When I first began collecting art, I was attracted to the idea that beauty and value walked hand in hand. I wanted to believe that great art would forever be known for its merit and preserved as an endurable investment. The deeper I went into both collecting and observing the marketplace, the clearer it became that this was a comforting illusion. Realistically, contemporary art operates more like a high-stakes circus than a rational marketplace, where spectacle often matters more than substance. That realization, shaped by 30+ years of working in finance and watching markets move, is what inspired me to write TopTick.
The art world is fueled by attention. Headlines, hype, and branding dictate much of what gets noticed and, ultimately, what holds value. Time and again, I saw the same pattern repeat: the top one percent of “brand-name” artists—figures like Warhol, Hirst, and Basquiat—maintained their grip on the market while countless others quietly faded from relevance. A painting could dazzle one season, only to be forgotten in the next, and with it the money that hopeful collectors had poured in. Auctions confirmed what my instincts suggested: outside the marquee names, few artists retain lasting value in the secondary market.
What fascinated me, and frustrated me, was how easily art’s essence became eclipsed by its role as a financial or social signal. A duct-taped banana could sell for millions because of the spectacle it created. The rise of crypto-funded stunts only intensified this dynamic, with value being driven less by enduring creativity and more by the rush of novelty and wealth signalling. I found myself asking, What does this mean for art as an investment, and what does it mean for those who love art for art’s sake?
I want to be clear: TopTick is not an attack on contemporary art. Quite the opposite. My love for art is precisely why I felt compelled to write it. This book is a candid look at the forces changing the market and a cautionary tale for those who believe that “investment-grade art” is a safe bet. By blending my personal experiences as a collector with the analytical eye I developed in finance, I hope to provide readers with a clearer understanding of how the system works, where the risks lie, and why discernment matters now more than ever.
The art world loves a spectacle, but behind every dazzling headline is a story about value created, inflated, or lost. I hope that TopTick sparks reflection and discussion about what we choose to celebrate, what we choose to collect, and what it ultimately costs us to be dazzled by the show.