Within and beyond the saleroom: collector Ambrose Lee shares his journey with Christie’s

Rationality guided by passion

Ambrose Lee is a veteran expert with over two decades of experience in investment banking and asset management, as well as an art collector with a profound appreciation for art. His meticulous professional discipline has become second nature, skillfully translated into his collecting strategy. He understands market trends, is well-versed in artists’ creative styles and achievements, analyses the unique appeal of their representative works, and explores their comparable market value.

Yet he draws a clear line: ‘Art collecting is primarily driven by my personal interest and passion, not for the sake of investing. That said, if the artworks appreciate in value, that is certainly a delightful experience.’ Temporarily stepping away from the sea of data, Lee finds a spiritual refuge in the textures of canvas. Abstract art has become the perfect medium; its expressions, devoid of standard answers, allow viewers of diverse experiences to freely project their own life stories. This ultimately points to the life philosophy he pursues: ‘Art makes life more complete, achieving a more holistic, harmonious, and balanced state.’

Through working closely with the Christie’s team, Ambrose Lee has built an increasingly rich collection. It encompasses internationally renowned masterpieces, including the lyrical abstractions passionately rendered by Georges Mathieu and the magical, swaying flowers of Yayoi Kusama, alongside works by post-millennial art pioneers like Shara Hughes and Huang Yuxing.

Discovering a new way of collecting

In recent years, Ambrose Lee’s collecting focus has gradually shifted towards female artists such as Kusama and Shara Hughes. This interest has evolved into a highly valuable and forward-looking dimension of his collection. Christie’s has been the key channel for him to access, understand, and successfully acquire these increasingly valuable works by female artists.

The profound spirituality and intense, visually striking expression of Kusama’s works had long captivated Lee. However, acquiring pieces by such a preeminent artist, especially representative works from specific periods, in ideal dimensions, and of designated themes, proves exceptionally challenging in the open market, where opportunities are fleeting.

By chance, Lee reconnected with Henry Cheng, Vice President and Senior Client Advisor at Christie’s, discovering another way of art acquisition. Leveraging its global collector network, Christie’s Private Sales team and specialists scoured the market for potential Kusama masterpieces that might become available — works distinguished not only by outstanding artistic merit and impeccable condition but also by dimensions and subject matter precisely aligned with Lee’s collecting vision and budget.

Ultimately, through the professional, confidential, and flexible arrangement of Christie’s Private Sales service, Lee successfully acquired the long-cherished Kusama masterpiece.

The exceptional flexibility and efficiency of Christie’s Private Sales perfectly matched Lee’s needs. ‘It’s not constrained by auction schedules; it’s an ongoing, continuous dialogue.’ I can communicate specific ideas and detailed requirements about artworks with my advisors and specialists at any time,’ Lee pointed out. This tailored, confidential, and highly efficient service not only allowed him to precisely target desired works but also, through organic communication, fostered mutual trust with Christie’s. This enables him to build a unique collection that reflects his personal vision and collecting rhythm according to his own artistic aspirations.

Art is life

For Ambrose Lee, art is far more than still-life on a wall; it’s the very foundation of life.

‘I started training in traditional Chinese ink painting at the age of five, developing a particular fondness for landscape painting. This planted the seed of my love for art.’ The artistic training of his childhood laid a solid foundation for Lee’s aesthetic endeavours.

The artworks placed throughout his home and the exhibitions attended with his family all deepen emotional bonds. What moves him the most, however, is his daughter’s response. When assigned a school project, she chose without hesitation to explore the ‘Three Musketeers’ of Chinese Modern Art (Wu Guanzhong, Chu Teh-Chun, and Zao Wou-Ki), delving into the works and lives of these three outstanding 20th-century Chinese artists. This allowed Lee to truly feel that art had become a prism through which his daughter views the world.

For Ambrose Lee, art offers a new perspective on the world, opening fresh topics and horizons in life, and serving as a bond for family education and artistic heritage. His approach to collecting is to discover value with a discerning eye and embrace artistic beauty with pure passion, ultimately returning art to life itself to achieve inner harmony and balance. This is also the enduring charm of art, transcending market fluctuations and economic uncertainties. With its global vision and professional service, Christie’s builds the bridge for collectors like Ambrose Lee to access artistic treasures.

Christie’s Private Sales is a service for buying and selling fine art and objects outside of the auction room. Browse our Private Sales page to explore fine art, jewellery, handbags, watches and more, all ready to take home now,  along with our buying and selling guides. There are no limits to what you can buy privately from Christie’s. Please feel free to contact us and tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll use our global network of specialists to find it for you.