Jonathan Toh of All About Art: The Man Who Leapt from Architecture to Art Dealing
Formerly known as Featurespace Art, All About Art was set up by Jonathan Toh two years ago (2020). This Singapore-based gallery represents the next chapter and redefines the retail experience of art collecting. Previously, Jonathan was in the architecture industry before he took a leap of faith and invested in his side hustle.
Today, we caught up with Jonathan Toh to talk about his motivation behind All About Art, his views on NFT and the inspiration behind the Takashi Murakami showcase.
Q1: What inspired you to make the switch from the architecture industry to the art industry?
Moving into art from the architecture industry is the coming together of chance and circumstances. When I first started, I was at the beginning of my journey of getting into architecture. For me, I have always been an art collector, so I always had a passion for collecting art.
When I left my last job, I thought, “If not now, then when?” Thus, I turned my side hustle into a full-time business. At the start, I gave myself six months to try out. Eventually, six months became a full year and I never looked back.
Q2: What was the very first piece of art you purchased?
My first piece was Takashi Murakami’s Flower Ball. The journey of obtaining the Flower Ball was what got me started with my business. When I first laid eyes on the art piece, I was astounded by the high price some of the galleries priced it.
Therefore, I gave myself a challenge and “DIYed” my own. I cold-called dealers in Japan and found out the prices, the costs for shipment, framing options and more. That was when I realised this was more than just a passion; it was an opportunity for me to share this with others too.
Q3. What is your favourite piece in your collection today?
I like to say I like my children all the same, so there is no single favourite piece. This is due to the changes in preference throughout the years. I feel that every single piece signifies different things to me. There was the first piece I bought when I left Bangkok in my previous job, the piece I bought to commemorate my first year in the business, and the pieces in this showroom are also part of my favourite pieces because they came from artists which I highly recommend.
Q4: Last November, you held a Takashi Murakami showcase in your studio. What inspired you to do this showcase and tell us what happened at the showcase that really surprised you?
Murakami pieces have always been a clear choice for most first-time collectors. This is due to their heartening graphics and their recognisability. I saw the demand for collectors to get that as their first piece.
I decided to do this showcase because I wanted to do something different that benefits others. Unlike other galleries in Singapore where you can only see two pieces on show and another 10 in the catalogue, I took the risk and put 50 unique pieces at once. By doing this, it allows people to see and compare the artwork as they sit next to each other. People appreciated the showcase as they were able to compare the different series across the years and be more well-informed because I was able to share the difference between the transition of styles.
It was an interesting and successful showcase which was rather receptive to the art-collecting community in Singapore. That surprised me because I always thought that the community was isolated. However, through the showcase, I realised that people from all walks of life are willing to splurge and get into art collecting; be it young couples buying them for their first home, bachelors buying them for their office, or even slightly older couples purchasing them for their children.
Q5. What’s your advice to someone looking to buy their first piece of art?
I always tell collectors to buy what they like because it is something they will see and interact with daily. There is no safe bet; thus, it does not matter if your first piece of art is a piece by Murakami or another artist. It is good to purchase something practical in terms of price and size that you can handle within your room or house. You must also like the aesthetics of the piece if not the collecting process would not be as enjoyable.
Q6: What is your impression of digital art and have you bought an NFT yourself?
NFT gets a bad name as the perception is people think that NFT is going to replace art’s physical form. But I beg to differ. Both NFT and physical art are here to stay, and they should be seen as partners to each other. Digital art is merely an extension of the art collecting journey, with certain pros and cons the physical piece may not be able to achieve. Therefore, I see them as a collective rather than as competitors.
For me, I have not ventured into NFT. I also have not gone to the extent of broadcasting or promoting it to my collectors because I feel like I am not an expert on it. I only want to stand behind artworks and artists that I fully understand.
Q7: Do you feel that art can be looked at as a form of investment?
I have always felt that art is an investment. The difference now is what kind of art is more evoked in the conversation. Watches, fine wine, and liquor have always been seen as an investment, but more people are open to the idea of art being an investment. After all, some of the larger auction houses continue to trade art to date.
I feel that if there is a demand there will always be a supply. These days, more art dealers are popping up, meeting the demand and supply gap. There are also more people facilitating the buying and selling of contemporary art. I have always seen art as an investment, but as a collector, I feel it should not be seen as the primary consideration.
Q8: Who are some artists we should look out for and what are the various forms of artwork that are increasing in popularity?
There are so many different tiers and sectors to art and it is hard to pinpoint a certain artist to look out for. I think contemporary art is an art form that is taking centre stage now. What is becoming quite apparent is how people are given more chances in the type of artwork and the choice of artwork they choose to buy. They are open to buying artwork from emerging artists, lesser-known artists or even artists they are not familiar with. What resonates with people is the graphics, something that is practical in terms of size and budget, and something they can enjoy in their homes for a long time.
Q9: Which artists and art pieces are you focusing on right now?
Currently, I’m more focused on emerging artists that are slightly underrepresented in our home country. My latest showcase titled, “JOGJA: The Next Chapter”, is made up of artworks from six artists. These artists are from Jogja, Jakarta, Indonesia and their artworks are recently being picked up by galleries across the globe. Thus, I decided to do a showcase for all six of them.
Q9. What differentiates All About Art from other galleries?
For a long time in Singapore, art has always been in a clean-cut gallery and environment where people are not the most comfortable. I want to bring a different retail experience for art buyers by coming across as more approachable and being able to facilitate any aspect of art collecting that someone might need.
Q10. Lastly, what can we look forward to from All About Art for the year?
This year has been quite the milestone for us as we made the transition from the old brand, Featurespace Art, to the new brand, All About Art. As the name suggested, All About Art branches into all verticals of art instead of just the vines. Besides transforming into a full-fledged art gallery, we will accommodate things like framing, artists' residency and generating more conversation when we move into a bigger space.
