Driven by distinct yet complementary instincts–Andy’s analytical eye as an artist and Kallie’s lifelong passion for curation—this collecting duo approaches contemporary art with a shared focus on storytelling and deep, enduring connections. For them, art is never an afterthought or mere decoration; it is the vital center around which their entire daily life revolves.
Ahead of Sydney Contemporary, we spoke with Kallie and Andy about the evolution of their collection, the deliberate choice to design their homes around the art they love, and how the Fair continues to surprise and clarify their creative vision.
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Yimula Mununggurr, Djapu, 2019, Paul Wutjinama Maymuru, Wayawu, 2019, Tim Storrier, Evening Embers, 1995Photo: Tom Blanchford
What first sparked your interest in collecting contemporary art?
Our paths to collecting were different but ultimately led us to the same place. Kallie’s passion for art started with her love of curation; when she was little, she would collect and curate items ranging from buttons to leaves to coins and then share them with others. From this and when she moved to Australia, she began collecting contemporary art and curating our own collection. Andy’s spark came from being tasked with selling off a former corporate art collection. This, in turn, led to his first personal acquisition, a work by Tim Storrier – an artist we still admire and collect.
Bill Henson, Untitled, 2021
When encountering a new work, what qualities or ideas tend to draw you in?
We are drawn to works that tell us a story and sustain connection over time. Whether it is the stillness of a Bill Henson photograph or the meditative quality of a teamLab digital work, we look for something we can live with comfortably (and sometimes intentionally uncomfortably!) and that continues to reveal itself over time. Artworks do not need to fit a particular genre; they need to resonate both in the moment we encounter it and over the coming weeks, months and years that we have it hung in our home.
Photo: Tom Blanchford
Has your approach to collecting evolved over time? If so, how?
Andy is very analytically driven – he loves to understand the process of developing an artwork being an artist himself, while Kallie has always been driven by the joy of the hunt — and over time those instincts have converged into something complementary. Kallie’s involvement with the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) has drawn the collection increasingly towards photography. We have also become far more open to digital art, which was not part of our early thinking but now has a significant presence in our home.
What role does living with artworks play in your everyday life?
When we built our city home years ago, we worked with an architect who understood what we meant when we said that “art needs to come first, and living second.” To this end, art is the most prominent part of our interior life; it is not decorative so much as central to how we experience our home. We place artworks within rooms rather than as an afterthought, which means every space is in constant dialogue with the works that inhabit it.
Tamara Dean, Cosmos, 2015 (left), Dale Frank, Black Soil Warrego Highway (Esk Turnoff) West Morton Anglican Boys College, 2003 (right). Photo: Tom Blanchford
Your collection has been described as reflecting a personal journey rather than a fixed collecting strategy, and even your home was designed around the artworks themselves. How has living so closely with the collection shaped the way you acquire and connect with new works?
When we converted our city home from a warehouse to a place to live, we made sure that art was the hero throughout all the spaces. This commitment has made us more attuned to how an artwork will feel to live with day-to-day — not just how it looks in a gallery. We have recently been repeating that process at our home in Mexico which has enabled us to embark on a new journey of discovery with Latin American art.
Laurence Edwards, The Catcher. Photo: Tom Blanchford
Sydney Contemporary brings together a wide range of artists and galleries each year. What do you most look forward to discovering at the Fair?
Sydney Contemporary has always been where we encounter work that surprises us — artists and practices we would not have found through our usual gallery relationships. We particularly look forward to discovering emerging Australian voices in photography and new media, where our collection has grown most strongly. The Fair also brings together galleries whose programs we follow closely, and the energy of seeing so much work in one place has a way of clarifying what genuinely moves us. And we love catching up with friends at Sydney Contemporary too!
What advice would you give to someone beginning their journey as a collector?
Our advice to anyone wanting to start buying art and/or building a collection is to invest in what genuinely moves you. Engage with institutions, attend openings, and build relationships with artists and gallerists, because the community and the conversations that stem from it are as enriching as the acquisitions. Above all, collect and curate artworks that you want to live with now and into the future.
Sydney Contemporary returns to the Carriageworks from 3 – 6 September. Tickets are on sale now.
