ALEXANDRU RUS x MBBFW

Alexandru Rus: When it comes to collecting, whether it’s art, cars, or wine, the common thread is somewhat of an obsessive-compulsive behavior. If a person owns hundreds of artworks or cars, it’s impossible to accumulate that kind of collection without a touch of compulsivity. Under the right conditions, this trait becomes a superpower – whether it’s in business, art, or any other field. Collectors are driven by it, it’s what keeps the passion alive, what gives it resilience – for example, I find myself thinking about a painting or an exhibition even in the middle of a busy day.Contemporary art collecting, though, is different from luxury goods collecting. Events like art exhibitions or art fairs bring a unique community vibe that you don’t see with car or wine collectors. Car or wine collectors might meet up a few times a year, but within the art world, you build more lasting relationships. For example, a large part of my close friends are artists, gallerists, or fellow collectors. It’s about relationships and shared experiences. It’s not just about buying art, it’s about contributing to the cultural ecosystem. It’s a deep connection to history and culture that goes beyond just investment or hobby.

AR: I don’t approach art collecting as an investment in the traditional sense, like shares trading or flipping assets for profit. While I think that the value of the works I’ve acquired so far is probably, on average, higher than what I paid for them, you can’t make a holistic assessment at any given point in time. Without an actual sale, you can only estimate the value of your artworks based on comparable public sales. However, I would argue that investing in art is more about investing in behaviors. You’re promoting a lifestyle, but also nurturing everything that develops around it. Plus, you’re building a personal brand.During the COVID pandemic, I had an internal debate, besides all other dilemmas at the time. I reflected on the blockchain, NFTs, digital art, millennials, and I reached a moment when I thought: “What if the younger generation will no longer want to own a house, nor a car, nor anything? They will be just renting. Who’s going to buy art in 20 years?” It’s clear that the next generation will undergo certain behavioral changes. On the other side however, you’ll always have the asset owners, some of whom will want to be part of the collecting scene. Another encouraging sign is that traffic in art museums and art exhibitions seems to have been increasing significantly in the post-COVID era. 

AR: At the moment, the collection mix is around 70% Romanian, 20% from the rest of Eastern Europe, and the remainder global. In principle, I follow certain themes or movements (surrealism, neo-avant-garde, etc.), so we can call this a strategy. The element of opportunity comes into play when I find trustworthy sources for acquiring art (galleries, intermediaries, auction houses, sometimes other collectors), and that’s why Romania naturally occupies a central position in my collection. However, I travel frequently and have many connections in the region, which has allowed me to learn about those markets as well. As for international artists, I generally don’t have geographical restrictions when building on the aforementioned movements, but I only collaborate with a few galleries I trust.

AR: There’s certainly an element of competition in the art world, just like in business. People want to acquire unique pieces, and sometimes that means bidding against each other. I remember an interesting experience at an auction where I found a remarkable work from an older collector’s estate, and the price was quite reasonable at first, especially considering its quality. As soon as I placed my bid, though, I realized I wasn’t the only one interested in it. It turned out that one of the dealers I work with also entered the bidding war. This raised the price significantly, but I understood the dealer’s rationale. He was representing the estate, and it was important for him to maintain the artist’s quota on the market. By competing in the auction, he was ensuring that the artist’s works wouldn’t be undervalued or go underrepresented in the market, especially since he was holding a significant portion of that artist’s body of work. It’s a delicate balance, but one that, when managed responsibly, is beneficial for everyone involved.

AR: Clearly, an active role. I don’t think we live in an era of discreet supporters anymore. And I mean collectors are shaping the art scene, not necessarily in the sense of influencing specific artistic trends or instigating financial speculation, but in the sense of supporting artists through prizes and grants, exhibiting one’s collection or lending works to museums to inspire existing or new collectors, stimulating dialogues on specific topics, having a voice on regulatory matters in the art world, and so on.

AR: I have recently initiated a collectors’ association, called Art Collect, established by founding members that have known each other for a long time and share common values. We are certainly expecting to expand it with new like-minded members in the near future. Our first public appearance will be at Art Encounters in May, where we will organize an exhibition featuring works from five different collections, selected by Mihnea Mircan, the curator. Our long-term goal is to foster and evolve into a more patronage-based model (e.g., award prizes, support cultural events, etc.).One of the key pillars in our association’s mission is to actively engage in discussions that shape the regulatory landscape of the art market. Some existing policies might be outdated or overly complex, creating unnecessary challenges for collectors and institutions alike. By providing expert input and collaborating with policymakers, we aim to support the development of clear, fair and forward-thinking regulations that benefit both artists and collectors. Another objective is to foster partnerships with the art market. Romanian collectors now have access to an umbrella organization that allows them to collaborate with other institutions like public or private museums, auction houses, cultural institutions, etc. Overall, we aim to be able to strengthen the ecosystem as a whole. 

AR: Indeed. We need to act, not complain. NGOs can exert a positive influence, in every domain. In the art world, it’s a model that already exists abroad, and tends to be quite effective, both for collectors and dealers, be it for France, or the US, or elsewhere.Through this, we will also be able to foster international networks. When I meet collectors abroad, I will be able to say: “Here’s the website. If you come to Romania, get in touch, and we’ll connect you with the right people locally.” Maybe they will want to do business – our group also includes many business professionals. It all complements each other.

AR: The first step was to discover tribal art, which is a niche in the art market, very different from contemporary art. That was my initial fascination. I didn’t know much about art at the time, but I saw Oceanic and African artworks and found them incredibly modern. Later, when I visited the Quai Branly Museum in Paris and noticed how Cubists and Surrealists had drawn inspiration from tribal art, I thought, “Okay, I had a good hunch.” This is when I decided to explore both contemporary and tribal art more seriously.But ultimately, it comes down to lifestyle. People always ask, “When do you become a collector?” I don’t think it’s about spending the first 10, 50, or 100 thousand euros. It’s not about owning 5, 10, or 20 pieces. You become a collector when your lifestyle changes – when it becomes part of how you live and think.In terms of storage, you naturally start thinking about it when you run out of walls or space for sculpture at home, at the office or other places where you can place your artworks. Luckily, we have professional storage solutions in Romania, or one can build a professional storage at home or elsewhere if conditions permit. However, it is not very rewarding to keep works in storage for long, therefore I am always happy to lend works to exhibitions or public spaces for them to breathe “fresh air” as much as possible. 

AR: With around 350 works, proper management is essential. Two years ago, when I reached a decade of collecting, I realized things were getting a bit out of hand. I’d wake up wondering about some artwork only to panic when I couldn’t find it at home, at the office, or anywhere. I’d call the gallerist, the artist, the framer – whoever could know. It would always show up somewhere, luckily.So I dedicated three months to organizing everything. I worked with a small team on documenting the collection, on photographing the works, on building the website, and on consolidating all data into one master Excel – since much of the information had only existed in my head up to that point. I had to track down certificates, contracts, and estate documents, often facing incomplete or conflicting records. For now, I haven’t done a major update since. Ideally, every new acquisition should be logged immediately, but in practice, it doesn’t always happen that way.When it comes to working with other professionals, most of the older works I acquire typically undergo careful restoration and reframing. I also collaborate closely with architects and designers to place pieces from my collection in public institutions and social spaces through a program I developed called ACCESS. Over the past year, I’ve placed artworks in remarkable restaurants and office environments, but I’m especially proud of the recent placement of a curated selection at the British Embassy in Bucharest.I have also contributed to publications – for example, the wonderful catalog about Romanian neo-avant-garde, “24 Arguments” by Alina Șerban and Ștefania Ferchedău. I enjoy such collaborations a lot as they are fulfilling and reflect an ecosystem that is wider than what people may initially think when first entering this world.