‘To this day, I can’t get it out of my mind’: Tobias van Gils on missing out on Maurizio Cattelan’s orchid

Tobias van Gils, the founder of the Zurich-based investment firm MLT Capital, has been collecting since he was young—starting with synthesisers and other music-production equipment at first, before moving on to books and art. He used to live in China and the US, and he likes to acquire art made in the past 20 years, making for a diverse collection of recent pieces by Nir Hod, Nan Goldin, William Monk, Sabine Moritz, Takashi Murakami, Hilary Pecis, Ugo Rondinone and Mika Tajima, among others. Van Gils is particularly drawn to Surrealist landscapes and abstraction. He recently launched the MLT Art Foundation with his wife to house their collection and support art programming, with a special focus on children.

The Art Newspaper: What was the first work you ever bought?

Tobias van Gils: There’s one early work that really shifted how I saw collecting—not just as a hobby, but as a form of patronage—and that’s Pathways to Nowhere (2021) by Jason Saager. It may not have been my very first acquisition, but it was the one that transformed my relationship with art. Works like this can evoke a kind of inexplicable emotional response, and I hope more people get to experience that.

What was the last work you bought?

The last piece we acquired was a large mountainscape by Harold Ancart. Living in the Alps, we’re surrounded by that kind of dramatic natural scale—it resonates deeply.

How quickly do you decide to buy a work of art?

Fairly quickly. If my wife and I love the work, even if it’s by an artist we haven’t heard of yet, we tend to decide within the first hour. These are the works we most enjoy as well.

What do you regret not buying when you had the chance?

There’s a work by Maurizio Cattelan with a blue orchid on wood (Meat, 2024). To this day, I can’t get it out of my mind. It is composed on four panels, and I’ve always imagined hanging them individually rather than as one unified piece. I’m not even sure I ever had the chance to acquire it—so maybe this is more of a dream than a missed opportunity.

If you could have any work from any museum, what would it be?

Turicum Pixelwald (2021) by Pipilotti Rist from the Kunsthaus Zurich. That work convinced me that art has a soul. It’s immersive and full of wonder. I’d love the chance to commission a new work from Pipilotti Rist one day—Zurich might end up with two similar installations, but that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Where do you like to eat and drink while you’re in Basel?

I’d have to go with Schloss Binningen, a restaurant and hotel in a 13th-century castle just south of Basel.

Do you have any parties lined up?

I don’t. I tend to be home by 5pm to take my son for our daily evening walk along the lake. No event is worth missing that.

What’s your least favourite thing about art fairs?

Last year, Basel was rather busy on opening day. It’d be great to have the chance to enjoy the art in a bit more peace. That said, art fairs are incredible—how lucky are we to see so many extraordinary pieces under one roof in a single day?

Where do you go in Basel to get away from it all?

I like to go for a walk from the Les Trois Rois hotel to the Basler Pfalz to enjoy the beautiful view on the Rhine. After that, I continue for a random walk through the historic centre and stop by a few museums. The great thing about museums in Switzerland is how calm they are—you can really take your time and connect with the paintings. Other than that, it’s always relaxing to be at Fondation Beyeler. I go there about once a month, spending most of the time enjoying the Ellsworth Kelly from the café.

What tip would you give to someone visiting Basel for the first time?

If you’re coming during the fair, visit Fondation Beyeler when Art Basel is opening its doors. And visit the fair a few hours later.