The Collectors: Ryan Su Doesn't Consider Himself An Art Collector

The phrase “Art is a lie that tells the truth” by Pablo Picasso resonates within Ryan Su’s soul. However, the lawyer does not consider himself a collector, only a vessel for art.

How do you decide what art to buy?

I have to love it. Just liking it is not enough. That was something I learned over time. In the past, I used to buy art if I liked it. But I realised I liked a lot of things [laughs], and this feeling faded over time. Love means a stronger emotional attachment to a work of art. I know immediately when I love something. I feel it in my body.

Everybody has a different collecting journey and I quickly realised art can be inexpensive and fantastic. For example, the Jimmy Ong charcoal drawings around my home were found in a junkyard. They were thrown out of a hotel and I bought them at reasonable prices. I love them.

Some people who have come over want to buy them from me. I can make a lot more money, but I’m not interested in that. I honestly love them very much. Usually, because of my work, I’m a logical, analytical person. Art is a way for me to express and practise my emotional side.

Do you remember the last time you fell in love with an artwork?

Yes, of course. Pinaree Sanpitak’s collaboration with Valentino caught my eye. It’s called ‘Breast Stupas Valentino’. They are massive, 1.8m high and wide, and covered with the Valentino monogram—one in red and the other in black.

Pinaree works closely with the female form in her works. For this particular piece, the artist and the brand had to choose the buyer. There were other more famous and influential people who were interested in buying the work, so I didn’t think I stood a chance. In the end, I was selected. It was such an honour. The entire process took several months to complete. It’s still in storage because it’s too big to fit into my home.

How do you maintain that balance of buying what you love with making sure they don’t depreciate?

I did that with Andy Warhol years ago. I learned about him and the market. Now, whenever I see an Andy Warhol piece, I know exactly what it is and which period it was from. The research was challenging. There was a lack of information on the Internet and what knowledge was available was from people trying to sell art. However, I’d say these sources are more akin to used car salesmen [laughs].

So, I often went to New York to buy secondhand books about Andy Warhol and brought suitcases full of them home. I even bought his auction catalogue during his estate sale when he passed away in 1987.

Today, I probably have one of the largest research catalogues of Andy Warhol’s work in Singapore, even better than the museums. Sometimes, people who are researching Warhol come to me because they know I have the materials and knowledge.

How has art changed your life?

I love beauty and artistic things. I’d like to think I was a failed artist. When I was younger, I was good at making art. But then I studied law. Now, I’m friends with several artists around the world and art has brought me to some fantastic places. I went to Borobudur twice to attend an art fair. Normally, I wouldn’t go there, but it’s one of the world’s greatest monuments. I’ve also been to Cuba because I desperately wanted to see a work by a Cuban artist.

Though some might consider me an art collector, I wouldn’t consider myself one. Since collecting itself has no value, the word is rather contested. It is undiscerning and meaningless. I would rather say that I buy and accumulate things I love.

There’s so much more to art than just collecting. Sharing, public engagement, giving talks, forming relationships with other artists, and more are all part of the process.