Home is Where the Art is: Carl Wilhelm Hirsch

Carl joined Affordable Art Fair Stockholm back in early 2021 as our Fair Director, but his journey with us actually began in 2013 when he attended as an eager visitor, spurred on by a love for art that started in early childhood. During this first visit, he found the piece that would start his art collection, which has been growing ever since.

We took a tour around Carl’s home to get to know a little bit more about his personal art style, and what his cherished pieces mean to him.

HEY CARL, WHICH PIECE MEANS “HOME” TO YOU?

Home for me is not just any one piece, it’s the collection as a whole. I bought my first piece as an adult 11 years ago, but I can still remember the pride when my parents let me choose a print for my own room when I was a kid. The feeling I get today is still reminiscent.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE ART PIECES FOR EACH ROOM IN THE HOME?

I rarely buy for any specific room, much to the dismay of my wife. I buy with my heart and try to find places for each piece to go. 

This forces an evolution in the home, as the entrance of one piece creates a chain reaction that moves other pieces in the process.

WHICH PIECE IS YOUR PERSONAL FAVOURITE?

I get this question a lot, and it’s a very emotional question. To me, there are many categories of favourites. I associate all of my pieces with the moment I first saw them, or when I got them. They all give me a different feeling and help me connect with who I was at a point in time. 

This helps to track growth, maturity and more. But, if I have to be specific, it would be a piece I bought by Makode Linde at the Affordable Art Fair Stockholm in 2021 – my first year as Director.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY HANG ART IN THEIR HOMES?

Start hanging today. Hang the art where you know you will see it. 

There are so many benefits to looking at art on a daily basis. It reduces stress and anxiety (much needed when you’re a father of two!), enhances your creativity and, most importantly, boosts your mood.

These are just a few thoughts. Once you have a feeling for your art, you can start the process of re-hanging and re-arranging, and you will start to look for new pieces to go with the art you have. 

The more you consider, the better you will become.

WHEN LOOKING FOR A NEW PIECE, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA?

Do I love it? By far my most important criterion. I am the person who is going to look at it. 

If it’s an artist who is just starting an artistic career, I also enjoy it a lot because I can then follow the artist for some time, see the way the artistic expression develops, and perhaps continue to buy from the artist in the future. 

I wish I had even more art at home. If you have a partner who also enjoys art, it isn’t just up to you. It can be very intimate to buy a piece together. It can help you grow closer and discover new things about the way you see things together.

Thank you Carl for the great tips! We couldn’t agree more that it’s always an amazing, addictive experience to buy your first piece, not to mention how lovely it is to grow your collection with your loved ones at home.

Visit us at Affordable Art Fair Stockholm October 2 – 6 at Nacka Strandsmässan, and you might just find that perfect piece to kick-start your very own art collection. We’d love to see you there!

Photos credited to Gustaf Svanberg