Or: I discovered another type of collector in me.

Up to now, I had a feeling of taking the business of collecting very serious. Which felt good and the right thing to do. I spoke to established gallerists, established collectors and mostly about established artists.

However, the online exhibitions at Independent Collectors and viewing what great extensions and items some collectors buy to create their collection encouraged me to go a little more adventurous myself.

- Insert a few moments of browsing my favourite weblogs -

Suddenly, at joshspear.com (link), I come by an older post about a guy I used to adore when I was a teenager. I’m talking about Frank Kozik (link), creator of concert posters, album covers and other graphic art. My record collection contains quite a batch of the stuff he did for his now long gone label Man’s Ruin (link). I bought some albums he created the artwork for, even if I didn’t like the music.

Now I see this online store where you can get signed Kozik items reasonably priced (link). The guy just has no respect … in a positive way. (Plus he looks a bit like Philip K. Dick.) At first sight the stuff doesn’t compare with the items I occupied my time with recently. But it actually corresponds with some in a nice way.

I spontaneously ordered a print (“Adolf”) and a small original artwork (“I’m only here for the beer!”):

It feels as if I suddenly discovered a separate collector’s identity within me, one that is more punk, maybe, but definitely less serious. It’s an interesting experience to witness how my collection habits start to reflect different aspects of my personality. What other personality-traits will I come across? I wonder …

In just a few weeks time I will place two artworks on a wall in my apartment. Left, there will be Jonathan Monk’s “Endless search for perfection” and to the right of it Frank Kozik’s “I’m only here for the beer!” Everything will be in balance then.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 11th, 2008 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Purchase Report.