How important is having the title of being a “collector” to you?

A title is not important at all - it merely delivers a description to understand what „one“ has interest in and for others to relate to it in a communication & emotional perspective. It is not an indication for „status“ nor „wealth“ - at least in my case. It simply describes my focus on art collecting, just like the word „artist“ stands for a focus on „creating“ art works of different kinds and the word „gallery“ stands for representation, selling, marketing (of artists and their art works) to collectors, collections and museums.

Does your collection follow a specific theme or particular artists?

My interest in life is inspired by a multitude of things with a 360° approach and so is the art collection. Not to forget we all change our perspectives and develop over time into other directions with new and different interest. This goes for all our private life as much as it goes for our work and professional life. All these facts do have a strong influence on collecting art and it is reflected within an art collection. I often hear from visitors that the sheer amount and variations of art works is overwhelming but somehow it aesthetically fits together and combines an untied energy and aura that people enjoy very much - the collection has about 400 to 600 Visitors a year.

Do you have a personal relationship with the artists you collect?

I have a personal relationship with some artists but this is on a professional level mostly. An artist needs to focus freely on creating. To keep a somewhat „neutral“ position in an artists life (as an art collector) is something I cherish more - it ensures that everyone can keep a free position in thinking, defending and changing craft, technics, views and ideologies. An artist can not be friends with every collector his work is sold to - and a collector can not be friends with every artist he buys work from. I do not see why it is necessary - the art work is the ambassador of the artist. I think it is beautiful to keep a certain mystery about an art work or an artist. We do not have to know everything and we do not have to be to close. However there are some exceptions even in my life - I was friends with some artists before they became artists and before I collected them - and it is even more challenging because you want to protect that friendship while collecting art and you want to protect the person creating it.

Is there an artwork that you love but can’t live with due to size, medium, or value?

My drive is to discover beautiful art works that I could possibly live with - it is not a main objective to just own an art work and never see it, which of course would be the case with an art work that can be a challenge as far as size or medium. However once again I contradict myself because I have art works that are in storage and that are currently not on display, simply because I don’t have the space for them. But eventually as the collection rotates, their time to shine will come and as always I can hardly wait to rediscover. As far as value - we kindly ask visitors to not take photos of art works and we rarely (during a tour) communicate value. As far as size - bigger does not always mean better - why not collect smaller works that you can actually hang in your surrounding.

In your opinion, what mistakes do young collectors make? And what mistakes did you make when first starting on your collecting journey?

Patience is a virtue - this is even more important if you are trying to understand who you are and what art it could be you possibly like.
There could be a major difference between buying blue chips, names and top line NFTs or „Crypto“ art were „performance“ is more important than an art collector just collecting what he likes and feels. There is a multitude of organizations and advisories that are trying to predict the future of collecting and artists but you will never have a guarantee. Nothing is as unpredictable as the modern & contemporary art market especially since this field is now also talking about „trends“ and being monitored like a stock market. There is nothing wrong with it if this is the way you prefer - but another way can be that you as an individual make individual choices. Not based on anything else but your mind, heart and quality. History has shown that this can create wonderful art collections too.

How has the attitude to collecting changed since you began?

I am more calm now. Life has shown to me that what you desire most will come to you one way or another, if you are supposed to have it and of course when you at least expect it. An art collection has a natural gravity that will attract works without doing anything. And its always good to learn how to say „No“.

Which publicly accessible private collection would you recommend visiting?

A visit of the Boros Collection in Berlin is always a good idea and Kunstverein „Montez“ in Frankfurt has an amazing private collection of works that in their unique setting is always amazing to visit.