Theo Lindqvist: Founder & Art Advisor

Theo Lindqvist is the founder of Lindqvist Contemporary. As an art advisor, he helps collectors navigate a global art market that is often closed and complex. For any art collector, his role is to stand on the client’s side - opening doors, providing access to sought-after works, and guiding clients toward acquisitions that hold long-term value, both emotionally and financially.

How it all began

With a background in engineering and economics, Theo began his career in international business and private equity. But during an assignment in China, everything changed. By chance, he started buying art. First for himself, then for friends. When he realized both the opportunities in the Chinese art scene and the challenges faced by Western buyers, he found his path into the art world.

Traveling to international fairs and meeting with gallerists made him understand how crucial timing, access, and knowledge are in building a strong collection. What began as a hobby eventually led to a complete career shift. In 2009, Theo founded Lindqvist Contemporary with the vision of making the global art market more accessible to collectors in Scandinavia and beyond.

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Building collections together

For Theo, advising means understanding each collector’s motivations and goals. Some aim to build an art collection that is internationally respected, others focus on a few high-quality investments. His philosophy can be summed up simply: “buy with your eyes, not your ears” meaning that art should speak to the collector personally, not be chosen because the market whispers it is the “right” choice. Theo’s role is to provide knowledge and access, but ultimately it is the personal connection to the work that creates lasting value.

Because the most coveted works rarely reach the open market, access is key. Over more than fifteen years, Theo has built trust with galleries, artists, museums, and fellow advisors around the world. This allows his clients to access opportunities that would not otherwise exist.

Knowing when to act

With over 15 years of experience in art transactions, Theo has learned that collecting is not about timing the market but about recognizing opportunities when they appear and acting with clarity. What sets Theo apart from many other advisors is his rare analytical approach to reading the art market. Shaped by an MSc in Engineering and an MBA, he brings a level of structure and market analysis not always found in the art world. Combined with his understanding of art market trends, this allows him to identify opportunities with unusual clarity and to guide clients with confidence. This perspective also helps distinguish between emerging opportunities and the more stable blue chip art market.

Commitment beyond the market

Theo lives in Stockholm with his family and lives an active life outside of work. He trains for triathlons, has completed all six of the world’s major marathons, and coaches youth soccer. Through Lindqvist Contemporary, he supports local sports clubs, and he regularly acquires works by younger artists to encourage their development. He also donates works to Moderna Museet in Stockholm, helping to strengthen the city’s cultural scene.

Philanthropy is a natural part of his philosophy: creating opportunities, both culturally and socially.

For Theo, art is both profession and passion. He collects himself and follows hundreds of artists, which gives him a genuine understanding of what it feels like to stand before a work of art: hesitating, deciding, and finally acquiring it. In this way, he is as much a collector as he is an advisor.

A bridge between collector and art world

Today, Theo works with clients across the globe. His drive remains the same as when it all began in China: to act as a bridge between the art world and the collector. With one foot in business and the other in art, he combines structure, market knowledge, an analytical mindset, and passion. For his clients, this means access, security, and a trusted advisor who stays with them every step of the way. From the very first acquisition to decisions about when and how to sell, and onward to the next chapter in their collection or investment portfolio.