Collector Dina Kemal Marchant on Central Asian Art and Her Collection

Dina Kemal Marchant, a collector originally from Kazakhstan and now living in London, runs Stories of Art and has a unique take on collecting, especially focusing on contemporary art from Central Asia. Her collecting adventure kicked off 28 years ago at PricewaterhouseCoopers when she acquired a stunning pair of 17th-century Japanese six-leaf gold screens known as Tales of Genji. Most recently, she added Almagul Menlibayeva's 2023 piece, The Map of Nomadizing Reimagining, which includes 12 video installations from Central Asia and Iran. Marchant supports the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale and the Delfina Foundation. She emphasizes the importance of research and artist conversations before buying art. She regrets passing on works by Adrian Ghenie and loves Marcel Duchamp's Boîte-en-valise. In Basel, her favorite spots include the Les Trois Rois hotel and Museum Tinguely, where she often relaxes by swimming in the Rhine. She critiques major art fairs for favoring larger galleries but praises Frieze for its inclusivity.