Advice from art collectors: ‘Open your eyes, close your ears’

teleconference.

Ramos considers his taste in art collection “still developing.” He treats his eyes like a muscle, constantly exercising it to spot if an artwork is any good, and what makes it as such.

Jimenez-Ong also campaigned for the importance of education and continuous exposure to art for collectors. She frequents exhibit openings and constantly talks to artists and gallerists to pick their brains.

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Talk,” alongside Anton Ramos and Carmen Jimenez-Ong, with moderator Sandra Palou.

PHOTO FROM ARTFAIRPHILIPPINES.COM

WHEN prominent music figure Anton Ramos first dabbled into art collection, a friend told him that it’s imperative for any serious collector to do his or her homework.

Ramos, who is also the chairman and COO of National Book Store and founder of Art Bar, took the advice. He dove into the vibrant rabbit hole of art learning, reading books, watching YouTube videos, talking to gallery owners and travelling abroad to visit important museums.

“While it is important to develop an informed opinion, there’s a flipside to that,” said Ramos, now a collector for 13 years. “If you just use your ears, what you’re hearing might just be the art market. And that means you might just be buying a work because the price is going up, or your friend has the same work, or it’s a hot artist. This is why you need to cover your ears and use your eyes.”

Ramos was sharing his experience and learnings as an art collector on Sunday at The Link in Makati City. Part of Art Fair Philippines’s ArtFairPH/Talks session, it was titled “Passions & Points-of-View: A Collectors Talk.” With him onstage was moderator Sandra Palou, former curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, alongside other collectors Carmen Jimenez-Ong and Bryan Villanueva who joined via