Being a true collector involves a lot more than just buying art. Sometimes, it requires advocating for artists inside bureaucratic institutions, match-making between creators and museums, and even selling yourself to a protective art dealer in order to convince them you will be a fitting custodian of a great work. Our 2026 young collectors share a commitment to going above and beyond for the chance to live with art they love.
Age: 46
Based In: Dallas and New York
Patrick Collins, the head of a family investment office, doesn’t have his own museum—yet. But he does own art that would be right at home in one. In his brief collecting career, he has charmed his way into buying historic work that most collectors would dismiss as too challenging or complex.
What work sits by your bedside table, and why?
The only bedside where I’ve hung an artwork is in my house in New York. The first was a Pope. L, hung shortly after his death. The second, hung there currently, is what appears to be a small Warhol screenprint of flowers but is in fact a Sturtevant “repetition.” Friends who know me best, without asking, know that it’s a Sturtevant, because it would be out of character for me to own that type of Warhol, but I like that it sometimes sparks questions and conversations. I’m happy to sleep beside something so conceptual.
Which work in your home provokes the most conversation from visitors, and in which home is it located?
I currently have one of the largest McCracken columns I’ve ever seen sitting in my New York living room; it’s so big that one almost doesn’t notice it at first. It’s almost 10 feet tall with a base that is 48 by 29 inches and is deep purple, so dark it looks black, almost like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. It usually catches people off-guard when they first notice it and has stoked many interesting conversations. The other was a pair of Scott Burton marble ziggurat chairs. They sat in the kitchen, so people were constantly confused as to whether they were art or furniture. Given Scott’s intentions in his practice, they are in fact both at the same time, so this also made for many great conversations.
What has been the most challenging piece in your collection to acquire?
One of the most challenging pieces to acquire was an iconic work by Yoko Ono, Sky TV. Most or all of the editions are owned by major museums, and I was deeply interested in the work but understood, given its significance, how hard it might be for me, a collector, to acquire the work. After significant discussions with her and her studio, and explaining both the way in which I collect and the intentions I have for the collection, I was allowed to acquire an edition of the work. This is something I’m very proud of. I’ve also been able to add a number of her other works to the collection because, as with most every artist, I prefer to collect in depth.
What has been the hardest negotiation you’ve had with an artist or dealer?
Similar to the negotiation over the Yoko Ono, there was a young gallery in Germany working with an artist, and they were trying to place one of the artist’s largest and most important works. I was trying to acquire the work, but the gallerist and artist felt it should be for an “institution only.” Once again, after explaining the nature of my collecting and collection, and long-term intentions for the work, they were willing to let it enter my collection (I also already owned a number of the artist’s other major works, so they are all safely together until the right future can be determined for them).
Every collector makes a rookie mistake or two—what was your most memorable?
Probably buying things too quickly. Early on, many galleries were hard to deal with, because they had no idea who I was or what I intended to do with my collecting. And frankly, they can sometimes be a little tough on newcomers. I was mostly offered work that was editioned and not particularly popular, like photography, or paintings that were also not in high demand by other collectors. Sometimes you have to go through some of this to show galleries you are serious and get access to better or more in-demand work, but I also could have had more patience and spoken with gallerists more before jumping in and buying things.
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