Famous art collectors demystified

IN most Asian countries, there is little infrastructure supporting the arts communities. Hence, many artists rely on generous patrons for survival. In the case of visual arts, artists typically sell their works to wealthy collectors who gradually become influential players in shaping the development of the local art scene.

Having tracked the region's scene for several years, independent art journalist Patricia Chen decided to capture some of these important collectors on film. Chen herself never dreamt of being a filmmaker. But after years of interviewing artists and art collectors for various publications, she found it to be an almost natural next step in her skills progression because "there are things the camera does a better job in capturing," she says.

An excerpt of her upcoming documentary on legendary art collector Uli Sigg is premiering today at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, with a second film project about Indonesian collector Oei Hong Djien in the pipeline. The film premiere will also be accompanied by the launch of Chen's new book, Uli Sigg: In Conversation with Patricia Chen.