Why integrity in art advisory matters now more than ever

In today’s art market, almost anyone can call themselves an art advisor, and increasingly, they do. With no formal qualifications required, no governing body, and no barriers to entry, the field has become a magnet for opportunists drawn by the illusion of glamour, fast money, and insider status. Art advisory is now seen by many as a get rich quick scheme rather than a profession rooted in scholarship, ethics, and long-term client relationships. Too often, those entering the space have little to no knowledge of art history, no real connoisseurship, and no training in the nuances of the market. What they do have is access, usually to Instagram, not to meaningful insight.

The result is a growing ecosystem of self appointed “advisors” whose motivations have little to do with protecting a client’s best interests. Instead of guiding collectors with transparency and expertise, many operate within murky networks of backdoor deals, opaque mark-ups, and layered commissions. The chain of people involved in a single transaction has become so convoluted that it’s often unclear who’s representing whom or why. Integrity has taken a back seat to access. Relationships are transactional. Advice is driven by margin, not merit.

This isn’t just an internal problem for the advisory field. It’s an issue that ripples out across the entire market; impacting collectors, distorting prices, and ultimately undermining trust in a profession that, at its best, should serve as both a compass and a safeguard.

At its core, the role of an art advisor should be one of trust, discernment, and deep knowledge. An advisor is meant to act as a bridge between artist and collector, gallery and buyer, offering not just access but insight. That means understanding provenance, assessing quality, contextualising works within art history, and guiding collectors toward acquisitions that align with both their taste and long-term vision. It’s a role that demands more than charm or connections; it requires scholarship, strategic thinking, and a genuine commitment to putting the client’s interests first. When done well, art advisory shapes meaningful collections and creates sustained engagement with the art itself, not just the market.

In the last year, I’ve found myself receiving calls and messages from all corners of the globe, strangers who somehow got hold of my number, eager to pitch me paintings with dubious provenance and even dodgier payment terms. Often, these offers come cloaked in the language of exclusivity, but behind the scenes are shell companies based in Switzerland, complicated contracts, and red flags aplenty. I’ve had late night calls inviting me to view works that have no catalogue raisonné, no exhibition history, and often no clear artist attribution. It’s a disorienting world where transparency is rare, and the stakes for collectors can be dangerously high. This is the reality behind the glossy Instagram posts and the curated hype. A reminder that not all art advisory is created equal, and that integrity is becoming a scarce commodity.

My grandfather founded our family gallery nearly 75 years ago, during a time when the art world was far simpler and more transparent. Back then, there were no WhatsApp groups, no complex NDAs, and certainly no shadowy chains of intermediaries. You had the painting on your wall, you knew its story, and you showed it directly to your client; trust was immediate and personal. The transaction was straightforward, grounded in genuine relationships. Looking back, it’s clear that many of today’s challenges simply didn’t exist, which makes the current state of art advisory all the more concerning.

Ultimately, I hope the art advisory field moves toward clearer standards and stricter barriers to entry; where integrity, expertise, and genuine client care are non-negotiable. At Artscapy, we tackle these issues head-on by creating transparency in every deal, working directly with clients and collectors, and consigning works ourselves to eliminate conflicts or ambiguity. Only through such accountability can we restore trust, protect collectors, and ensure that art advisory fulfils its true purpose; guiding meaningful, informed, and responsible engagement with art.