【Bogotá, Colo】Contemporary Luxury Pieces: The New Face of Auction Houses

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Editor’s Note

This excerpt from an interview with Charlotte Pieri of Bogotá Auctions highlights the nuanced nature of Colombia’s art market, where collector profiles vary significantly across specialized segments.

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Specialized

According to Charlotte Pieri, director of Bogotá Auctions, the profile of Colombian buyers is very diverse and depends, above all, on the market segment and whether they are occasional buyers or collectors.

“Here we work with specialized auctions—books and manuscripts, decorative arts, modern and contemporary art—and in each of them we observe different profiles,” Pieri told EL NUEVO SIGLO.

For example, Pieri continued, “In print and multiple auctions, we attract younger buyers interested in starting a collection through more accessible mediums. Since these are multiple works—prints, photography, or sculpture—the range of profiles is naturally broader. We also see middle-aged buyers with greater purchasing power who come to auctions to furnish and decorate their homes, either for personal taste or with an investment perspective, both in furniture and artworks.”

According to Bogotá Auctions, the country’s first auction house, design pieces are very well received today, largely because they are objects difficult to find in Colombia: original vintage design, well-documented, and at attractive prices.

“The most interesting thing is that our clients—particularly those around 40 years old—have embraced our eclectic proposals. Thanks to travel and technology, buyers are increasingly informed about international decoration trends. Today it is common to see combinations that were unthinkable 10 years ago: an antique table with a designer lamp, or a contemporary interior that unapologetically integrates colonial columns. That freedom in mixing styles truly represents an evolution in taste,” says Pieri.
Virtuality

Regarding form, virtuality has been key. More and more buyers participate remotely and need tools that allow them to visualize and contextualize the pieces. “That’s why we have incorporated more contextual photographs, developed 3D virtual tours, and since 2021, all our auctions are hybrid: you can bid in person or remotely, live. Furthermore, we have explored 100% digital formats, as in our recent vintage fashion auctions,” the expert notes.

New technologies have also changed these markets. Undoubtedly, digital dissemination has a significant impact on the visibility of pieces, but its influence varies by category. In books and manuscripts, for example, in-person visits to the exhibition are few compared to the volume of remote purchases: clients trust the quality and accuracy of our technical data sheets.

“In the case of art, the in-person experience remains fundamental: direct contemplation of the work weighs heavily in the purchase decision. Social networks and digital platforms spark interest and facilitate first contact, but they are rarely sufficient on their own. When buyers are abroad, they often request additional images, videos, or condition reports, which shows that the digital complements but does not replace the direct experience,” adds Charlotte Pieri.
Own Criteria

From the perspective of Catalina Martínez, director of Lefebre Subastas, in 2025 a new generation of buyers entered the market who research, compare, and make decisions based on their own criteria. It is no longer just about acquiring established names or traditional artists understood from modern art; this new collecting has revitalized the market, making it more active, diverse, and with a deeply innovative perspective towards contemporary art.

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⏰ Published on: December 20, 2025