---
title: "Collecting With Meaning: Digital Art Philosophy | Mondoir"
description: "How my collecting changed—from chasing trends and aesthetics to supporting artists who stay true to themselves. A philosophy for collecting digital art."
url: "https://mondoir.com/insights/collecting-with-meaning"
dateModified: "2023-01-21"
---

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Collecting —  January 21, 2023 —  Updated January 21, 2023 —  5 min read

# Collecting With Meaning: A Philosophy for Digital Art

By Amir Soleymani  — founder of Mondoir

When I started collecting digital art, I bought with my eyes. I chased what looked striking, what was trending, what everyone said would go up. It took a while — and a hard personal stretch — to learn that this is the least interesting way to collect.

## When collecting becomes transactional

As my collection grew, so did the pressure. I began to feel that some artists saw me as a source of financial support rather than someone who genuinely loved their work. That weighed on me more than I expected; at one point it contributed to a real low in my own well-being. Collecting had quietly turned into a series of transactions, and transactions are a thin foundation for something that is meant to bring meaning.

What pulled me back was small and human. The artist Rebecca Rose once reached out simply to check on me — not to sell me anything, just to ask how I was doing. That gesture reminded me what I actually valued: the person behind the work, not the next acquisition.

## Collectibles versus art

It helped me to separate two things that often get lumped together. Collectibles are frequently about community, status, or utility — the membership and the upside. Art is about expression and emotion, about a piece that moves you whether or not anyone else ever wants it. Both are fine. But knowing which one I am buying, and why, changed everything about how I collect.

## Collecting as conviction

I gradually moved from chasing aesthetics to seeking out artists who stay true to their own style, even when the trends pull elsewhere. I would rather support an artist's journey than catch a wave. When Sotheby's invited me to curate for their Natively Digital sale, I used the moment to champion other artists rather than myself — that, to me, is what a collector is for.

My collection is not just a gallery of digital art. It is a mosaic of diverse voices and creative visions — and the relationships behind each piece matter as much as the piece itself.

This essay draws on my first book, The Art of Connectivity: Unveiling the Magic of NFTs (2023).

Collecting Digital art Artists Curation Philosophy

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