BNN Interviews Founder of Revolver Gallery on Why Warhol is a Better Investment than Stocks

rivlin

Ron Rivlin, founder of Revolver Gallery, brings his collection of Andy Warhol artworks to Toronto. In his interview with Canada’s Business News Network (BNN), he discusses why a Warhol collection could yield better returns than stocks.

The day before the grand opening of Andy Warhol Revisited, Kristina Partsinevelos of Business News Network (BNN) interviewed Ron Rivlin inside the exhibition space in Yorkville on his extensive collection of over 120 original Warhol works, a net worth in the low eight figures.

Partsinevelos asked Rivlin why he brought Andy Warhol to Toronto, and what the significance is to Canadians.

As a Toronto native, Rivlin wanted the opportunity to return to his hometown and see how his Warhol collection would perform. Living in Los Angeles for the past 16 years, he wanted to take the advantage to not only showcase his collection, but to educate people about the life and art of Andy Warhol.

Rivlin’s career has always been in the arts, but on the music side of the business. His interest sparked in the Warhol market when his friend bought a Warhol for $10,000, which became $60,000 in 10 years. His intrigues lead him to compare the Warhol market to the stock markets, such as Dow Jones and Nasdaq. Owning a Warhol overtime is what Rivlin considers an investment that continues to grow and outperforms the market over the years.

95% of the works on display at the exhibition are owned by Revolver Gallery, the second largest holding of Warhol prints and paintings privately owned by a gallery. The gallery is also the only gallery in the world that sells exclusively Warhols.

Rivlin shows Partsinevelos the most expensive piece of work in his collection, The Dollar Sign, valued at one million dollars. At the height of Warhol’s success, he had the concept of why have money in the bank, when you can have it on the wall to enjoy every day.

Partsinevelos asked how the younger generator changes the way they look at art. Rivlin said people like simplicity when they look at art and are able to understand the message easily in their own interpretation. Warhol pioneer in that form of art.

The interview ends with Rivlin’s advice for first time art collectors: Have some emotional connection to art and do your homework to understand its value.

The full interview is available at BNN.

For exhibition details, visit Warhol Revisited.