What is a collector?
The great German essayist, Walter Benjamin, views collecting as an essential human trait, an experience which anchors us in our childhood memories. Archaeological discoveries have moreover demonstrated that man has been collecting since Neanderthal times. Although in the past, collections were often motivated by a desire to enhance one's prestige or demonstrate wealth and power, nowadays they are inspired by passion and a fondness for sharing. An art collector gains information from institutions (universities and museums) and art historians but distances himself voluntarily from established values through the works he selects. His collection will constitute a brief history of art, both personal and subjective, where the artists included are as significant as those left out. The collector is an indispensable player in the arts world; his preferences are often recognised when the collection eventually finds its way into a museum.
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