It’s difficult to define the value of art
Owning art is unique. Unlike almost every other asset within a wealth portfolio, it typically holds huge emotional resonance for its owner.
The urge to collect art is driven by very different desires to those behind building a stock or bond portfolio and its ‘value’ can mean different things to different people - and at different points in time too.
One of the first things any collector needs to consider is whether they are amassing it primarily for pleasure during their own lifetime, as an investment, or to create a legacy – or a mixture of the three?
These might seem like obvious questions, but they’re often not given that much thought, particularly as a collection is started and is being assembled.
Passion-driven collectors may not associate or categorise their art-buying alongside the disciplines they apply to the management of their financial or business wealth, as art-collecting is so often driven by very personal perspectives and emotion.
For the next generation, who have perhaps grown up with a collection being built or in existence within the family, the value they attach could be very different, particularly if they stand to inherit it.
Challenging conversations
It can be challenging to talk to clients about art, as opposed to other assets families may have.
Did you know?
I think of it in a similar way to collectibles such as sporting memorabilia or classic cars. In the same way, art collections have often been built up by one person – and that's the challenge. It's been driven by their interests, their passion – it's very different from financial assets in that way.
When we’re advising families on their art collections, one of the challenges, first and foremost, is to try to move the discussion away from something that’s personal and emotional into a space where there can be a more objective strategic conversation – but that's not easy.
You have to get people into a space where there's a willingness to talk about it objectively and then you can begin to tease out what it means. Why was it built? What was the history behind this? What was the purpose, passion, emotion and drive behind this?
Then, you need a conversation about the objectives for the longer term. And that's where you can begin to open up and ask quite a lot of really big, broad questions.
These discussions provide the basis for understanding why a collection exists, and what its value means to the collector. And, ultimately, it helps us to support a client incorporate a collection into the breadth of their wider assets and think about what they want to do with it in the future.
The art of preservation
Find out more about the challenges and opportunities of collecting, managing and ultimately passing on art in our HSBC Private Bank report.
Abu Dhabi Art
Abu Dhabi Art (opens in new window)
Duration: 2:32
Speakers:
- Mohamed Al Marzooqi
CEO UAE, HSBC Bank Middle East
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Daniel Lancaster
Global Art Manager, HSBC
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Charles Boulton
CEO HSBC Private Bank, UK
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Gabriel Castello
CEO of HSBC Private Bank, a.i
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Dyala Nusseibeh
Director, Abu Dhabi Art
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Sheikh Khalid Saud Al Qasimi
Deputy Chief of Mission at UAE Embassy in the UK
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Fatima Al Ali
Artist - Emmanuel Awuni
Artist in HSBC ‘Different Perspectives’
LinkedIn (opens in new window) - Simrin Mehra Agarwal
Artist
[Mohamed]
At HSBC, we truly believe that art connects nations, it connects cultures, and it helps to build bridges.
[Text on screen]
Mohamed Al Marzooqi
CEO UAE, HSBC Bank Middle East
[Mohamed]
Our partnership with Abu Dhabi Art, is actually to celebrate the talent, to celebrate the aspiration of those young Emirati and Middle Eastern artists.
[Dyala]
There has never been a more dynamic time to be an artist in the UAE.
[Text on screen]
Dyala Nusseibeh
Abu Dhabi Art Director
[Dyala]
I think there’s a hunger, there’s an appetite for growth and there’s ambition and there’s opportunity.
And I think HSBC prides itself on giving opportunities to talent, to people that have an ambition and a vision and want to achieve things.
[Daniel]
I see today as a celebration.
It’s about bringing artists from all over the globe.
What we’ve done with this programme is support
[Text on screen]
Daniel Lancaster
Global Art Manager, HSBC
[Daniel]
artists at this early point, but also more importantly, it’s giving them the platform.
on a global stage.
For example, at Sotheby’s Mason in Hong Kong, in the Saatchi Gallery in London.
[Fatma]
The partnership between Abu Dhabi Art and HSBC has definitely created opportunities for us to expand our work and take it to places and regions,
[Text on screen]
Fatima Al Ali
Artist in ‘Beyond Emerging Artists’
[Fatma]
that we never would have had the chance to do without their help.
[Charles]
This is all about emerging artists, largely from the UAE.
[Text on screen]
Charles Boulton
CEO of HSBC Private Bank, UK
[Charles]
The corridor between here and the UAE is very important to the UK and is one that we want to cultivate.
So, it’s great to see so many clients here today taking advantage of those connections.
[Gabriel]
Clients are collecting art because they want to share a passion, they want to share emotions.
[Text on screen]
Gabriel Castello
CEO of HSBC Private Bank, a.i
[Gabriel]
It is many times about building a legacy within their families and for the next generation.
[Emmanuel]
I want my work to really open up spaces for people, for contemplation.
HSBC has been an incredible, incredible support system for my practice.
[Text on screen]
Emmanuel Awuni
Artist in HSBC ‘Different Perspectives’
[Emmanuel]
It’s really allowed me to just be free, which is difficult for artists now in the world.
[Simrin]
These are very iconic venues in the world.
[Text on screen]
Simrin Mehra Agarwal
Artist in ‘Beyond Emerging Artists’
[Simrin]
So, for young artists to actually be shown in these venues, it’s a very big thing.
And I feel really excited and proud to be here.
[Sheikh Khalid]
It’s evenings like this that remind us that cooperation is not defined by numbers alone.
[Text on screen]
Sheikh Khalid Saud Al Qasimi
Deputy Chief of Mission at the UAE Embassy in the UK
[Sheikh Khalid]
Our partnership also is about culture, ideas and connections that bind our communities together.
[Text on screen]
HSBC | Opening up a world of opportunity
© HSBC Group 2026
Abu Dhabi Art partnership
Take a look around our exhibition with Abu Dhabi Art at London’s Saatchi Gallery and find out more about our partnership.