22 march 2021, Oscar van Gelderen & Manuela Klerkx
Ask an Art Collector... Luuk Hoogewerf
In this section we let a selection of art lovers – from occasional buyers to art professionals – talk about their perception of art and preferences: where do they want to see art? Where do they purchase art, and above all: from which artists do they buy? Below, an interview with Luuk Hoogewerf (Cataloguer Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie’s Amsterdam, age 30)
What does art mean to you?
Art is an enrichment. Every work that hangs on the wall in our home, or is under the bed, makes me very happy. In addition, art is a fundamental part of my work as a specialist at Christie's - the largest auction house in the world.
Ben Edmunds, After the religious experience, 2020, TATJANA PIETERS.
Were you exposed to art while growing up?
My parents will of course say so, but that is certainly not the case. Visiting the Dalí Museum in Figueres while on holiday in Spain doesn't count. Art means studying and seeing a lot. I started to study art history because during my gap year I developed a special interest in modern art and the related market.
Where do you read about the latest developments in the art world?
The Art Newspaper, Artnet, The Baer Faxt and, of course, Instagram. I can completely lose myself scrolling through Instagram. However, the real ups and downs in the art world can be learned by chatting with people. Opening after opening. I consider visiting galleries, museums and fairs to be a fundamental part of my work.
Jonat Deelstra, Humide nacht, 2021, GoMulan Gallery.
Where do you prefer to look at art?
I visit museums, galleries and artists at home and abroad every week. A trained eye sees more and if you see more you can compare and judge. I prefer to go to museums and then specifically to the permanent collection presentation.
How often do you buy art each year?
Too often! I am particularly impulsive when it comes to buying art. During a visit to the "Rundgang" in Frankfurt in 2019 I bought a painting from Eric Powell - an impulsive purchase - but the work is starting to please me more and more. I prefer to buy unique works and I try not to limit myself.
Daniel van Straalen, Cowboy 5, 2019, Galerie Stigter Van Doesburg.
Where do you do your buying: in a gallery, at an art fair, at an auction or online?
What I enjoy most is buying work directly from the artists. Online also offers many outcomes. I try to follow an artist whenever possible, and never buy just one work from anyone. In addition, I am becoming more and more active at auctions. Compared to gallery purchases, the artworks I buy at auctions are bargains.
Is it important that you and your partner always agree on a purchase?
We don't necessarily have to agree - but he has to like what's on the wall at home.
Do you have a special relationship with any one gallery?
GoMulan Gallery in Amsterdam and Tatjana Pieters in Ghent. Two completely different galleries but Mulan and Tatjana both have excellent eye and great artistic vision.
If you had an unlimited budget, who would you buy a work from?
I have a huge wish list, but at the top of my list is a steel cube entitled Die (1962) by the American artist Tony Smith (1912-1980). Smith radically changed the way a sculpture can look, how it can be made and understood. After seeing this work, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2015, I understood how minimalism can affect my sense of time and space.
Who are your favourite artists?
I first saw Ben Edmunds’s work at Art Rotterdam in the Van Nelle Fabriek. The devil is in the detail.
Daniel van Straalen: I want his Mega Lamellen!
Ricardo van Eyk: What’s not to like?
Ricardo van Eyk, DECOY II, 2020, tegenboschvanvreden.
