Cover Vir Kotak in his home in Singapore, with some of his collection: (clockwise, from top right) Falling Figure by Amsterdam- based Indian artist Praneet Soi; Speak in Tongues, a sculpture by Filipino artist duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan; The Walker, a free-standing sculpture by Indian artist Sahej Rahal; I Want to Live with No Fear, a series of three digital prints by Indian artist Shilpa Gupta; and two graphite on paper works by Bangladeshi artist
Vir Kotak in his home in Singapore, with some of his collection: (clockwise, from top right) Falling Figure by Amsterdam- based Indian artist Praneet Soi; Speak in Tongues, a sculpture by Filipino artist duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan; The Walker, a free-standing sculpture by Indian artist Sahej Rahal; I Want to Live with No Fear, a series of three digital prints by Indian artist Shilpa Gupta; and two graphite on paper works by Bangladeshi artist
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He reveals the inspiration behind embarking on his collection journey, and how he and his wife support the arts
“I like to buy into an artist’s brain,” declares Vir Kotak. “Their thought process, their mind space ... it could be anything interesting that captures my attention. For me, the appreciation of art is not something that happens in a silo, it’s so much more than that. It could be what I’ve seen growing up or what I responded to.”
While Kotak grew up in Bombay (now known as Mumbai), his grandparents lived in the UK and he would often visit them in London every summer. “My grandmother would take me to the museums and art galleries,” says the Singapore‐based art collector.
“I found it fascinating, not just the idea of art but where it falls under, be it contemporary politics, history or sociology—and how they are all interconnected. For me, the larger narrative is what contemporary art brings to the table.”
This passion for art eventually turned into collecting, in part thanks to the influence of his grandfather, who was “friends with various artists, from painters to musicians, and even philosophers, and he would have interesting conversations with them at home”, shares Kotak. “He was truly the definition of an art patron. My grandfather supported his friends by collecting their works. I was lucky to have inherited a few of these works from him, by artists who are now some of the most important in Indian modern art.”
So when it came to starting his own art collection, which today is spread across his homes in Singapore and Delhi, it was only natural for Kotak to look at artists and works that have their roots in South Asia. “It’s always nice to start collecting from where you are from because you have the access points and know people within the ecosystem,” he says.
He is fascinated with the idea of materiality, in particular paper, and this is apparent in the works that are displayed around his home located in the heart of the city in Singapore. Take the two paper works by Bangladeshi artist Ayesha Sultana, who transformed graphite onto paper to mimic the look of steel. And then there is Nepali artist Youdhisthir Maharjan, who took strips of paper cut from old books and woven them. In the living room is Falling Figure, a large acrylic and silverpoint on canvas work by Amsterdam‐based Indian artist Praneet Soi.
Now that Kotak and his family—wife Simran and their two young sons—are based in Southeast Asia, “the collection has moved its remit to artists from the region and those who live and work here”. Kotak founded and owns a digital freight technology company, while Simran is behind the modern Indian restaurant, Ahāra. “The same goes for West Asia because I have businesses in the Middle East, and we’re also looking at western art. The collection is becoming broader in its scope.”
Above Falling Figure by Amsterdam- based Indian artist Praneet Soi; Speak in Tongues, a sculpture by Filipino artist duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan; The Walker, a free-standing sculpture by Indian artist Sahej Rahal; I Want to Live with No Fear, a series of three digital prints by Indian artist Shilpa Gupta; and two graphite on paper works by Bangladeshi artist (clockwise, from top right)
Falling Figure by Amsterdam- based Indian artist Praneet Soi; Speak in Tongues, a sculpture by Filipino artist duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan; The Walker, a free-standing sculpture by Indian artist Sahej Rahal; I Want to Live with No Fear, a series of three digital prints by Indian artist Shilpa Gupta; and two graphite on paper works by Bangladeshi artist (clockwise, from top right)
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One Singaporean artist Kotak has his eye on is Alvin Ong, who is known for his surreal bodily compositions. “He’s truly a painter, with an oil on canvas practice. We’ve got a couple of his paintings in different sizes, with one of them in our home in Delhi.”
Kotak’s support for the arts goes even further. Together with his wife, he established the The Eight Foundation in September last year to support contemporary art practices and their communities. The foundation embraces the cross‐pollination of ideas between these practices, and the worlds of design, architecture, food and beverage, the environment, politics and social sciences. It is also committed to environmental consciousness and sustainability through its sister organisation, the Andamans Conservancy Foundation.
Kotak fell in love with the Andaman Islands after scuba diving in its waters in 2005—and his family spends one month a year there to enjoy the outdoor activities, including scuba diving, fishing, hiking and picnicking. “I spent a huge amount of time getting to know the islands better. We’ve been cleaning up the beachfront of plastic waste coming in from the ocean, planting trees and running upcycling programmes to get the habitat back to its original, untouched form,” he says.
“Now with the two foundations working closely together, there are plans to create an artist residency programme, along with a sculpture park. [We want to invite] some of the leading artists in the regions that we support to come and be there for four months on end, giving them carte blanche to create works in this beautiful environment,” shares Kotak.
With his passion for art intersected with other aspects of his life and interests,Tatler asked Kotak about the work that holds the greatest significance to him. “Homes I Made / A Life in Nine Lines by Zarina Hashmi, one of India’s foremost printmakers and paper sculptors,” comes his reply. The portfolio of nine etchings and a cover sheet shows the elevation drawings of each of the homes the artist had lived in across the world.
“For me, it’s the idea, both physically and metaphorically, of what is home? Is it where you reside? Or is it in your mind? Is it a place that’s gone by? Or is it a place in the future? It’s a big concept that we don’t think about too much.” But not Kotak, who finds a personal connection with every piece of art he brings into his collection.
Credits
Photography: Frenchescar Lim
As Senior Editor of Tatler Singapore, Hashirin champions and refines the storytelling across platforms—curating and crafting compelling profiles, cover stories and features that spotlight visionaries shaping culture, business and impact. Driven by curiosity, she draws inspiration from the artists, changemakers and trailblazers she encounters through her work. Beyond the pages of Tatler, she is an avid supporter of local theatre and delights in seeking out art in every city she visits.
