In conversation with Rohit Shetty: Co-Founder & CEO of ArtBrowser

If you’re an avid art lover, gallery-goer, or interested in starting your own collection, there’s a website that merges creative worlds so you can browse the art market at your fingertips – literally. The aptly titled ArtBrowser, the newest partners of Own Art, intend to break down the barriers and intimidation of art buying.

By offering a 0% commission for those who are keen to buy and sell, ArtBrowser has made it easy for anyone to get involved: galleries, artists, and buyers. If you’re signed up and searching, you’re part of the network. 

Overwhelmed by all of the inspiration? Well, to make things easier, ArtBrowser has their own AI-powered curator installed to help tailor your searches to your tastes. 

We interviewed Rohit Shetty, Co-Founder and CEO, so we could learn about how ArtBrowser came to be.

What inspired you to create ArtBrowser as a platform?

RS: A few years ago I was trying to help an artist friend from India promote her artworks in the UK. As a total outsider to the world of art, I started to realise it can be quite intimidating for art lovers who might not have experienced a lot of art growing up. The art world can seem inaccessible to the general public and I wanted to find a way for art lovers who enjoy art to connect with the world of art in a more comfortable manner. I felt that if we could find a way to engage art lovers and help them connect with art in an online space, they would feel more comfortable engaging with art offline by visiting more galleries, experiencing, and having a real conversation about art.

What do you think ArtBrowser gives the art market that it was previously lacking?

RS: ArtBrowser provides a platform for various parties connected to the art market, such as artists, galleries, art lovers, collectors, and art businesses, to come together and engage with each other. I feel platforms such as Instagram have helped the art market to some extent in engaging with their audiences. ArtBrowser would take the level of engagement to another level by facilitating proper conversations, as opposed to superficial engagement which is all about likes and followers. 

Was it difficult integrating Artificial Intelligence?

RS: It was easier than anticipated as we have an experienced Chief Technology Officer (CTO) with a good understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. It relies a lot on data to understand and predict human behaviour, and the art browsing experience on ArtBrowser is well suited to understanding the art lovers taste while they are browsing, which helps us make suggestions. I guess it’s quite similar to how an art dealer would make suggestions once they have understood what the client is looking for, by showing them some artworks and getting their feedback.  

Being such a unique platform for art lovers, have you noticed more of a diverse audience using the app?

RS: Yes, we are already seeing a lot of art lovers who want to learn more about art and collect art but don’t know where to start. At the same time, we are also attracting art lovers who live and breathe art and use ArtBrowser to discover more exhibitions and connect with artists, galleries and other art lovers.

What was it about Own Art that made you want to be a partner?

RS: I was very impressed when I read about Own Art. I felt that our mission was so closely aligned with each other. Whilst ArtBrowser is trying to breakdown social and psychological barriers, Own Art is helping breakdown financial barriers that restrict art lovers from collecting art.  

What advice would you give to someone who’s planning to start collecting art?

RS: I would say, take your time to connect with the artists and gallerists championing the art. You will learn so much and the artworks you acquire will have so much more meaning.

Would you recommend using Own Art?

RS: I would very highly recommend Own Art. It’s a win-win for art buyers and galleries.

Do you have any exciting new features planned in the future for ArtBrowser?

RS: Yes, there are many features in the pipeline but I am personally most excited about the ArtBrowser community page which will help our community engage much better with each other. We are also experimenting with a feature that leverages Augmented Reality and should be quite fun for users.

Be part of the network at ArtBrowser.

Read more about how to use & apply for an Own Art loan.