BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors

Lin Han

M WOODS – Beijing, China

Portrait of Lin Han
Portrait of Lin Han

What was the first piece of artwork you purchased, and when was this?

The first piece I bought was by Zeng Fanzhi in 2014. I was studying his work, as well as the market, for a long time. As an emerging collector, I knew that my first acquisition would say a lot about me, so I made the decision carefully and thoughtfully.

Guido van der Werve, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the artist
Guido van der Werve, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the artist
Lucas Arruda, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the artist
Lucas Arruda, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the artist

Why do you collect?

My wife Wanwan and I collect as we seek to broaden our knowledge through art. Artists see the world in enlightening ways and can teach us all a lot. It is a privilege to surround ourselves with their lessons.

Does your collection follow a concept or a specific theme?

Following a concept is almost antithetical to the reason why we collect. We seek to further ourselves through the artwork we buy, challenging widely accepted conceptions of a collection, as well as our own – it is in this way that we keep learning. We’ve recently acquired a painting from the Northern Renaissance as well as some ancient Chinese works which we have feelings for in the same way as the contemporary work we collect. We can distinguish a spirit in all the works, which could be the uniting feature.

Charles Harlan, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the artist
Charles Harlan, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the artist
Raoul de Keyser, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the Estate of the artist
Raoul de Keyser, M WOODS collection. Courtesy of the Estate of the artist

Who are the artists you are currently following?

Everyday we meet, see, and read about new artists and end up following many of them. We are currently showing a survey of contemporary painting at the museum which includes some of our favorite artists such as Ouyang Chun and Jack McConville.

Do you have a personal relationship with the artists you collect?

Not with them all, but we have special relationships with many of the artists in our collection. I consider someone like Guido van der Werve as a personal priest and look to him and his work whenever I’m feeling lost.

Why did you decide to make your collection publicly accessible?

We consider art to be educational in so many ways and we would like the Chinese public to join us in this learning endeavor. If we can facilitate the acceptance of art in everyday Chinese life and education, we will consider M WOODS a triumph.

Installation view of Tracey Emin, "My heart is with you always" at M WOODS, Beijing. Courtesy of the artist – © Tracey Emin. All rights reserved / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
Installation view of Tracey Emin, "My heart is with you always" at M WOODS, Beijing. Courtesy of the artist – © Tracey Emin. All rights reserved / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
Installation view of "Pale Fire" inaugural exhibition at M WOODS, Beijing
Installation view of "Pale Fire" inaugural exhibition at M WOODS, Beijing

Which publicly accessible private collection would you recommend visiting?

I like Glenstone very much not only for its collection but the way it is presented in that particular natural environment, which I think elevates the experience of the work.

All images courtesy M WOODS, Beijing

More Information on mwoods.org

Collectors (77)

Narda van 't Veer

The Narda van 't Veer Collection – Monnickendam, Netherlands

Rashid Al Khalifa

RAK ART FOUNDATION – Riffa, Bahrain

Olivier Chow

The Olivier Chow Collection – Lausanne, Switzerland

Valeria Napoleone

Valeria and Gregorio Napoleone Collection – London, UK

Matteo Novarese

SOF:ART – Bologna, Italy

Martin Steppacher

Gallery Durchgang – Basel, Switzerland

Carmelo Graci

Graci Collection – Mantova, Italy

Dr. William Lim

Living Collection – Hong Kong

NICOLA ERNI

Nicola Erni Collection – Steinhausen, Switzerland

Lukas Jakob

Jakob Collection – Gundelfingen, Germany

Claus Busch Risvig

Bech Risvig Collection – Silkeborg, Denmark

Joseph Awuah-Darko

The Terra Collection Of African Contemporary Art – Accra, Ghana | London, UK

INGRID AND THOMAS JOCHHEIM

Ingrid and Thomas Jochheim Collection – Berlin, Germany

Michał Borowik

Michał Borowik Collection – Warsaw, Poland

Bernardo Paz

Instituto Inhotim – Centro de Arte Contemporânea e Jardim Botânico – Brumadinho, Brazil

Tony Salamé

Aïshti Foundation – Beirut, Lebanon

Nadia & Rajeeb Samdani

Samdani Art Foundation (SAF), Dhaka, Bangladesh

Lord David Cholmondeley

Houghton Hall – King's Lynn, Great Britain

Galila Barzilaï-Hollander

Galila's P.O.C., Brussels, Belgium

Martin Margulies

The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse – Miami, United States of America

Christine and Andrew Hall

Hall Art Foundation - Reading, USA & Derneburg, Germany

Qiao Zhibing

TANK Shanghai and Qiao Space - Shanghai, China

Christen Sveaas

Kistefos Museet, Jevnaker, Norway

Noemi Givon

Givon Art Forum – Tel Aviv, Israel

Michael Buxton

Buxton Contemporary - Melbourne, Australia

Seth Stolbun

The Stolbun Collection – Houston, USA

Jochen Zeitz

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) - Cape Town, Africa

Dominique & Sylvain Levy

DSLCollection – Paris, France

Andrea von Goetz

Sammlung Blankenburg – Hamburg, Germany

Gordon Elliott

The Elliott Eyes Collection - Sydney, Australia

The Vague Space

Christian Kaspar Schwarm on the first solo presentation of his collection at the Weserburg Bremen

Anita Zabludowicz

Zabludowicz Collection – London, United Kingdom

Anastasios A. Gkekas

The Office Collection - Nicosia, Cyprus

Rik Reinking

WAI - Woods Art Institute, Wentorf bei Hamburg, Germany

Maria Didrichsen

Didrichsen Art Museum – Helsinki, Finland

João Carlos de Figueiredo Ferraz

Instituto Figueiredo Ferraz (IFF) - São Paulo, Brazil

Julia Stoschek

Julia Stoschek Collection – Dusseldorf, Germany

Maurizio Morra Greco

Fondazione Morra Greco, Naples, Italy

Christian & Karen Boros

Sammlung Boros – Berlin, Germany

Timo Miettinen

Salon Dahlmann – Berlin, Germany

Marli Hoppe-Ritter

Sammlung Marli Hoppe-Ritter – Waldenbuch, Germany

Désiré Feuerle

The Feuerle Collection – Berlin, Germany

Gudrun & Bernd Wurlitzer

Wurlitzer Pied A Terre Collection – Berlin, Germany

Corbett Lyon

Lyon Housemuseum – Melbourne, Australia

Geert Verbeke-Lens

Verbeke Foundation – Kemzeke, Belgium

László Vass

Vass Collection – Veszprém, Hungary

Daisuke Miyatsu

Dream House – Ichikawa, Japan

Samara Walbohm & Joe Shlesinger

Scrap Metal Gallery – Toronto, Canada

Charles Riva

Charles Riva Collection – Brussels, Belgium

Venke & Rolf Hoff

KaviarFactory – Lofoten, Norway

Alain Servais

Servais Family Collection – Brussels, Belgium

Ivo Wessel

Sammlung Ivo Wessel - Berlin, Germany

Ramin Salsali

Salsali Private Museum – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Vittorio Gaddi

Collezione Nunzia e Vittorio Gaddi – Lucca, Italy

Miguel Leal Rios

Fundação Leal Rios – Lisbon, Portugal

Gertraud and Dieter Bogner

Kunstraum Buchberg – Gars am Kamp, Austria

Bob Rennie

Rennie Collection at Wing Sang – Vancouver, Canada

Heiner Wemhöner

Sammlung Wemhöner – Herford, Germany

Kenny Goss

The Goss-Michael Foundation – Dallas, USA

Karsten Schmitz

Arbeitswohnung Federkiel – Leipzig, Germany

Devon Dikeou

The Dikeou Collection - Denver, USA

Thomas Olbricht

ME Collectors Room Berlin/Stiftung Olbricht – Berlin, Germany

Mera & Donald Rubell

Rubell Family Collection – Miami, USA

Pétur Arason

Safn – Berlin, Germany / Reykjavík, Iceland

Steffen Hildebrand

G2 Kunsthalle – Leipzig, Germany

Frédéric de Goldschmidt

Frédéric de Goldschmidt – Brussels, Belgium

Daniel Teo

The Private Museum – Singapore, Singapore

Claudio Cosma

Sensus – Luoghi per l’arte Contemporanea – Florence, Italy

Michał Borowik

Michał Borowik Collection – Warsaw, Poland

Herbert Gerisch

Herbert-Gerisch-Stiftung - Neumünster, Germany

José Berardo

Museu Coleção Berardo – Lisbon, Portugal

Bärbel Grässlin and Karola Kraus

Sammlung Grässlin - St. Georgen, Germany

Joëlle and Eric Romba

Rocca Stiftung – Berlin, Germany

Myriam and Amaury de Solages

Maison Particulière – Brussels, Belgium

Friedrich Gräfling

Sammlung Fiede - Aschaffenburg, Germany