[Square] Taste and Insight

Kim Bora, Director of Seongbuk-gu Art Museum.

The art market is currently heading toward its greatest boom after a long slump since 2007. This is something no one could have easily predicted during the pandemic era. Artists who have endured a prolonged recession are simply amazed to see their works being sold. Yet, they also wonder how long this reality can last. As always, might it just pass by like a fleeting daydream?

Many years ago, a museum in the United States held a project called "Incognito" for several years. Hundreds of artworks were exhibited without revealing the artists' names, and all pieces were sold at a uniform price of $250. The proceeds were used as museum sponsorship funds to open channels of communication with the local community. The exhibited works were by renowned artists leading contemporary art, and if a buyer decided to purchase, the artist’s name was then disclosed to them. On one occasion, the inclusion of a drawing by a 20th-century master caused quite a stir. This exhibition was a special proposal from the museum, encouraging visitors to find their own taste without being swayed by the artist’s reputation.

People around me often show me certain artworks and ask if it’s okay to buy them. Of course, I understand the intention behind the question, but my answer is always the same: if it suits your taste.

Taste, like countless works of art, is diverse and varied. We live consuming a wide range of products, from simple handmade items to expensive luxury brands, but art exists outside that trajectory. Viewing artworks as mere luxury or speculative assets obscures pure taste, and when purchasing art, predictive data rather than personal judgment becomes the standard for consumption.

However, we must not overlook that owning a work of art is an act of recognizing its noble artistic value. Therefore, collecting art is not simply something anyone with money can do. Soon, a moment will come when insight beyond taste is required.

The renowned art dealer A. Vollard (1866?1939) held the first exhibitions for historical masters such as C?zanne, Picasso, and Matisse when they were not yet recognized. At that time, he himself was a novice dealer. He first embraced works that society had ignored and grew alongside unknown artists. His choices soon became the insight that led the era. Vollard sought to project the artist onto the artwork. He meticulously recorded the artists he met, wrote biographies of Impressionist painters, and through art books and publications, worked to introduce the artists he initially embraced with his heart to the world. Purchasing works by already well-known artists is possible with taste alone. But discovering something beyond that is the role of insight.

Returning to the current art market, there is clearly a different atmosphere. A new collector demographic is emerging, surprisingly composed of young people known as the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). Another noteworthy point is that these new collectors find greater joy in discovering themselves through artworks rather than pursuing art as a form of art-tech investment. It is heartening to see them building collections with their own individuality. Their collections demonstrate that art collecting is not just an elite hobby of a few but something any art enthusiast can enjoy.

Could this be the dawn of an era where art is read purely as art, transparently and truthfully? Taste elevates insight and creates new tastes, enriching the art ecosystem.

Kim Bora, Director of Seongbuk-gu Art Museum