family’s or friends’. At the moment, Michael Sailstorfers’ “Wohnen mit Verkehrsanbindung” is publicly visible. It is placed on the way from my house to Basel – between countryside and city. Hopefully, this place will be used to display other artworks every two years.
What other contemporary collections have you visited?
I have seen many of my friends’ collections and some of other collectors, some unknown and some more famous, such as Christian Boros’ and Wilhelm Schürmann’s, whom I know well.
What do you see as the main difference between their approach and yours?
Some collect according to a theme, some concentrate on the setting they have. For others, ’name dropping’ is more important. I find it interesting to observe how a collector’s character is reflected in his or her collection. But there is no one with whom I would want to swap collections.
