Oct 12, 20222 min read

Away from the ‘white cube’ notion: Collectors’ homes are temples to Art!

A very important element to bear in mind in today’s contemporary art world is the way art temples have been built away from museums and galleries ‘white cubes’.

Collectors are aware that art has a sublime, inspirational, and contemplative value in the context of their homes. And that this value is above and beyond any decorative function that the artwork may be given by some people. Hence collectors’ houses are often TEMPLES TO ART.

Homes turned into private temple to art also function as places where to build a legacy; an art legacy to be left in the hands of the family generations to come. Their owners have a clear vision on the knowledge base, social and educational function that their homes spread out when they share their artworks with other members of their family, with friends and humanity at large.

Moreover, in recent years there has been a democratisation and a verticalization of the collecting world. Again, a trend against the grain of the remoteness of the ‘white cube’ and its sense of snobbism and exclusivity. More people have access to art production, there is plenty of information online for them to develop a specific taste and hone it, and so much art and so many artists are on digital platforms selling at several price benchmarks that it feels non-sense to dress up and travel to attend to a live art event where the old art system is still imposing the ethics of the VIP list...as if there were only a certain type of crowd deserving to be included into the word of art buying.

At Arriere-Garde we support and promote this process of democratisation, and we are aware that the collector’s space has expanded away from the baby boomer generation; from age brackets with high disposable capital, and has reached a much younger, engaged, curious and fresh audience.

Art must be for all. Everybody should be entitled to transform their homes into PRIVATE TEMPLES TO ART!