From Poussin to Pokémon: The Changing Face of Collecting

Who will be the next generation of art collectors?

What does the future of art collecting look like? Will the next generation of wealthy collectors continue to buy paintings by established artists, or will their attention increasingly turn towards watches, fashion, gaming memorabilia and other objects of popular culture?

In a recent article in The Art Newspaper, Scott Reyburn explores this question through an intriguing contrast between Old Masters, modern art and collectibles such as Pokémon cards and Super Mario memorabilia.

The comparison may seem provocative, but it reveals a broader shift in collecting habits. For some younger buyers, cultural relevance and personal connection can matter as much as traditional artistic prestige. An object associated with childhood, popular culture or a shared experience may hold greater meaning than a painting by an artist whose reputation was established long before they were born.

The distinction between fine art and collectibles is becoming less clear-cut. Collecting is increasingly shaped by individual interests, personal identity and the cultures people have grown up with.

A market in transition

The latest Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, authored by economist Clare McAndrew of Arts Economics, provides an important context for this discussion.

Global art sales reached an estimated $59.6 billion in 2025, an increase of 4% compared with the previous year. This marked a return to growth after two consecutive years of decline, although the market remains below its 2022 peak.

The recovery, however, has been uneven. Public auction sales rose by 9%, while sales through dealers and galleries increased by just 2%. Reported private sales declined by 5%.

The pressure on galleries remains particularly revealing. Their aggregate sales increased by 2% in 2025, while operating costs rose by an estimated 5%. In other words, a recovering market does not necessarily translate into healthier businesses.

The report also shows how dependent galleries have become on international art fairs: sales made at fairs accounted for 35% of dealer turnover in 2025, their highest share since 2022. Fairs remain essential to the market, but participation can also add substantial costs to an already demanding business model.

The search for new collectors

Perhaps the most significant question is not simply how much art is sold, but who is buying it.

According to the same report, just under half of the buyers served by dealers in 2025 were new to their business. For the smallest dealers, the proportion was even higher, at 60%.

Finding new buyers remains essential. Yet attracting their attention is only the beginning.

The Art Basel & UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 found that 72% of the wealthy collectors questioned had undertaken moderate or significant research before buying art, rising to 80% among Gen Z respondents. Digital resources were important: 58% used digital sources for advice, while 32% cited social media platforms such as Instagram or X.

These findings underline the role of digital platforms in helping collectors discover artists and investigate works. But the survey also reveals a more cautious side to collecting. The proportion of respondents who bought work by an artist they had only recently discovered fell from a five-year high of 66% in 2025 to 45% in 2026.

Younger collectors remained more open to discovery than older generations: 56% of Gen Z respondents had bought work by a newly discovered artist, compared with 36% of Baby Boomers.

The message is subtle but important. Collectors may be more willing than ever to explore art online, yet confidence, information and trust remain crucial when it comes to making a purchase.

From exclusivity to accessibility

The shift in collecting also raises questions about the way art is presented and sold.

Some parts of the traditional art market continue to operate on the principle of exclusivity: scarcity, high prices and access to a relatively small circle of established collectors. But the next generation may approach collecting from a much wider range of cultural interests.

The challenge is not to abandon artistic quality or historical context. It is to create more ways for people to discover art, develop their tastes and enter the market at a level that makes sense to them.

This connects directly with the questions raised by Marc Spiegler, former Global Director of Art Basel, in his recent reflections on the traditional gallery model. If galleries face rising costs and an increasingly demanding fair circuit, while collectors discover and research art in new ways, the market may need a broader range of structures for connecting works with buyers.

Physical galleries will continue to play an important role. But they need not be the only point of entry. Digital platforms, direct collector networks and more specialised services can complement the existing ecosystem.

A different way to discover art

At TAGALART, we are interested in this evolving relationship between collectors and the art they want to discover.

Our approach is to make contemporary works held in private collections more accessible to interested buyers, while placing particular emphasis on provenance, authenticity and reliable information. The works remain with their owners until a sale is agreed directly between buyer and seller.

The aim is not to replace galleries or auction houses, but to explore another way of bringing collectors together — one that offers direct access without requiring every transaction to follow the traditional gallery or auction model.

The next generation of collectors will not necessarily abandon painting for Pokémon, nor will every young buyer approach art in the same way. But collecting is becoming broader, more personal and increasingly digital.

For the art world, the opportunity lies in understanding these changes and finding new ways to engage with collectors — whether they are discovering their first work or adding to an established collection.

The question is no longer simply what people collect, but how they discover what they want to collect — and what gives them the confidence to make it their own.