London-based art entrepreneur Olyvia Kwok is set to launch a new type of art business, Bruton + Co, on June 12th, 2025. The business, located on Bruton Street in Mayfair, aims to go beyond traditional dealership and advisory models by acting as a strategic partner to those looking to buy and invest in art in the ever-changing art market.
The premises, situated just across the street from the apartment where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was born, will feature a large double showroom on the first floor and offer a range of services to clients. These services include estate planning, portfolio management, auction structuring, and advice on using art as a hedge against currency fluctuations.
Bruton + Co represents a new business model, both for Kwok and for the art market as a whole. Instead of operating as a traditional gallery or dealership, it will offer a partnership relationship with collectors and investors. The business will also provide management services to up-and-coming artists with strong commercial potential.
The showroom will host invitation-only exhibitions curated by world-renowned experts, allowing clients to view and invest in art while it is on display. In addition, the space will serve as a venue for collaborative events and networking, with the aim of connecting the art and finance industries. These events will extend beyond the traditional art crowd and seek to encourage financial entities such as private banks and hedge funds to invest more in art and form partnerships with those in the art world.
Founder and CEO Kwok explains the vision behind Bruton + Co, saying, “Now is the time to bridge the gap between generational collectors and the new buyers emerging in the art market. There has been a significant increase in art investment by a new generation of buyers, and Bruton + Co caters to this demographic by offering tailored services to guide both new and experienced buyers.”
Kwok, who has over 20 years of experience in the art business, has been involved in all aspects of the industry. She has been a gallerist, pioneered the Asian Contemporary trend, and built the first emerging markets art fund. She has also been a pioneer in the use of art guarantees and art lending as investment tools for high-net-worth clients.
“I have always had a ‘go big or go home’ mentality,” says Kwok. “Now is the time to capitalise on the exciting new market we find ourselves in, and I believe that Bruton + Co is a step ahead in offering an entirely new business model designed to fit the changes we see.”
Kwok also sees a huge market opportunity given the global reach of Bruton + Co. “Buying art is an excellent way to mitigate financial risk, such as the vast geopolitical and currency-based risks that we are seeing in the US and Asia,” she says.
Bruton + Co will also be expanding globally, with plans to open locations in Asia and the US in the next 12 months. The business model will function as a franchise, which is a new concept in the industry.
“I am ready to begin this new chapter in my life and create a bridge between the past and the future,” says Kwok. “For me, this is not just a business, it’s part of me. That is my ethos and what I live by.”
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.