The Collector's Corner

Antonia Piersanti

Have you ever looked at an artwork and wondered, "Could I own something like that?" Welcome to "The Collector's Corner" – your insider guide to the elusive world of art collecting. Every two weeks, Antonia Piersanti - an art lover and aspiring collector - sits down with passionate collectors from all walks of life to learn about their love for art, their approach to collecting, and their advice for those starting out. Whether you’re an expert or new to the art world, subscribe and follow to discover the personal journeys behind collecting, and get inspired to start building your own collection with confidence.

  1. The Doctor who runs a Salon with Toni Nolte

    2025-10-15

    The Doctor who runs a Salon with Toni Nolte

    Today I am speaking with Toni Nolte, a Cologne-based collector, during one of her visits to Berlin. Toni is a medical doctor by training and heads the department for phoniatrics & paedaudiology at the University Hospital in Bonn. For a while, she considered a career in art but chose to study medicine, nonetheless dedicating all her free time to art since. Surprisingly, Toni only recently got into collecting painting. She explains why and and talks about how her early passion for photography has informed the way she approaches collecting across mediums. She also shares some of the unexpected places aspiring collectors should look to spend time in to train their eye and get inspired. Above all, Toni is a very active supporter of young and emerging artists, and leads multiple innovative initiatives in the Rhineland region to create a bigger platform for them, including her own Salon @salon_roberta My conversation with Toni was super refreshing & inspiring, and I loved the perspective she brought. I hope you enjoy it too ! References mentioned by Toni: Becher SchuleAndreas GurskyThomas StruthThomas RuffDeichtorhallenPhung Tien PhanNiklas TalebBonner KunstvereinJahresgabenGerhard RichterRosemarie TrockelPeter Mertes StipendiumJunger Ankauf at Museum Ludwig Gesellschaft fuer Moderne Kunst at Museum LudwigArt CologneCemile SahinBruno ZhuHieronymus BoschGruenewald Altar (Isenheimer Altar) Gemaeldegalerie BerlinRyan HugginsLukas MuellerKeta Gavasheli

    48 min
  2. Ducklings and Disputes: Inside Susan Dunn's Whimsical Art Collection

    2025-11-12

    Ducklings and Disputes: Inside Susan Dunn's Whimsical Art Collection

    Today I am in London with Susan Dunn. Susan is the founder of Harbour Litigation Funding, which funds high value legal disputes - a fascinating industry that Susan kickstarted in the UK in the early 2000s and is worth over 2 billion pounds today. While diving into litigation funding would have also made for a compelling podcast episode, Susan and I talked about her favourite topic in the world - art. Susan started collecting even before she became a lawyer and hasn’t stopped since. In her flat, all surfaces, walls and shelves, are dedicated to art. But beyond the works, Susan is above all driven by the people behind the art she collects - the artists she befriended and relationships she forged along the way. Susan shares the most fun and joyful stories of her collecting journey, her excitement shines through and is truly contagious. She perfectly demonstrates that there is no ‘right’ way to collect, as long as it’s driven by genuine passion and intention. I had such a fun time speaking with Susan, I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation. Artists and references mentioned by Susan: Nancy FoutsGeorge ShawRoxana HallsGrayson PerryPeggy Guggenheim Francis BaconMaggie HamblingThe Colony ClubSophie GloverArt in ActionWilliam UtermohlenHerbert GallerySoheila SokhanvariUnit LondonStacey Gillian Abe1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair Barbara HepworthDanny HowesForward GallerySarabande Foundation Robbie WraithMoufouli Bello

    50 min
  3. How Rachel Verghis Made Art Her Business

    2025-11-26

    How Rachel Verghis Made Art Her Business

    Today I am very happy to have Rachel Verghis on the podcast - one of the first guests I had on my radar when the idea of the podcast started coming to fruition, and I’m grateful she opened up so generously about her story and her passion for bringing art to as many people as possible. Based in London, Rachel is a former investment banker who found her calling in art and collecting. Without any formal art education, her journey began after taking a sabbatical to volunteer at a Sydney gallery followed by a brief stint at Sotheby's. Today, Rachel balances her time between running her gin company, MarGin, being a solo mum, managing her personal investments, contributing to renowned art institutions, while also driving several artistic initiatives. I am not sure how she does it all but it was very inspiring to talk about all this with her and I hope you enjoy our conversation! Artists and references mentioned: Gene Sherman Caroline Rothwell Ai Weiwei George Rouy Hannah Barry Gallery Patrick Goddard Docent Gertrude Natalia JanulaAvant Arte TeamLab Collective Mikka Rottenberg Tate Modern Hayward Gallery Serpentine Galleries Linder Sterling Christian Levett Rachel Thomas , Chief Curator at the Hayward GalleryMaria SukkarRalph Rugoff AWITA (Associate of Women in the Arts) Bonhams Famm, Christian Levett's museum in Mougins Chateau La Coste Bloomberg Connects Vanila Netto Rachel Kneebone Guillaume Bardet Celia Paul Chantal Joffe Giampaolo Babetto Petrina Hicks

    1h 2m

About

Have you ever looked at an artwork and wondered, "Could I own something like that?" Welcome to "The Collector's Corner" – your insider guide to the elusive world of art collecting. Every two weeks, Antonia Piersanti - an art lover and aspiring collector - sits down with passionate collectors from all walks of life to learn about their love for art, their approach to collecting, and their advice for those starting out. Whether you’re an expert or new to the art world, subscribe and follow to discover the personal journeys behind collecting, and get inspired to start building your own collection with confidence.

You Might Also Like