Coffee with ... Pascal de Sarthe

French-born Pascal de Sarthe was self-taught and rose among the art dealer ranks in the 1980s to become one of the most recognized gallerists of the 21st century. He made Hong Kong his base in 2010 and today, with one gallery here and another in Beijing, he's clearly lost none of his passion for art

What made you decide to be based in Asia?

I have been coming to Asia since 1981, doing business first in Japan and Korea, then in the early '90s in Taiwan, China and Southeast Asia - Asia accounted for half of my business and I quickly started spending two weeks of every month in the region. I was approached by new collectors who were interested in both Western and Eastern art, who appreciated my long experience in dealing with artists of the Chinese diaspora such as Zao Wou-ki and Chu Teh-chun. In 2010, staying in Asia and opening a gallery in Hong Kong seemed like the natural thing to do.