About Us
About the Cleine Collection
Art reflects the society in which it is created, but can also act as a catalyst for change. By challenging us to see things in a different way, to think different thoughts, to see new perspectives, art can push and pull us in new directions. It is simultaneously a reflection of the time and place it was made, a meditation on the history and experience of its creator, and a window into a future, real or imagined. It is at once both deeply personal and universal in its appeal. Art is progressive; enabling and encouraging individuals, communities, and society as a whole to move forward.
I started to accumulate the Cleine Collection from the late 1990’s when I became a resident of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The collection is weighted towards figurative work from Vietnam, reflecting my personal taste, and includes abstract pieces and work from other countries, including the Kingdom of Cambodia, the United States, and New Zealand.
The Cleine Collection is anchored in Vietnam, and it’s creation aligns with the period of “Doi Moi”, Vietnam’s re-integration into the world, the birth of a new generation of artists, gallerists and curators, and a new creative and cultural renaissance.
Art is created to be seen. The Cleine Collection is displayed in private residences in Vietnam, Thailand and New Zealand, and can also be found in the public spaces of KPMG offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Phnom Penh.
“Nothing … is ever so expensive as what is offered for free.”
(Nguyen Viet Thanh, “The Sympathizer”)
By giving the Cleine Collection a free online presence, I hope I am burdening a new cohort of artists and collectors with the moral, commercial and deeply personal obligation to create, buy and enjoy art. Find these artists, track down their gallerists, and be inspired to find talent and work that has meaning to you. Only by extracting this price from those who come here will this endeavour be of value.
The Cleine Collection is open to collaboration, exhibition and acquisition opportunities.
Contact: warrick@cleine.com
About the Principal
Warrick Cleine is a New Zealand business leader based in Asia. The Cleine Collection is a personal project, unaligned with his business and professional interests.