It’s a truism of the art world that museums are a better home for an artist’s work. Dealers prefer to sell to collectors who will place their artists work in museum collections and most of the rest of the art viewing public considers art a public trust.

Yet most significant museums and collecting categories are the product of the vision of private collectors. Indian art expert Kishore Singh points out that museum buying of Contemporary Indian artists hasn’t had the same impact that a flamboyant collector would in establishing artists in the public consciousness:

There is a widespread belief that works by contemporary artists end up in either institutions or in museums, which robs the works of the intimacy that “personal” or people-led buys engender. It certainly does little to generate the competitive spirit among collectors.

As several regions of the world identify and define their own markets for Contemporary art by local artists, the importance of attention-seeking collectors continues to grow.

Wanted: A Charles Saatchi for India (Business Standard)