In the last several years, a new group of young collectors has come onto the scene of Chinese contemporary art; amongst them, quite a few have also been equipped with an art history background. Born in the ‘80s and ‘90s, they witnessed the economic boom firsthand after Chinese society embraced capitalism; compared to their parents’ generation, they grew up mostly carefree as a single children; they received an overseas education, and they were granted more access to art as part of an upper-class lifestyle.
Their ambition to a certain degree is revealing about the forecast for the contemporary art scene in China for the next ten or twenty years. After all, the art market has always been a field determined predominantly by only a handful of players. The private art museums that have sprouted up in China recently reflects the entrance of a new generation into shaping the landscape of contemporary art.
A native Shanghainese with a signature full beard, Zhou Chong holds a degree in art history from University of California Los Angeles. He now lives in Shanghai, where he also owns a restaurant business; it has succeeded Beijing as a burgeoning art destination. Zhou shared the story of how he started out collecting online, before becoming a frequent guest at night sales and benefit galas. Last year, he launched Art Project CZ, an exhibition project that collaborates with different galleries. Through organizing four to five shows each year, Zhou is bringing art, design and culinary experience into everyday life, and continues to be a driving force in Chinese contemporary art.
Jiayin Chen（JC）:Tell us about yourself and how you got involved in art collecting?
Chong Zhou（CZ）:In 2007, I went to college in the US, majoring in art history, and graduated from UCLA in 2012. My mother started to collect Contemporary Chinese art from very early in 2001, and therefore my family has always been a major influence on me. My mother has a great eye: she purchased the works by these important artists like Zeng FanZhi, Zhou Chunya, Mao Yan…when the prices were very low. Today, collecting art has become an important part of my career; I spend half of my time everyday on art, attend charities, fairs and exhibitions to continue to support young artists.
JC: Who is your first piece by?
CZ: Yayoi Kusama. I bought the work in a gallery in Japan.
JC : What is the proportion of media artwork in your entire collection?
CZ: Overall, I don’t own that many media artworks so far. But it’s definitely going to be my focus this year. I already have photography, mixed media, and video. I became more interested in new media art recently, though in earlier years I didn’t notice as much. Now I have started to collect these media artworks and also begun to conduct more research around the subject.
JC: Why are you changing your focus?
CZ: First of all, I see this as a coming trend. People are paying more attention to the field. Not only in the US and Europe, but also in China, many pioneering collectors are taking action. On the other side, things grow on you, your taste and aesthetics change overtime. Some collectors pick up quickly, some are relatively slower. And some still can’t understand the new art forms.
JC: What do you think are the main factors that hold back collectors from considering media art？
CZ: From my perspective, there are two reasons. The first reason is the value of the art. Whether this kind of art has value from the art history perspective, or value in thecommercial sense Many people are still debating and confused. I have no doubt that some older collectors see collecting (media art) as difficult to understand—even collecting photography sometimes is still considered edgy—so when it comes to video and installation, many people just don’t recognize the values.
The second reason is more tacky: the obstacles in collecting and displaying. To institutional collectors, displaying video works is not a problem, but forprivate collectors like myselfit’s not practical to build a specific auditorium for playing video works. As for installation, especially what I refer to as “sculptural installation”, which can be viewed as sculptures, these are more acceptable for collectors. However, many installations require a vast space and complicated materials, so for most collectors, it’s still challenging. Although institutions such as museums are the most ideal place for artworks, in the long term, can artists rely on institutional support forever? Without support from individual collectors, the art market will be too limited; I think herein lies the most difficult challenge.
JC: I know of an analogy for collecting video art. Think of it this way: when people collect ancient Chinese ink scrolls, the collector usually can’t display it daily, either. Only when they want to show a friend, will the collector pull out the scroll. Does this apply to collecting video artwork?
CZ: I’ve thought about this too. The idea that collector should also be a keeper, a protector of the cultural heritage. On another note, collectors can also be a broadcaster,like an artist, since every work collected demonstrates a way of thinking.
JC: Growing up in the digital generation, how has technologyinfluenced your collecting？
CZ: I find this question so interesting. I just want to say, almost all my earliest artworks were found through online platforms, especially when I was in the US. I was a frequent user of artnet, during my college days. But I did not use it that often after returning to China, Maybe it’s because more people have noticed that I’m collecting; now I see many friends from gallerieseveryday and don’t have as much time for artnet. I think online platforms are definitely the trend, especially for my generation.We grew up with the internet. I would even say that art is the last industry to be influenced by the internet. Our lives are so intertwined with internet now.
JC: What kind of artworks did you purchase from online platform in the early years?
CZ: Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara, Zeng Fanzhi, etc. As a beginner in collecting, you would like to buy the big names. It’s the same as in the fashion, where people start out wearing the famous brand names and then gradually develop their own style and begin to look for emerging artists.
JC: Do you think video works by nature are more appropriate than paintings to be displayed on virtual, online platforms?
CZ: I find this question interesting, too. In Western countries this might not be a concern, but when you discuss this in China, the most challenging issue right now is the problem of intellectual property, or so-called digital assets. There are set rules in the West, but so far, in China, there are still many problems left to be solved. I think we need more time on this subject, and also regulatory support from the government. First, digital assets need to be defined, and then there has to be pertinent law enforcement, as well as a solution on piracy issues.
JC: Any artists you are following recently?
CZ: Recently I have been following an artist represented by Leo Xu Project in Shanghai, aaajiao. He’s born in 1984, and is a very interesting artist. He’s background is in computer science and coding, and he uses it as a tool for creating art. At the same time, it’s not too high tech or distant, and sometimes there’s even a sense of Chinese tradition in his work. I like his work a lot.
JC: What is your piece of advice for people who want to start collecting?
CZ: The best way is to make friends first. You will need someone who’s professional and willing to share information and experience with you. Whether you start from auction houses or galleries is up to you, depending on your budget and how much time you are willing to invest. An expert can bring you into art circles, whether auctions or galleries.
JC: What is the focus of your collection?
CZ: I am more focused on Chinese emerging artists. There are many people collecting Western artists, and I want to focus on one area. I would like to focus on Asian artists. I want to be a patron for art, and in the meantime become more influential and a driving force for contemporary art.
JC: If you could own any artwork in the world, what is your dream work?
CZ: One masterpiece from Rene Magritte.
