We recently had the pleasure of speaking to Oliver Munts, a perceptive art enthusiast known for his impressive David Shrigley collection. In the last few years Ollie has built his own independent online gallery, well known for celebrating the world's leading contemporary artists and fostering close relationships with collectors. Oliver kindly sent us some photographs of his Jealous purchases from over the years, including some golden oldies. Take a look at his collection and our interview below!

Jealous:

How long have you been collecting art for?

Oliver:

I’ve been collecting art since 2006 so, roughly 18 years… Seems like a lifetime ago!

Jealous:

Do you remember the first artwork you bought? What attracted you to it?

Oliver:

I remember walking into a gallery in Brighton and seeing a screen print called Devine Revelation by the artist Dan Baldwin. I was drawn to the mix of bright and pastel colours and, at the time, was going out a lot around Camden so fell in love with the swallows and skulls dotted over the work… It’s long gone now but, at the time, seeing the quality of the work, the numbering, the artist’s signature, etc, it had an instant impact on me and that’s where my addiction to buying art started...

Jealous:

What do you think it is that makes an artwork successful?

Oliver:

Although we all know art is subjective and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder… personally, I believe vibrant, positive artwork where the artist is showing off their skill and technical ability always seems to draw me in. I love speaking to artists about their processes, their background, why they decided to create a work in a specific way, any sort of insight is like a window into the artist’s head. 

Jealous:

You’ve been collecting David Shrigley artworks from us for quite a while now. What is it about Shrigley’s work that pulls you in each time?

Oliver:

Yes… I have… At one point I had almost a hundred David Shrigley works… 

Artwork aside, I’ve always admired Shrigley’s ability to keep the balance between affordable and fine art. He gives everyone the chance to buy his works for incredibly reasonable prices upon release and has one of the strongest secondary markets for a UK artist, the most popular of his works, ‘Rampage’, has sold for significant amounts at auction which shows how broad his pool of collectors is. I’ve seen his works take pride and place on collectors walls whether they are living in Hackney or Mayfair, his childlike paintings appeal to all age groups and, as a general rule, his works are incredibly positive. What’s not to like? 

All David Shrigley screenprints made in the Jealous studio - though not all were released through Jealous!

Stop Panicking - David Shrigley

Jealous:

Tell us about your gallery Mustard Contemporary – when did you start the business and why?

Oliver:

I set Mustard Contemporary up in 2016, I was collecting a lot of art at the time and was being asked about works I owned by other collectors. I originally started selling on works to fund bigger purchases and within a few years it turned into my day-to-day business. I was seeing a lot of the bigger galleries offering many artists' works at inflated prices and felt I could offer something different. The aim of Mustard is to work closely with collectors helping to find them specific and rare works, help them to understand the art market while also helping them to forge their own relationships with artists and galleries. I have met some amazing people over the years who started off as clients but became friends, it’s a good feeling when I help them find a special piece for their home, I always insist they send me photographs once they have them up on the wall.  

Jealous:

If you could own any artwork through history, which one would it be and where would you display it?

Oliver:

I’ve always been a huge fan of Basquiat, some would class it as a cliche but, there’s something about the place and time he grew up and the vibe within the art world at the time. He was rough round the edges but, seen as a celebrity not just in the art world but, the fashion and music worlds too. It would have been so cool hanging out back in the day and seeing his raw talent in the flesh. ‘Untitled’ 1982, his famous skull painting that broke records at auction would certainly hit the spot… Would just need to find some wall space…