Collector Charles Asprey Discusses His Buying Habits, Donates 50 Works to Orkney Museum

Charles Asprey, a philanthropist and collector, has contributed over 50 pieces from his collection to the Pier Arts Centre, located in Orkney, Scotland, one of the UK's most isolated museums. Asprey, who started his art journey in the 1990s in New York with dealer Andrea Rosen, is also involved as a dealer, publisher, and co-editor of the arts quarterly Picpus. At the inaugural London Invitational art fair during Frieze week, he is showcasing new works by Alessandro Raho. In a conversation with The Art Newspaper, Asprey shared that his first artwork was a Matthew Barney photograph bought in 1995 for around $3,000, partly financed by his father. He lamented missing out on a Noah Davis piece before the artist's 2025 Barbican exhibition. Asprey's wishlist includes Jay DeFeo's The Rose (1958-66) and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska's Hieratic Head of Ezra Pound (1914). He hosts an annual Frieze week gathering with Michael Callies from the now-defunct Brussels gallery Dépendance. Asprey criticized art fairs as "gigantic halls of produce," advocating for a return to smaller, boutique events. For dining, he recommends Clerkenwell and Farringdon, and suggests Deal in Kent for a retreat. His tip for newcomers to London: "Prepare to be amazed."