Artist Collector Network
A network map of artists and collectors that exposes existing ties and predicts future acquisitions in the art world.
Artist Collector Network maps connections between artists and collectors based on the act of collecting. Both parties are invited to participate by submitting lists of artists or collectors they’re connected with. Data for the network is contributed voluntarily and confirmed only by the submitting party.
The map is generated through a self-organizing software system, where names are positioned by connecting forces on the canvas, based on their relationships. The result is a visual network that reveals central figures, indirect links, and organically emerging clusters within the art ecosystem.
An algorithmic prediction system suggests possible future links—predicting which collectors might acquire work from which artists, and vice versa, based on existing patterns in the data.
This work examines the art world—often governed by status, privilege, and secrecy—through the lens of digital systems built on openness, transparency, and participation. The dataset includes:
- 46 private collections
- 738 artists
- 3,256 connections (weighted by number of works collected per artist)
Artist Collector Network is presented both as a large-format printed map and as an interactive installation on a touchscreen. Viewers can explore the network, highlight direct connections by touching a node, and view predicted links based on the algorithmic model.
The project began in 2011 as Phase I at Borusan Contemporary Museum in Istanbul, continued with Phase II at Maçka Art Gallery (Istanbul, 2012), and expanded in Phase III for another exhibition at Borusan Contemporary (2013). A special edition was created for the 30th Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts (2013), featuring Slovenian artists and collectors.
Exhibitions
