Corporate Collections in the Netherlands

Dutch corporations own a vast amount of modern and contemporary art, yet little attention has been devoted to the phenomenon. As a consequence, and because few corporate collections are open to the public, debate around the subject tends to be driven by ill-informed opinion: public interest is stirred primarily when these collections are auctioned off or if their fate is uncertain. This publication approaches the subject from various perspectives; alongside a scholarly analysis of corporate collecting and a comparison of the situation in the Netherlands with developments abroad, individuals from the Dutch art world who are involved with corporate collections share their view and experiences. What they have to say reveals how views are shaped by individual desires and agendas, and the degree to which the relationship between the intrinsic value of art and the goals of its collectors is persistently problematic.