Colecionismo de arte moderna e contemporânea no Brasil: um estudo

Abstract

This research was motivated by the interest in studying the role of contemporary and modern art collectors in the Brazilian fine art system. The subject of this work is private art collecting, carried out by individuals unrelated or not officially tied to any public institution and who acquire art works based on personal choices and interests. Throughout the research, it was verified that the Brazilian art system has become increasingly complex in the past 25 years, and also that definitions of the terms art collector and art collecting no longer admit fixed ideas or the meanings that had been attributed to them. The revaluation of the concepts already established and existing definitions was necessary for proper adjustment of the terms to the current scenario of national art system. We consider the works of art acquired through voluntary exchange relationships between economic agents – be them artists, collectors, gallery owners, art dealers, or auctioneers - , which were the object of our attention throughout the chapters, as elements involving the studied relationship. The works were developed through the characterization of several ways of acquiring and accumulating art works: patronage, treasure gathering or true art collecting, the latter being the true focus of this research. Ten interviews were made with ten art collectors who were willing to share their experiences. The contribution of each of them allowed us a better understanding of their motivations, strategies and ideas related to the act of collecting art.