Art021 is a contemporary art fair in Shanghai set up by art collector Kelly Ying and her husband
Co-founder of Shanghai’s contemporary art fair Art021, Kelly Ying is considered one of the most influential young art collectors in China. Here, we speak to Ying about art collecting, love at first sight and supporting young artists.
Kelly Ying
1. You used to work in fashion industry, what made you want to start collecting contemporary art and do you see a connection between the two worlds"
I think there are definitely connections between art and fashion, and we need to explore that more. I started to collect art many years ago because of my family. My mom and my husband [David Chau] have a strong influence on my collection and collecting decisions. Follow LUX on Instagram: the.official.lux.magazine
2. What draws you to an artwork" Do you think your tastes tend towards a particular aesthetic"
I believe in “love at first sight”, therefore the initial emotional and aesthetical chemistry of an artwork is very important to me. As a woman myself, emotions play a significant part in my collecting decisions. However, I also try to balance emotions with intellectual analysis, looking at artists’ background, past exhibitions, exposures, etc. Recently I’m really attached to artists working with different media, multi-media and mix-media works.
3. Why did you decide to set up Art021"
My husband, Bao Yifeng and I all thought that there shoul...