Founder of de PURY, Auctioneer, Art Dealer, Collector & DJ: Simon de Pury – Collecting, Taste & The Power of Curiosity

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Simon de Pury, founder of de PURY, former chairman and chief auctioneer of Phillips de Pury & Company, former Europe chairman and chief auctioneer of Sotheby's, and former curator of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, to explore a life lived entirely in pursuit of beauty, curiosity, and the extraordinary. Raised on Swiss values and drawn to galleries and collectors from a young age, Simon reflects on how a deep obsession with art, music, and human connection shaped a career at the very centre of the global art world.

The conversation moves through the philosophy of collecting, the evolution of taste, and why Simon believes everyone is a collector at heart whether they know it or not. He shares how art has become increasingly social, the barriers that have long defined the industry and the forces now dismantling them, and why the best pieces have a way of choosing their buyer rather than the other way around. Threaded throughout is the one tool Simon has always relied on as much as any eye for great work: humour. A generous, wide-ranging conversation about passion, obsession, and what it truly means to live with art. Filmed at The Twenty Two (London), Gingko Suite. Chapters:

(00:00) Intro ✨🎙️

(01:24) Background 🌍📖

(02:07) The Gstaad Guy 🎿😎

(03:15) Humour 😂🎭

(05:58) Charity Events 🤝🏻❤️

(08:50) Basel 🎨🏛️

(11:13) Curiosity 🔍🧠

(13:47) Passion For Art 🎨❤️

(14:14) Collecting Is An Art 🖼️✨

(18:45) Storytelling 📖🎙️

(21:26) How Taste Evolves 👁️📈

(26:04) Art Has Become Social 📱🎨

(29:47) Kanye West 🎤👑

(31:49) Footballers Buying Art ⚽🖼️

(33:22) Tastemakers 👔✨

(34:03) Fashion & Art 👗🎨

(36:54) Showcasing Your Art 🖼️💡

(39:48) Art Ecosystem 🌍🔄

(42:10) How Freeports Work 🏦🔒

(48:21) Important Factors In Art ⚖️🔑

(51:27) The Art Piece Choosing The Buyer 🖼️🤝🏻

(56:04) Interdisciplinary Approach 🔀🧠

(1:01:13) Obsession 🔥💭

(1:03:43) Attributes Of An Art Collector 🧐💎

(1:07:30) The Art World 🌍🖼️

(1:10:35) Money vs. Passion 💰❤️

(1:12:33) Art World Dos & Don'ts ✅❌

(1:15:34) DJing 🎧🎶

(1:18:28) Being Swiss 🇨🇭⛰️

(1:24:40) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨

(1:27:45) The Future 🔮🚀

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