BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors

Kateřina Havrlant

Collector behind the Havrlant Art Collection

Kateřina Havrlant, photography by Lucie Čálková. Photo courtesy of the Havrlant Art Collection
Kateřina Havrlant, photography by Lucie Čálková. Photo courtesy of the Havrlant Art Collection

Kateřina Havrlant contemporary art collection is accessible online. This innovative and captivating approach allows her to share her collection with a global audience, redefining the traditional methods of public access and art appreciation.

Havrlant Art Collection (HAC) is a private international contemporary art collection founded in 2015. The intention of the collection is to promote progressive art in the Czech Republic and Central Europe and to strive to set a positive example within contemporary art collecting. For collectors with a background in the online technology sector, maximum accessibility and openness in the presentation of works by the artists represented is essential. Although HAC cannot compare in size and number of artists to the largest Czech private collections, which usually cover the entire area of the 20th century, within a narrow section of progressive contemporary art of the last ten years the collection includes some of the significant works by artists from the Central and Eastern European region, thus creating a specific view of the shape of contemporary art through the eyes of collectors. Today, the collection includes a total of 180 works of art by 50 artists, most of which are presented on the website. The medium on which the collection has focused more specifically in recent years is the moving image, whose representation is still rather exceptional in private as well as public collections. Crucial to the overall nature of the collection is the work with the curator who manages the collection and is behind the initial selection of artists, as well as the personal contact between collectors and artists in their studios. The direct method of purchasing works from the artists or through private gallerists (e.g. White Cube, Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Polansky, hunt kastner, Wschód, etc.) also stands in some contrast to more traditional approaches to building collections, e.g. through auction houses.

The Havrlant Art Collection was first presented to the general public in 2022 in the space of the former Pragovka factory as part of the first edition of the Prague Art Week festival.

Valentýna Janů, Max the Wather Girl, 4K video, 11 min, in wooden frame with textile cassettes, 250 x 350 x 130 cm, 2020. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Valentýna Janů, Max the Wather Girl, 4K video, 11 min, in wooden frame with textile cassettes, 250 x 350 x 130 cm, 2020. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Cezary Poniatowski, untitled, leatherette, plywood, upholstery foam, earmuffs, staples, binoculars, 125 x 100 x 20 cm, 2023. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Cezary Poniatowski, untitled, leatherette, plywood, upholstery foam, earmuffs, staples, binoculars, 125 x 100 x 20 cm, 2023. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Tadeáš Podracký, lamp (Metamorphosis series), mixed media, plastic, textile, wood, car lights, metal, foam, 230 x 120 x 100 cm, 2020. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Tadeáš Podracký, lamp (Metamorphosis series), mixed media, plastic, textile, wood, car lights, metal, foam, 230 x 120 x 100 cm, 2020. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Zsófia Keresztes, My Dearest Enemy, ceramic mosaic, wood, hardened polystyrene, 134 x 126 x 60 cm, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Zsófia Keresztes, My Dearest Enemy, ceramic mosaic, wood, hardened polystyrene, 134 x 126 x 60 cm, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection

What inspired you to start a collection?
I've worked for Google for over 14 years, and at the time I was based in London, where we were launching Google Arts and Culture, a project to make visual art available online. Part of this was to photograph the privately owned Museum Kampa in Prague as one of the first galleries in Prague. Meda Mládková (note: legendary Czech collector and founder of Museum Kampa and the Jan and Meda Mládek Foundation) flew in for the launch, and we talked about art and what motivated her. And I asked what would make sense to collect in this modern age of the rise of new technologies, who to support? Her answer was, "Young art, dear." We discussed the fact that artists are often unfamiliar with the latest technology, unable to present themselves in an online environment. Coincidentally, I met Ján Gajdušek at Museum Kampa, where he was working at the time. We arranged a private guided tour, sat down and started talking about how to start a collection and what artists to start collecting. He compiled the first list of young artists who were still studying or were part of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award, which is the Czech equivalent of the British Turner Prize. According to him we decided which studios to go to, and one of the first artists was the painter Tomáš Predka, then we bought paintings by Vladimír Houdek through the Polansky Gallery in Prague, and the third was Klára and Igor Hosnedl.

What role/value holds the first piece of artwork you purchased?
The first works in the collection were paintings by the painter Tomáš Predka. It was essential for me to be able to visit the artists directly in their studios and have the opportunity to discuss with them their approach to art, as well as to be able to support these artists at the very beginning of their careers. So the importance of buying the first piece of work is mainly about this first identification with the art environment and realizing that this is something I am interested in supporting and being a part of.

How has collecting changed your approach to art?
I would say that collecting has opened up a whole new world for me and also an important interest in life. Gradually I started to discover the world of contemporary art, I started to visit exhibition openings, private galleries, to meet gallerists, curators and other collectors. Subsequently, I started to travel to international art fairs and exhibitions and get acquainted with the art world there, which subsequently led to the expansion of my collection from Czech and Slovak artists to Central Europe in particular. We are also gradually finding our way into established Western European galleries, and even there we are slowly trying to buy works that fit into the broader context of my collection.

Anna Hulačová, Vozataj, concrete, plaster, textile, digital print on sheet metal, 170 x 60 x 50 cm, 2017. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Anna Hulačová, Vozataj, concrete, plaster, textile, digital print on sheet metal, 170 x 60 x 50 cm, 2017. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Anna Hulačová, untitled, concrete, digital print on sheet metal, wooden table, 110 x 201 x 65 cm, 2015. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Anna Hulačová, untitled, concrete, digital print on sheet metal, wooden table, 110 x 201 x 65 cm, 2015. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Anna Uddenberg, CLIMBER (Pierced Rosebud), aqua resin, polyurethane foam, styrofoam, steel, vinyl, pleather, synthetic hair, wood, acrylic nails, crocs, faux fur, plywood, steel bracket, 160 x 280 x 170 cm, 2020, photography by Gunter Lepkowski. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Anna Uddenberg, CLIMBER (Pierced Rosebud), aqua resin, polyurethane foam, styrofoam, steel, vinyl, pleather, synthetic hair, wood, acrylic nails, crocs, faux fur, plywood, steel bracket, 160 x 280 x 170 cm, 2020, photography by Gunter Lepkowski. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection

How do you adapt your concept of collecting to future interests and needs?
My whole approach is constantly evolving, as I come into contact with new actors within the art scene, while at the same time I try to visit international art fairs, exhibitions in the Czech Republic and abroad, and through all of this I try to sharpen my view of contemporary art. At the same time, art is constantly developing dynamically, and to keep up with it, one must constantly educate oneself and devote time to art in particular. For these reasons, I work with a professional curator who not only manages the collection, but also constantly discusses its future development and direction – which artists to approach, which exhibitions to see, which fairs to attend, etc. The HAC will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, and an observer can already see in its current form and the works that have been acquired over the years what type of art we were focusing on in 2015, for example, and what we are focusing on now – there is a big difference, which is evidence of a constantly changing approach.

Do you have a personal relationship with the artists you collect? And which artists are you currently following?
Yes, if possible, I try to establish a personal relationship with the artists whose works are part of my collection. In this respect it is great to be able to visit the artists in their natural working environment, to get to know them personally and to be able to get more into the essence of their work. And who are we currently following – we have now completed several purchases from Czech and foreign authors. Perhaps the most important of these is the purchase of Klára Hosnedlova's work, which was exhibited last year at the Kestner Gesellschaft gallery in Hannover, via the White Cube gallery in London. We have also recently completed purchases resulting from my visit to Art Basel and Liste this year, where we were impressed by works of Anna Uddenberg and the Polish duo Øleg&Kaśka. In general, I now try to focus on international fairs and primarily buy young artists there. However, the intention of the collection is still the same, whether it is a Czech or any international artist, I am interested in a certain progressiveness of their expression that can be traced in contemporary art.

What is your biggest hope for the future of art and collecting?
I think that in the Czech Republic, where the gallery and collecting scene is not yet as developed as in the Western countries, the art world is currently opening up more and more to new possibilities of presenting artists to their audience, and at the same time art is increasingly perceived as a very good alternative investment, which is especially noticed by people from the business environment. Therein lies the path to new collections focusing on contemporary art, but also to support young artists and the appreciation of their work. The more and better the art market functions, the more artists from the Czech Republic will also have the chance to get into prestigious international shows. I have great confidence in the future of the young generation and I believe that the new generation of collectors and artists will find common ground and support Czech art in the international context.

Tell us three things to consider before starting an art collection.
It is essential to determine the direction I want to take as a collector. Whether the collection will be focused on contemporary art or on some of the earlier periods, and to try to frame the collection in this way and place it in a temporal and geographical context. In this way the collection can be made coherent and its focus clearly named. Many art collections are fragmented or too far apart, which ultimately makes them a difficult to grasp whole. It is also possible to create a narrow collection profile by focusing on one medium or material (painting, video art, glass, etc.) and systematically building a collection around it. It is also important to consider your financial possibilities, as money is an absolutely essential commodity when collecting art. Also, it is also important to remember that collecting is a long-term affair and if one takes it up, it usually lasts a lifetime. For these reasons, too, one should consider the spatial possibilities for storing purchased artworks over time and possibly acquire a depository.

Klára Hosnedlová, untitled (series To Infinity), stainless steel frame, cotton thread and epoxy, 300 x 120 x 65 cm, 2023. Photo courtesy of the artist, galleries Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler and White Cube. Photography by Zdeněk Porcal – Studio Flusser
Klára Hosnedlová, untitled (series To Infinity), stainless steel frame, cotton thread and epoxy, 300 x 120 x 65 cm, 2023. Photo courtesy of the artist, galleries Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler and White Cube. Photography by Zdeněk Porcal – Studio Flusser
Jakub Choma, Continual Interruption (eggeshell mind), acrylic, collage, metal, plastic, digital print, 180 x 85 x 28 cm, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Jakub Choma, Continual Interruption (eggeshell mind), acrylic, collage, metal, plastic, digital print, 180 x 85 x 28 cm, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Tadeáš Podracký, mirror from the series "Fading Reflection", 160 x 130 x 28 cm, 2021. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Tadeáš Podracký, mirror from the series "Fading Reflection", 160 x 130 x 28 cm, 2021. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection

Why did you decide to make your collection publicly accessible and what are the benefits?
My collection is publicly accessible only in the form of an online presentation, where most of the works in the collection are published. We are not planning a permanent presentation of the collection in the form of a brick-and-mortar gallery or in some other physical form. At the same time, however, once every few years, we exhibit a specially selected part of the collection (e.g. the most recently acquired works or just audiovisual works, paintings, etc.) in a temporary exhibition. As mentioned above, this has only happened once so far in 2022 at the Pragovka Gallery in Prague. The next physical exhibition of the collection is planned for 2025, which will take place on the 10th anniversary of the collection's foundation, and we will also be publishing the first printed catalog of the collection on this occasion.

How can you benefit as a collector from making your collection accessible to the public?
I am of the opinion that the possibility of a physical encounter with a work of art is still irreplaceable by any other technology. So I see the benefit in this, to give viewers the same artistic experience of the works as the collector himself. I myself see the opportunity to see a private art collection in person as in some ways a more comprehensive experience than seeing works owned by the state, for example in the National Gallery. The viewer has the opportunity to feel a certain personal input from the collector, how the work works in a different environment and context, which is determined by the personal relationship between the work and the collector. Art lovers in the Czech Republic had the opportunity to experience this, for example, at Museum Kampa, where the founder of the collection, Meda Mládková, has for a long time co-created the running of the entire museum, the exhibition programme and new acquisitions (and last but not least, she herself lived in the museum building and visitors had the opportunity to meet her personally in the premises of her collection).

Petr Dub, Lorem Ipsum, acrylic, canvas, wood, synthetic varnish, 220 x 460 cm, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection
Petr Dub, Lorem Ipsum, acrylic, canvas, wood, synthetic varnish, 220 x 460 cm, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist and Havrlant Art Collection

Go visit Havrlant Art Collection for more information.

Insiders (73)

DANIEL ZAMANI

Artistic Director at Museum Frieder Burda.

JAEMYUNG NOH

Interview with the Korean collector who has been collecting art since high school.

ISSA MASÉ

Emerging Collectors - The Ori House

Pieter and Carla Schulting

The Schulting Art Collection

KOO HOUSE MUSEUM

Exhibition venue with the theme ‚Living with Art‘

Wilhelmina Jewell Strong - Sparks

Founder of BiTHOUSE Projects - BAAR Art Journey

MATTHIAS ARNDT

Collector behind the ARNDT Collection

Sandra Guimarães

Director of Museum of Contemporary Art Helga de Alvear

Grazyna Kulczyk

Founder of Muzeum Susch

THE FAIREST

Interview with Georgie Pope and Eleonora Sutter, Co-founders

Kamiar Maleki

Director at VOLTA

Gallery Weekend Berlin 2022

Tokini Peterside

Founder and Director, ART X Lagos

Poka-Yio

Founding Director of the Athens Biennale

Boris Ondreička

Artistic Director of viennacontemporary

Maribel Lopez

Director of ARCO

David Gryn

Founder and Director of Daata

Fondation Beyeler Audiovisual Broadcast

Fondation Beyeler and Nordstern Basel present Dixon x Transmoderna

Gary Yeh

Founder of ArtDrunk and Young Collector

WATCH: The Best of the BMW Art Guide

Where will you travel next to explore art?

Maike Cruse

2020 Gallery Weekend Berlin

Touria El Glaoui

Founding Director of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair

Johann König

Messe in St. Agnes

PArt - Producers Art Platform

A crisis initiative to help artists directly affected by the pandemic

Barbara Moore

CEO of Biennale of Sydney

Unique Collector’s Item

by Independent Collectors

Alix Dana

Fair Director at Independent

When Collectors are Able to Commission

by Nicole Büsing and Heiko Klaas

Juliet Kothe and Julia Rust

Initiators of Collection Night, Berlin

Marie-Anne McQuay

Curator of Wales in Venice, 58th Venice Biennale 2019

Dorothy and Herb Vogel

Two extraordinary art collectors

Heather Hubbs

Director at NADA

Every Art Collection Needs Space

by Nicole Büsing and Heiko Klaas

Collecting Art with François Pinault

Rudolf Stingel at Palazzo Grassi

A Common Ground

by Silvia Anna Barrilà

Caroline Vos

Director at Amsterdam Art Weekend

Hidden Collections

by Nicole Büsing and Heiko Klaas

Nicole Berry

Executive Director of The Armory Show

Daniel Hug

Fair Director at Art Cologne

The Role of the Art Fair

by Silvia Anna Barrilà

Peter Bläuer

Director at LISTE

A Brush Against Nature

by Nicole Büsing and Heiko Klaas

Ilaria Bonacossa

Director of Artissima

Excessiveness, the Latent Danger of Collecting Art

by Independent Collectors

Jo Stella-Sawicka

Artistic Director at Frieze

Florence Bourgeois

Director at Paris Photo

Where Artists Can Work More Playfully

by Christiane Meixner

Specifically Commissioned

by Silvia Anna Barrilà

Manuela Mozo

Executive Director of UNTITLED, ART Miami and San Francisco

Important Museums and Private Collections

by Christiane Meixner

Susanna Corchia

Director of the Barcelona Gallery Weekend

Emilia van Lynden

Artistic Director at Unseen, Amsterdam

Carlos Urroz

Director at ARCOmadrid

Shoe Smudges Streaked Across the White Walls

by Christiane Meixner

Amanda Coulson

Director at VOLTA Basel

Douwe Cramer

Director at Singapore Contemporary

Art and Architecture – Attractive Allies

by Nicole Büsing and Heiko Klaas

Jo Baring

Curator of Sculpture Series, Masterpiece London

Bidders and Buyers

by Christiane Meixner

Anne Vierstraete

Managing Director at Art Brussels

Nanna Hjortenberg

Director at CHART

The Crucial Role of the New

by Independent Collectors

Makers and Believers

On Art History’s Most Famous Patrons

The Past is Back

And collectors are buying it up

Are Artists the Better Curators?

On the diminishing boundary between professions in the art world

The Digital Museum

On the importance of the museum’s web presence

The Man in the Middle

On the curator’s private and public engagements

A Private Matter?

On the importance of physical space for the value of art

Off the Wall

How museums contribute to the worth of artworks

Where to Go Next?

The fragmentation of Manhattan’s gallery scene

To Buy or Not to Buy

Collectors on their experiences of letting an artwork slip away

How to Pass On a Passion

On long-term challenges for new private museums