The Collectors — Dylan Abruscato
- Anna Lilli Garai
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Dylan Abruscato is a collector based in Los Angeles. He and his wife build their collection together, choosing works they want to live with. He’s drawn to artists whose work feels direct and personal, often with strong color and a sense of nostalgia, a direction he casually calls “Cuteism.”
In the interview, he talks about discovering artists through Instagram, building relationships with them, making decisions as a couple, and why he thinks you don’t need to wait for the “right moment” to start collecting.
Q: How has your relationship to collecting changed since you first started?
A: When I first started collecting, it felt very instinctual. If something simply spoke to me and my wife, that was enough to move forward with a piece. And while that initial gut instinct hasn’t changed, I’d say that I’m a bit less impulsive now. I really try to think about how a piece will live with us over years, not just in the moment we buy it.
Q: You and your wife seem to make decisions together. How does that shape your collection?
A: It really shapes everything. We’ll never buy a piece if it doesn’t speak to both of us, and that’s what’s so great about our collection. It lives right at the intersection of our two aesthetics and makes the whole collection feel very personal.
Q: You've described being drawn to a style you call “Cuteism.” What speaks to you about it?
A: I’ve always been drawn to works that tap into nostalgia (bright, bold colors, simple imagery, sometimes paired with humor). They always feel collectible and personal without feeling pretentious, and I love living with work that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still rewards close looking.
Q: How important is it for you to connect with artists directly?
A: It’s really so important to me. The art world is such a relationship-driven industry, so I always make it a priority to introduce myself to artists, even if it’s just a quick DM to share a photo of where a piece is hanging in our home. Those moments also create a deeper connection to the work, and I’ve genuinely become friends with a lot of the artists whose work we’ve collected.
Q: Instagram seems like a big part of how you discover work. What do you like about that way of collecting?
A: Instagram has removed a ton of friction for young collectors. At least for me, it made discovery feel very natural and not intimidating, which the art world can be for those just starting their collecting journey. My first art purchase came from cold-DMing an artist, and the whole experience was as easy as texting a friend.
Q: What makes a piece feel right to live with?
A: I have to be able to imagine it as part of our everyday life. If I can’t picture walking past it every day or living with it for years, it’s probably not right. We’re not collecting for storage or investment/speculation. We’re collecting to live with these works that we love. Also, when my wife and I started collecting, we didn’t have children, but now we have two young kids, and that’s changed things a bit. We’ve actually passed on a few pieces lately that felt potentially scary for little ones to live with.
Q: Is there a moment in your collecting journey that felt especially personal?
A: Studio visits are always incredibly personal. Meeting an artist whose work you’ve lived with, hearing about their process firsthand, and seeing where the work comes from creates a completely different relationship. It’s also a great reminder that collecting is really all about the people.
Q: If someone asked how to start building a collection today, what’s something you’d tell them that goes beyond the usual advice?
A: Beyond “collect what you love,” which I always tell friends, I’d say don’t wait until you feel qualified to collect. There’s never going to be a perfect time to start.
