“Life is beautiful. Motto: spend time with positive people.”

Whit these words, Eva Dichand – a very classy woman, sporty and an art lover –  introduces herself. This is a really positive message that we want to share with our followers.

Publisher and director of HEUTE, a free newspaper, manager of several digital companies in Austria and newly appointed Deputy Chair board member of Albertina Museum Wien, she is considered one of the most interesting art collectors in the international scene.

All interviews, podcasts and statements we heard from her voice, confirmed us she is a  really genuine woman.

Among the artists displayed in her collection, we name the Swiss painter Miriam Cahn, who we also would choose for an ideal collection.

Very kindly, Miss Dichand shared with us her opinion about the future of contemporary art by offering an authentic and candid point of view in this moment of global change, where all the social and economic relationships are being questioned and challenged.

Art had always anticipated times throughout history, such as social and generational changes. But today, the world of art and culture in general has been taken by surprise by this situation. Whoever is moving to preserve it appears to be focusing mostly on the economic aspects and how to manage this industry called “Art”.

In this situation, the point of view of international entrepreneurs and art collectors will help us to redefine the values that the world of art ascribes to society.

Question: As an entrepreneur, collector and woman in the art world, how are you personally living the effects of this global emergency, that is also a cultural, intellectual and social shock?

Answer: I think this crisis will change our lives forever or at least for a very long time. Especially for the cultural world, it will be a deep cut as many artists, galleries and art institutions will struggle to recover. There will be an even bigger gap between rich and poor which may lead to social unrest. Even in very stable countries like Austria or Germany we will have many poor people struggling to survive. Governments and politics will be overwhelmed helping those and for sure may not focus enough on the cultural and intellectual side of our lives.

The same is ‘footprinting’ right now my personal life: as there are so many problems approaching in my business life (newspaper and digital companies) I have no time and concentration to focus on collecting art or other things that normally fulfil me. I am a bit on a survival mode.

Q: Thinking about the future, what should be the content and values of the artistic productions that will preserve the world of art?

A: Back to quality instead of quantity. I already missed before the crisis that very rarely art and artists’ work mirrored the most important impacts on society, at least in Europe, like immigration and environment. I think that art may develop more in the direction of intellectual conversation with the true problems and challenges of our time and maybe distance itself more from the market and marketing aspects of art.

Q: Smart working became a tool used by everybody. In this context, the home appears as the world to live in and to be shown, representing us in that precise moment in time. In this situation, art can offer new aesthetic and wellness opportunities on a personal level. What can art do to become accessible, to be present in more households without being considered exclusively for the elite?

A: First of all, art does not always have to be expensive. Right now, most museums, galleries and opera houses offer free digital viewings of art and performances. Digital art is growing rapidly and may play a major role in the future. I consider art as a pleasure to be experienced without ownership. One can enjoy artworks in museums or on the screen without having to own them. The same is with music. We have to learn to take pleasure again from listening, watching and observing and not consuming.

Q: How do you live the relationship with art in your house in this moment?

A: Like I did before. The whole family and I are used to live with art. But I must admit that, in times like these, now I take more time and I am more relaxed to get into a deeper conversation with artworks and enjoy them. I did a lot of background research/reading and finally had the time to engage digitally more with artists and artworks I was not so familiar with yet.

Q: How is your approach as a collector conditioned by the current situation?

A: Right now, I do not have the mood or energy to extend my collection. I want to focus on finishing my archive, reselecting and hanging new pieces and just enjoying what I have. I also do not believe that the so-called art market will go back where it was. In crisis we say: “the wheat separates from the chaff”. The same will happen in the art world.

As Miss Dichand suggests, we agree that this global change is a great occasion for all of us to meditate, reflect, deepen our relationships with others and also with art, redefine our priorities, appreciate what we have and take more pleasure from this.

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