VANGUARD OF ART

Positioned at the crossroads of art, finance and technology, Art Works is primed to bring art back to the forefront of our cultural consciousness through contemporary solutions.

- Haziq Yusof

“From now to the end of consciousness,” Susan Sontag writes in Against Interpretation, “we are stuck with the task of defending art”. Sontag was primarily addressing the over-intellectualisation of art that had pervaded the mid-20th century, but her words remain relevant today.

It must be said, however, that Sontag called for a specific kind of defence. As she aptly observes, any advocacy for the value of art in contemporary society must align with present-day needs. And to take up the mantle of defending art, one must first examine the contemporary landscape. We don’t have to delve too deep to learn that art is fast becoming the favoured alternative asset for discerning investors. But wouldn’t the subjectivity of art prove a poor fit for the objective yardsticks of the financial world?

The data says otherwise. Knight Frank’s latest wealth report found that high-net-worth individuals often choose to invest in art over other luxury passion investments like watches and jewellery. Even more impressively, fine art has proven to be a resilient asset in the last two decades, boasting an annual return that outperforms the S&P 500.

In such a landscape, how can we best maximise art’s increasing financial successes without diminishing its cultural value? The experts at Singapore-based firm Art Works Group proffer a solution. Uniquely positioned at the crossroads of art, technology and finance, the group has developed an array of solutions designed to cultivate a modern appreciation of art—one rooted in both its financial efficacy and intrinsic cultural value.

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