Reine-Marie Fontaine Taittinger and her passion for Art and Technology gave birth to what tomorrow will certainly become the Wikipedia of the art world. She and her husband Hugues are co-founders and co-investors of Arteïa, a platform made by collectors for collectors, based on the mutual passion and engagement in the art tech world together with Olivier Marian and Philippe Gellman and Marek Zabicki. She quickly became a founding investor involved in the company’s board of directors. She is a grand Dame of the Art World, encompassing taste, finesse, knowledge and empathy to the humanitarian problems of the 21st Century.
Arteïa now has its place in the art market and is a platform worked on by a team of 20 computer engineers and developers for over a year, benefiting from the latest technologies and utilizing the highest security level for the product (blockchain, absolute security of anonymous and private accounts).
For the clients, Arteïa is a fun and easy tool, developed by collectors for collectors to better manage their works (inventory, rankings, insurance, invoice, dimensions, weight, storage location, loans, sales).
In the near future, users will be able to exchange, sell or loan certain pieces and then increase and develop their own collections.
Rosemont Art Advisory is pleased to present to you the exclusive interview with Reine-Marie Fontaine Taittinger.
Reine-Marie Fontaine Taittinger was the director of Heal Fashion, a company working in the fashion sector and a children's furniture design company. She is the founder of the Thaillywood foundation and Thaillywood Artist Residency, which offers residencies to artists from the young Asian scene.
She is also a founding member of the Tokyo Art Club. Reine-Marie Fontaine Taittinger has been collecting contemporary art for more than 20 years.
Already back in 2012 Reine-Marie Fontaine Taittinger founded with her husband Hugues Taittinger, heir to the prestigious champagne wine house, a private artists' residence in Thailand.
It welcomed the young French Artist Laurent Pernot, author of poetic and immersive videos and installations, before welcoming visual artists Théo Mercier, Simon Nicaise and Jeanne Susplugas. "But the place also looked for emerging artists from Southeast Asia," announced Reine-Marie Fontaine Taittinger, who had established fruitful partnership with galleries in Bangkok to exhibit Western artists, "at the heart of it".
What made you want to start collecting art? What is the main motivation behind your collecting?
Since my youngest age I’ve been attracted by art in general. At the age of 13 my French teacher took me to an exhibition of Balthus in Centre Pompidou in Paris. I had so much emotion I could not express with words and I did so by crying. From there I knew one day I will buy art even though I had no idea this who lead me to be a collector.
When did you fall in love with a piece of art? What was it?
The very first piece I fell in love with was Klimt painting “le baiser – The kiss".
What is your focus regarding the artists in your collection? Are you more interested in emerging or renowned artists?
When I started to buy art I had no focus and I bought what I liked with no other consideration. I’m more interested in young emerging artists nevertheless I do appreciate the works of renowned artists dead or alive…
What motivated you to establish Thaillywood Art Foundation ? How to achieve its missions?
1. Love for arts and culture In order to finance and manage personally my artist residency (Thaillywood Artist Residency) based in Thailand I decided to set up our own foundation. Our property is located in an area where cultural development was a no man’s land… I decided to bring my own touch in…
2. Passion for education I was very happy to have a very active role in the development of Thai and foreign artists but also to partner with some schools in order to give back to volunteer children regular sessions in our studio with the artists in residence.
3. Sharing, Charity At the residency in Thailand we’ve supported all kind of artistic practises including music and writing. Regarding music it was great to share with the local community all the concert we’ve organized.
What are your visions for the Foundation in the next five or ten years?
To be honest right now it’s a bit complicated to have a clear vision due to the global political-economical-social. I hope I just can keep going on doing what I do for as long as possible.
Can you name three emerging Thai artists who should be on our radar?
Piyarat Piyapongwiwat - Korakrit Arunanonchai – Sudaporn Teja – kwanchai lichaikul…
Who inspires you the most in the art world?
So many…. Egon Schiele, Giacometti, Brancusi, Balthus, Bugatti, Richter,….
How do you embrace the digital and the tech world in your art collecting and do you think it will democratize the art market?
I’m not yet a buyer of digital art even though I’ve been tempted more than once. And yes I believe digital art will be more accessible for the young generations.
What is your dream?
My most extravagant dream would be to own “the bird” by Brancusi… But in a more realistic possibility I wish art could be taugh to every single person from the youngest age. To me art is a language an expression everyone should be able to understand.