The Art Advisers Who Help Tech Moguls Buy Masterpieces
They’re part brokers, part tastemakers and an essential hire if you don’t want to waste money on the wrong Basquiat.
Well-chosen art is the ultimate flex. The right Twombly or Basquiat on a wall telegraphs more than just taste: It implies access, wealth and an understanding of very expensive assets and how they appreciate over time. In other words, it’s exactly the type of thing to hang in a bedroom or the front hall of an Atherton manse.
But should you go Twombly—or Basquiat? Decisions, decisions. And when it comes time to make a choice, a consigliere comes in handy: Get yourself an art adviser. They’re the real estate agents of the art world—part tastemaker, part strategist—and these insiders help collectors navigate the enormous global art market. According to the “Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2024,” a leading annual white paper on the state of the global art market, impulse buying among high net worth individuals dropped from 10% in 2023 to just 1% in 2024, reflecting a trend toward careful, research-based transactions. Indeed, the sage counsel of a seasoned art adviser has never been more relevant.