When the paint is as thick as blood

For the US writer and collector Kenny Schachter, art has become a family affair

Private collecting has thrived in the mainland over the past 30 years. More people are buying artworks for cultural appreciation, to showcase their wealth and social ranks and as a financial investment.

However, there is another important role art plays to which few collectors give attention: as a common language among family members and a glue that keeps them together.