Canopy Collections - An Online Platform Rethinking How We Collect and Experience Art
people • ART ADVISORS
Founded by Louise Chignac and Cécile Ganansia, Canopy Collections has become one of London’s most distinctive art platforms, a bridge between traditional galleries and the lived spaces where art truly belongs. With curated exhibitions in historic venues, private homes, and landmark sites, Canopy Collections redefines how we experience and collect contemporary art.
In this exclusive Designeers interview, co-founder Louise Chignac discusses the evolution of Canopy, how context transforms curation, and why the future of the art world lies in accessibility, transparency, and collaboration.
Words: designeers
OCTOBER 2025
WEBSITE: canopy-collections.com
INSTAGRAM: @canopycollections
DESIGNEERS
Louise, can you tell us about the origins of Canopy Collections? What inspired you to create a platform that rethinks how art is presented and collected?
Canopy Collections
Canopy Collections was born out of a desire to make contemporary art more accessible and to reimagine how people encounter it in their daily lives. I’ve always loved seeing art in unexpected places, especially within domestic interiors, where it feels personal and alive.
With a background in curating contemporary art across the UK and Europe, I spent over ten years working with artists, collectors, and institutions. Yet neither I nor my business partner, Cécile Ganansia, felt drawn to the traditional gallery model.
In 2020, during the first lockdown, the art world shifted online, and people, spending more time at home, began rethinking their interiors and even considering buying art for the first time. That moment gave rise to Canopy Collections: an online art platform that presents works within the intimacy of real living spaces.
From the outset, our challenge was clear: how to introduce a new audience of art buyers to collecting by breaking away from the white cube gallery and instead showing art in homes. At first, we didn’t need a permanent space. We borrowed friends’ homes, staged and photographed the displays, and made the collections available online with transparent pricing. It was a simple idea, but one that grew quickly and it continues to shape how we connect people with art today.
DESIGNEERS
You’ve worked with a range of remarkable spaces, from private homes to historic venues. How does the choice of location influence the way you curate an exhibition?
Canopy Collections
Each exhibition space tells its own story, and at Canopy Collections the architecture and history of a location directly shape the curatorial approach. Whether it’s a London townhouse, a country manor, or a stripped-back Spitalfields house, the character of the setting becomes part of the narrative.
At 4 Princelet Street, for example, we showcased emerging artists in dialogue with the raw, historic interiors reflecting on creativity and the challenges of being a young artist in London today.
At the Van Gogh House in Brixton, where Van Gogh once lived, we curated a dialogue between past and present, drawing inspiration from his themes and energy.
Our most recent exhibition at 14 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, created an immersive art experience that brought together works by Chagall, Picasso, Lucien Pissarro, alongside contemporary voices such as Richard J. Butler and Charlotte Beaudry.
For us, each exhibition is designed to feel like stepping into a private collection, a space where modern masters and contemporary artists converse with the architecture, and where visitors experience art in a more intimate, personal way.
Celeste, Melons covered in yellow leaves, 2024, in the artist's studio, Mexico City. Photo by Anna Pla Narbona.
Artwork by Lara Davies at Fonthill Pottery, Primrose Hill. Photo by Davey Cleveland.
DESIGNEERS
What do you feel sets Canopy apart from a traditional gallery model?
Canopy Collections
From the beginning, Canopy Collections was conceived as an online art platform with transparency and accessibility at its core. Unlike the traditional gallery model, which often feels exclusive or intimidating, Canopy began without a permanent space. Even today, our Bloomsbury headquarters is designed less like a gallery and more like a lived-in studio: warm, domestic, and multifunctional (part office, part viewing room, part creative workspace).
What truly sets us apart is the way we curate art experiences beyond the white cube. We focus on solo shows and collaborative exhibitions that unfold not just in our own space but in private homes, hotels, and members’ clubs, allowing collectors to see art in real, lived environments.
I’ve always been reluctant to label Canopy simply as a gallery. We’re art advisors, curators, and consultants who create immersive experiences that connect collectors directly with art; making collecting more personal, approachable, and inspiring.
DESIGNEERS
Who is the Canopy collector today, and how is your audience evolving?
Canopy Collections
The Canopy Collections audience is intentionally diverse — ranging from seasoned art collectors to first-time art buyers. For many new clients, the traditional art world felt intimidating or unapproachable, and we work to change that by creating a welcoming space where they can ask questions, meet artists, and make confident, informed decisions.
For established collectors, Canopy provides an opportunity to rediscover collecting, to experience contemporary art in environments that feel personal, relatable, and emotionally resonant.
Artworks by Charlotte Kingsnorth and Emerson Pullman at 4 Princelet Street, Spitalfields.
Canopy Collections HQ at 3 Bloomsbury Place, London.
Artworks by Lara Davies and Richard J. Butler in a private home, Chelsea.
“At Canopy, we want collecting art to feel human, emotional, and attainable, whether it’s your very first piece or the next chapter of a seasoned collection.”
Canopy Collections
DESIGNEERS
Many interior designers source art for residential and hospitality projects. How can they collaborate with Canopy Collections?
Canopy Collections
At Canopy Collections, we love working with interior designers and architects, because the dialogue between art and design is essential to creating truly memorable spaces. Over the years, we’ve collaborated on projects that range from site-specific art commissions to curating private collections and programming exhibitions for hospitality and commercial spaces.
Designers and art advisors share many of the same instincts - a deep understanding of space, balance, and the client’s aesthetic. By partnering with Canopy, interior designers can access a trusted curatorial perspective and connect with artists in ways that add both depth and individuality to their projects.
My advice? Don’t hesitate to reach out. The art world can sometimes feel complex to navigate, but we’re here to guide you through it and help you bring art into your interiors with confidence.
DESIGNEERS
We’re thrilled to see Canopy Collections’ preview at 14 Cavendish Square. What can Designeers members expect from the event?
Canopy Collections
This exhibition is our largest show to date and also marks the fifth anniversary of Canopy Collections. Visitors can expect to encounter more than 70 works, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, and textiles, presented in dialogue with furniture by Modernity and Sedilia.
For us, it’s an invitation to experience art as it is truly meant to be seen: in person, layered within architecture, surrounded by texture, and illuminated by natural light. The preview at 14 Cavendish Square in London is not just a showcase, but an immersive encounter that celebrates the intersection of contemporary art, historic setting, and collectible design.
Artwork by Charlotte Beaudry at Van Gogh House, Brixton.
Public commission by William Cobbing for Selfridges, London.
DESIGNEERS
Looking ahead, what’s next for Canopy?
Canopy Collections
Our greatest reward is seeing the artists we represent gain recognition beyond our exhibitions. This year, William Cobbing’s sculptures are on display at Selfridges London, the duo Celeste is completing commissions in Paris and Luxembourg, and Thomas Cameron is exhibiting in Seoul.
We’re also preparing the first UK solo show for Marianne Thoermer, and seeing our artists’ success grow internationally feels incredibly fulfilling. Ultimately, our mission remains simple: to connect artists and audiences through meaningful, well-curated experiences.
DESIGNEERS
Your dream dinner guest?
Canopy Collections
Leonardo da Vinci. Did you know that he was apparently a passionate cook and had a fantastic sense of humour?
DESIGNEERS
Your favourite hotel in the world?
Canopy Collections
I don’t care so much about luxury, just a comfortable bed and the best view. Hotel Sant Roc in Calella de Palafrugell never disappoints.
DESIGNEERS
Your design or art hero?
Canopy Collections
Italian artist Isabella Ducrot. I was lucky to visit her studio in Rome earlier this year. She’s 94 years old and still making art every day. She conveys so much joie de vivre, endlessly inspiring!
Artwork by Thomas Cameron in a private home, Chelsea.
Photo by Ollie Hammick.
