We sat down with Jörn Wiemann, to learn about his passion for collecting works by emerging artists, plus his advice for new collectors.
An avid art collector for the past twenty years, Jörn Wiemann has a passion for collecting works by emerging artists.
Living in Hamburg, Jörn has long supported the arts – working closely as a Patron of the Affordable Art Fair Hamburg Emerging Artist Exhibition and as a supporter of Millerntor Gallery. He has a collection of over one hundred pieces – many of which are emerging artists.
Read on to find out more, along with Jörn’s tips for first time collectors:
Up-and-coming artists often approach the creative process without bias. They haven’t been influenced by the art market so tend to experiment freely. I love that emerging artists present their work as a sort of “first love”, they’re excited and happy when viewers are interested in their work. When you meet an artist at the beginning of their career, it is very exciting and satisfying to watch them develop and see how they evolve over time. It’s like a rocket launching into space, that’s the most exciting part of the flight, right?
When a collector acquires a piece from a young artist, they are also recognising their talent and encouraging them to continue, which fosters a really nice relationship. There is also the benefit of works being more affordable at the start of their careers. Hopefully, later, they will become a sought-after name, with their works increasing in value.
I’m not drawn to a particular style of art; it would be really difficult for me to name just one. Basically, I like works that appeal to me, surprise me, tell a story, prompt an emotional reaction and challenge me to deal with it accordingly. My collection is wide, it ranges from collages to paintings and photographs.
I can hardly imagine living without art in general, so to select one-piece that I am dependent on is a challenge. I like all the works in my collection because it’s an essential part of my purchase process – I wouldn’t buy anything I didn’t like. There are however a few pieces that stand out, which are by my favourite artists; Linn Schröder, Nadine Wölk, Isabell Kamp, Berend Strik and Thorsten Passfeld.
I think the collector plays a couple of serious roles, which make them important – on the one hand, they contribute economically to the artists livelihood, but that shouldn’t be their primary role. Over time, a collector can become a critic, a sparring partner, a motivator, even a mediator between an artist and gallery owner, the door opener. In short, they are a fan, buyer, critic, friend, promoter, mediator and motivator.
Visiting art fairs and exhibitions is a great opportunity to surround yourself with great art. To let yourself drift and absorb, to educate yourself, to debate with other art lovers (artists, collectors, gallery owners), to catch up with friends and make new ones. At international art fairs, I especially like discovering what artists and galleries from other countries are creating.
That’s a difficult question, but I would say – stay curious, educate yourself, go to annual exhibitions at art academies and universities and discover new talents. At art fairs, look for galleries and exhibitions which are dedicated to the next generation of creative talent.
Thanks Jörn! Roll on the next Affordable Art Fair as we just can’t wait to explore the Emerging Artist or Young Talent exhibition! If you’re as excited to start supporting emerging artists as we are, keep an eye out for announcements on our fair pages, or sign up to the newsletter to be the first in the know.
Alternatively, if you need some more time to ponder exactly what style of artwork is ‘you’ – read our blog just for this occasion – just follow the link below.
Main Image:
Ceramic works by Isabell Kamp.
Featured art from first to last:
Emerging artist collector, Jörn Wiemann.
Collaborative work by Ki Yoon Ko and Igor Maier.
Self portrait by Jivan Frenster.