Imperative Advice For Starting Your Art Collection

We gathered some experts and asked them for advice on starting an art collection.

The Walls Of The Tat HQ

Starting an art collection is a rich and rewarding pursuit beyond mere aesthetics. It fosters a deep connection with cultural history and acts as a valuable tool for individual expressionism. Here at Tat, we clearly have a vested interest. But even before I started Tat art was of huge importance to me. The first picture I bought was with my sister. We were at a junk shop, and we found this oil painting of a bunch of flowers. I can't say we uncovered a van Huysum but to us it was sublime. When we moved into our flat together, it was the first piece to grace our walls, and now, over a decade on, it still hangs in the home of my sister, exuding the same beauty that we saw in it all those years ago.

Since then, I have collected many different pieces of art, the majority go on sale at Tat but there are a fair few that stay in my home. Each piece is important to me, not because of their perceived value but for the joy I gain from its composition, history and, in many instances, the way it lights up my home.

I can agree that this may not be the most fiscally prudent way to start a collection, but it does mean your walls are colourful, distinctive and full of heart. To get a more rounded opinion and variety of tips, we asked the curators below what they suggest when starting an art collection.

Huge thanks to Kiszely Fine Art, Wondering People, Partnership Editions, Jenna Burlingham Gallery and McCully & Crane.