Below the surface: Lin Han and the art of collecting
Young Chinese collectors are becoming increasingly influential as buyers in the international art market, according to analysts and industry observers. Lin Han, 28, is among this new generation of collectors. He bought his first piece at a Sotheby’s auction in October 2013, an oil painting by the Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi. He has since collected more than 200 pieces in various mediums by 70 international artists. Lin has also opened his own museum, M Woods, in the 798 Art Zone in Beijing. The museum, near internationally known galleries such as Pace Beijing and Galleria Continua, has a 2,500 square metre exhibiting space to house the art pieces he has bought at galleries, auctions and in private deals around the world. The inaugural exhibition at the museum began last October and a second is under way.
Q: You are well known as a young collector and as the child of a rich family. What do you make of these tags applied to you?
Yes, my parents are successful businesspeople so I was born into a wealthy family, that’s true. They sent me to Singapore for a secondary school education when I was 14. My father is very strict with me, while my mother is soft and nice. They want me to be independent and to be able to survive any difficulties on my own. I haven’t asked for any money from my parents since I was 18. Now I have founded my own business and it’s running profitably and is expanding. I would rather say that I am managing my life well and independently. As you can see, I am tough and purpose-driven.
Q: How did you start your art collection? What was the motivation?
My childhood training in painting, having the opportunities to watch stage performances, extensive reading, as well as my education and work experience in animation design, all contributed to make me an art lover. I studied animation design at Northumbria University in Britain and I become a professional designer before I founded my own public relations firm in 2009. I think the boundary between design and art is blurred. Many designers are artists themselves. My design experience is beneficial for me to understand and appreciate art. I read art history, especially the books written by the British art historian and theorist Ernst Gombrich. Now my public relations firm is working to market and promote international luxury brands in mainland China. It’s running very well and profitably, which allows me to invest in art.
Q: You have mobilised many international big names to support your private museum. How did you achieve that? Do you have a large social network?
Well, my firm provides marketing and PR services for big name companies in China. We work with them. I’m familiar with some gallery owners, curators, artists and other collectors both domestically and internationally. You need to know every player in the art ecosystem and be well-informed before you can make wise decisions.
Q: How do you select your artworks for collection and exhibition?
I prefer contemporary artworks by artists internationally, regardless of gender or nation, regardless of whether the artist is well known or unknown. I only buy something that can touch me, teach me or enlighten me with new perspectives to look at the world and life. I enjoy the experience of discovery. Knowing artists personally is important, just as Gombrich said: “There really is no such thing as art. There are only artists.” I think the best way to know an artist is from his work, rather than through his words. If you talk to him, you can learn a maximum of 20 to 30 per cent of his art philosophy, but if you look at his artworks, you learn much more. The power is intangible. Some collectors in China favour Impressionist masterpieces by artists such as Claude Monet. For example, Wang Zhongjun, and Zhang Lan. They are rich enough to buy these super expensive pieces. I have also considered buying this type of work, but they are usually so expensive, over several hundred million yuan per piece. Owning an Impressionist masterpiece is a statment of power and wealth, but Impressionist artworks themselves can no longer create art history, while contemporary art can. One of my favourites, for example, in our current exhibition is Nummer veertien, home. It is a 54-minute-long video installation by the Dutch visual artist Guido van der Werve. The video highlights the story of the life and death of the ancient Greek leader and warrior Alexander the Great and a separate story on the last wish of the Polish-born great musician Frederic Chopin. Great artworks enlighten us, with wisdom and power.
Q: Are you religious? The preface of the exhibition cites a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “All urgency, all conflict is eternal rest in God the Lord."
It’s hard for me to believe in any religion being born and raised in a family in which my parents were both Communist Party members. But I believe in truth, goodness and beauty. I believe in spiritual power. There are common aspirations in art and in religion, but artwork is about a spiritual inner dialogue when your body or your flesh is exhausted. Good artworks make us rethink life and death, struggles and hope, wisdom and power.
Q: What are the sources of finance to support your art collection and exhibitions?
My firm is making a profit to support the museum. My parents have also set up a special family fund to be used exclusively for art investment and they’ve entrusted me to be the fund manager. Obviously more sources of financing or sponsorship are needed for the operating costs, seminars and exhibitions at the museum. It’s very expensive to run a museum in the 798 Art Zone, aboutUS$1 million a year to cover the basic expenditure to operate. We are now decorating the room next to the museum to be an arts and crafts store, which is expected to generate revenue to support the non-profit museum.
Q: Do you have a daily routine?
I have a busy schedule. I sleep five hours each night and I like to be busy. I would go crazy if you wanted me to leave for a vacation. One week is enough, maximum.
Q: How do you see your high-profile exposure in the art world? Do you enjoy being a celebrity?
No, I don’t care much about it. I already have a proven record. I don’t want to prove something and win recognition from anybody. I am driven, and I’m on my way. No matter what the future holds, I am doing something I am passionate about and I’m committed to. The number of art lovers in China is increasing. I will not stand and watch. I hope to play a role.
Lin Han spoke to Peggy Yuan
