For the younger generation, the responsibility to manage the art collections of their parents can feel like a heavy burden. It’s that same generation that finds joy in the simpler things in life.

Anders Petterson and I discuss this in the latest episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, now ...available on YouTube and Spotify.

Many in London are looking forward to the arrival of the @vam_east, which is slated to open in April 2026. But this raises the question: as keepers of objects that are significant to diverse cultures across time, who exactly are museums for?

I was pleased to read in the @guardian recently ...that this was a deep consideration for Gus Casely-Hayford, the museum’s inaugural Director. He shares that he’s keen for the museum to attract Gen Z audiences and ignite their creativity, stating that there are “lots of young people who are full of that creative passion, but they don’t necessarily feel at home in museums.”

In an age where young people are lamenting the loss of a third space (a familiar public or community space to socialise and connect with others) museums will find themselves poised to bring people from all walks of life together – as long as these institutions find ways to welcome mainstream audiences. I strongly believe that museums need to seize this opportunity to unite young people over shared passions in culture and history, and play their part in cultivating a new generation of creatives.

Do you feel similarly? If not, what other roles do you think museums should play in society?

Source: The Guardian

#ArtMuseum #ThirdSpaces #GenZ

Luxury collectibles have surged over the past few years — but do they truly function as long-term investments?

According to ArtTactic CEO Anders Petterson, transparency may be the key difference between the luxury goods market and the art market. We explore this rise in collectibles and ...what it means for investors on this week’s episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Find the full episode on YouTube and Spotify now.

France in the autumn is always a sight to behold, and I was very pleased to have visited my dear friend, French artist Michal Korman @korman.artist, at his home studio in Joigny.

What has long excited me about Michal’s art is his distinct style, rendering eye-catching graphic-style ...scenes of flowers and nature in oil paint. His canvases portray snippets of everyday life, be it a cream-and-teal vase, filled with plush orange blooms, atop a stack of books or a serene view of verdant bamboo forest, as viewed through a moon gate.

Another thing I admire about Michal is his penchant for soaking in new cultures and incorporating them into his artworks. After spending considerable time in Japan, he developed a deep respect for the Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock print) genre, which remains a wellspring of creative inspiration for him.

His work never fails to remind me of the beauty that can arise from the synthesis of Eastern and Western artistic cultures. Michal even kindly painted a portrait of me – swipe to the very last post to get a glimpse.

#PearlLam #ContemporaryArt #Painting

Multiple access points — from originals to prints and limited editions — are opening doors for new collectors to enter the art market in ways that feel both accessible and intentional.

I spoke with ArtTactic CEO Anders Petterson about how this tiered approach can reshape buyer ...behaviour on this week’s episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Listen or watch now on YouTube and Spotify.

For the next generation of art audiences, the Old Markets still hold immense appeal – particularly thanks to their profound narratives.
But as ArtTactic CEO Anders Petterson notes, the challenge lies in communicating these stories in ways that resonate with younger buyers.

We ...discuss the future of engagement on this week’s episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, now available on YouTube and Spotify.

Openly sharing that profits have dropped to roughly 10% of last year’s levels, recent headlines from David Zwirner and Hauser & Wirth have surprised many in the art world with their candour.

On this episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, I’m joined by ArtTactic CEO Anders Petterson to ...unpack what this moment of transparency signals for the market.

Culture is more crucial now than ever. And if it doesn’t resonate with younger audiences, arts institutions and entire ecosystems will pay the price. It’s another generational shift we’re seeing in the art market today – one that affects public and private collections, and even the ...presentation of culture.

I unpacked all of this with my guest this week on The Pearl Lam podcast, ArtTactic CEO Anders Petterson. Catch the full episode on YouTube and Spotify now

My recent visit to the ‘Nigerian Modernism’ exhibition at the @tate Modern left me in profound admiration of the practitioners from the West African country. Curated by @oseibonsu_ , the show exhibited the works of over 50 artists who pushed the limits of what art could look like in the decades... before and after British colonial rule.

What took my breath away was the sheer scope of cultural roots and lived experiences on display, with artists drawing from their time in places such as Zaria, Ibadan, Lagos and Enugu, as well as London, Munich and Paris. With works depicting everything from realism and portraiture, mythology and everyday life, it was enriching to see how different artists blended Nigerian, African and European techniques and traditions to create their own distinct, culturally resonant styles.

While the exhibition offered a deeply fascinating, and quite likely, necessary glimpse into the practices that created the foundations for modern art in Africa, I can’t help but wonder: will we ever be able to move beyond using Western precepts – such as that of modernism – to frame and understand artistic cultures from the rest of the world?

‘Nigerian Modernism’ at the Tate Modern runs till 10 May 2026.

#PearlLam #AfricanArt #NigerianArt #TateModern

King’s College London has come out with new research affirming what many of us have personally experienced: that the visual arts has an immediate, positive impact on the body.

The university’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) found that the cortisol levels... of participants, who viewed original masterpieces by Manet, Van Gogh, and Gaugin in the Courtauld, fell by an average of 22% – as compared to eight percent for the group that viewed artwork reproductions. 

This creates a series of fascinating implications. Firstly, this proves that viewing original art can reduce our body’s’ key stress hormone. This means that viewing art is more than a cultural or emotional experience, but one that has the potential to improve our physical health. Not only could this provide a solution for healthcare systems looking to promote stress management in patients, but it could also encourage countries to consider learning from Switzerland, where doctors prescribe visits to art galleries and museums to patients with certain health conditions.

Secondly, studies like this could help quantify an artwork’s value beyond just sales prices or deeming masterpieces ‘priceless’ – furthering advocating for the necessity of widespread art appreciation and education in society.  

While the research has yet to be peer-reviewed, it’s certainly interesting to consider how embedding the arts into everyday life could improve society’s mental well-being at large. 

#ArtEducation #Wellness

Source: King’s College London and Reuters

What a thrill it was to be back in Shanghai for the 11th edition of @westbundartfair.

I’m overjoyed to have exhibited the thought-provoking works by Alimi Adewale, Mr Doodle, Leonardo Drew, Damian Elwes, Michal Korman, Ni Zhiqi, Su Xiaobai, and Zhu Jinshi at my booth, and to have ...connected with old acquaintances and new faces. With this year also marking British luxury brand @dunhill’s debut collaboration with the fair, it’s undeniable that fashion and the visual arts make great bedfellows.

Boasting a long, historic legacy of bridging east and west, this glittering city has long captured my heart. And it’s always affirming to see gallerists, industry experts, and art connoisseurs flock here year after year to exhibit and admire the best of modern and contemporary art.

#PearlLam #FriezeLondon #FriezeWeek #ContemporaryArt #ArtFair

This week on The Pearl Lam Podcast, I sit down in London with Anders Petterson, founder and CEO of @arttactic, to discuss the shifting landscape of the art world.

With an early career in banking that eventually led to the world of contemporary art, Anders offers a unique perspective on how... the market has transformed over the past 25 years and why this moment is a turning point for many galleries.

We talk about the pressures surrounding major art fairs like Frieze and Art Basel, the effects of global uncertainty, and the widening divide between mega-galleries and emerging spaces. Our conversation also reflects on sustainability, risk, and which art ecosystem model can endure in the years to come.

Massive thank you to Anders for such an insightful and honest discussion!

Watch the full preview now, and catch the complete episode on YouTube and Spotify.

What makes us cultural beings? And what shapes the way we experience art?

For art critic Ben Luke, our encounters with art, ideas, and history all accumulate over time, forming the cultural lens through which we see the world. It’s this constant exposure to ideas that shapes who we ...become.

In this episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, Ben and I explore how context, experience, and curiosity inform the way we understand art today.

Watch the full episode now on YouTube and Spotify.

Collecting art has always brought individuals immense feelings of pride. Sometimes, that stems from the genuine joy of acquiring something you’ve been eyeing for years, at other times, the exclusivity of having something that others can no longer own. But how would you feel about co-owning a ...single artwork with hundreds, or even thousands, of other people?

This is exactly what investor Thomas S. Kaplan is seeking to do with his collection of Dutch and Flemish Old Masters paintings. Best known for owning more Rembrandt paintings than any other private collector, Kaplan’s considering fractionalising his collection and offering them as stocks on a public stock exchange. 

On one hand, optimists might view this as a step towards making art collecting accessible to a larger consumer base  – especially since Rembrandt works have been sold for prices anywhere between just under 1 billion GBP to 20 million GBP.  Alternatively, sceptics might fixate on how the economics of this practice might devalue the painting. However, there’s also the practical concern of who would be responsible for coordinating and paying for complex matters like maintenance, insurance, and storage costs. 

Now, I’m curious to know: if someone offered you a chance to own a part of one of the world’s most iconic artworks – be it a Van Gogh, a Monet, or a Frida Kahlo – how many of you would jump at the opportunity?

Image Credit: Christie’s

#ArtCollecting #OldMasters #Rembrandt

With @westbundartfair – one of Shanghai’s most iconic art fairs – opening today, I can’t stop thinking about some statistics from the recent @artbasel and @ubs Survey of Global Collecting, as authored by the visionary Dr Clare McAndrew of Art Economics.

As someone who has spent her... entire career advocating for Asian artists in the West and encouraging collectors to embrace new cultural concepts, I was thrilled to learn more about the demographics that will reshape the future of the art market.

Firstly, the report revealed that female high net worth (HNW) collectors showed higher spending levels and displayed new collecting tendencies. In Mainland China, this same demographic led expenditure, averaging more than twice that of men, with McAndrew hypothesising that female collectors are more likely to embrace the risk associated with collecting more than their male counterparts. 

I’ve always observed Gen Z’s explosive ability to redefine taste and culture. Reflecting how their varied preferences rewrite the traditional rules of collecting, Gen Z dominated in categories like collectible handbags, sneakers, and luxury assets, with average sneaker spending nearly five times higher than other groups. In fine art, Gen Z had the highest activity rates in digital art, with 26% hoping to purchase a digital work; possibly reflecting their upbringings as digital natives and preference for collecting works that can easily be shared online. 

While many have bemoaned the state of the market in previous years, I am personally optimistic about how the next generation of collectors – particularly ones who are younger, female, and hail from Asia – might elevate new and necessary voices and revolutionise the very nature of collecting. 

Image Credit:  West Bund Art & Design. 

#ContemporaryArt #ArtCollecting #UHNWI

Sources: 
UBS Survey of Global Collecting
Artsy, ‘Wealthy women spend more on art than men, Art Basel report reveals.,’ 
The Guardian, ‘‘Mind-blowing’: Why do men’s paintings cost 10 times more than women’s?’