As the world post-war and contemporary art market hits historic highs in terms of sales prices and volume, there has been a growing curiosity about who is buying and collecting works. Among the major contributors to the increase of the contemporary art market are Chinese [including Hong Kong] collectors. These collectors are generally classified in two groups; The First Generation and Millennials. As they begin to build seminal collections, sole attention has shifted away from traditional classical paintings, ceramics, and antiquities produced in China’s long history. Rather pivoting to works produced after World War II, including both Asian and Western pieces. This has enabled the creation of an individual reflection and interpretation of what is art within China and Hong Kong...[ Read more ]

As the world post-war and contemporary art market hits historic highs in terms of sales prices and volume, there has been a growing curiosity about who is buying and collecting works. Among the major contributors to the increase of the contemporary art market are Chinese [including Hong Kong] collectors. These collectors are generally classified in two groups; The First Generation and Millennials. As they begin to build seminal collections, sole attention has shifted away from traditional classical paintings, ceramics, and antiquities produced in China’s long history. Rather pivoting to works produced after World War II, including both Asian and Western pieces. This has enabled the creation of an individual reflection and interpretation of what is art within China and Hong Kong. The significance of this phenomena can be witnessed through how the collectors are redefining the culture of localized collections that have traditionally manifested a certain degree of “Chinese nationalism”, into an amalgamation of globalized and sophisticated content highlighting modernity in China.

The birth of contemporary art collectors in China has also led to constructing private top tier-museums, revitalizing a stagnant contemporary art market, patronizing young artists, and sharing collections with the general public through philanthropic initiatives. These developments have begun to be recognized by global institutions, academia, the general public. This study looks to explore the historical narrative and social significance of contemporary art collecting post 1980 in China and Hong Kong, through the lens of a collector. Ultimately highlighting how collectors’ unique mode to collection building, coupled with philanthropy and globalization will continue to redefine the ongoing contemporary cultural narrative in China.