ART+ Gallery Owner Jay Lyon’s world is a seamless blend of visual culture and lived experience. Whether he’s curating a Paris apartment, walking Tokyo’s backstreets in search of design inspiration, or prepping a guerrilla art install in Sydney, his approach remains the same: lead with curiosity, stay close to the creative pulse, and always honour the artist.

In this interview, Jay opens up about the way art, interiors, and travel speak to one another, and why the most powerful creative decisions often start with instinct. From his rituals when landing in a new city to the chair he’ll never part with, this is a look inside the mind of someone who doesn’t just move through beautiful spaces, he builds them.

1. Your life blends art, travel, and interiors so seamlessly, do you see these as separate passions or different expressions of the same creative impulse?

I think it’s all connected. The art we love, the places we travel and the interiors we live in. It’s all an extension of our personal creative expression and inherent need to connect through what ever medium that may be. 

 2.  You’ve spent time in some of the world’s most iconic cities. Which destination surprised you most with its creative energy, and why?

I think Tokyo is such an incredible place to live and visit. The culture, the food, the art, the delicate but strong nature of the people. It’s such a melting pot of creative energies from art, design, fashion, food, film, music and performance!! Very exciting!

3.  From gallery walls in Paris to guerrilla installs in Sydney, how do you decide which pieces deserve a public stage?

I need to love the artist and what they do. I love artists that have a strong concept that is instantly recognisable. The market is so saturated it takes a lot these days to really separate yourself and stand out. As I am still running a commercial gallery I tend to also have works by artists that have a global market and are more liquid in the market.

4. When you’re styling a home for a collector, what’s the first thing you look for to make the space feel lived-in but elevated?

The first thing is understanding your client and what they want to achieve within their space. I like to look at colour palette and themes running through the space before I make suggestions on art and placement. 

5. What’s a ritual or habit you have when arriving in a new city that helps you feel grounded and inspired at the same time?

I love to walk the streets and go immediately to local spots. I research before I travel as well. There is never enough time so I want to make the most of it.

6. If we peeked at your camera roll from the last month, what’s the most unexpected thing we’d find that sparked an idea or influenced your aesthetic?

Hahah you would find artworks of all types, a few pics of Batman!! We recently created a series with Swiss photographer Sebastian Magnani so be sure to check it out.

Rapid Fire with Jay Lyon

First piece of art you ever bought? I bought a beautiful headshot of Brigitte Bardot by the great Douglas Kirkland. Its one of my all time faves.

City that feels most like home? Paris and New York.

Favourite scent in a room? Diptyque Fig or Santal 33 Le Labo.

Carry-on essentials? Headphones and sunglasses.

Most played track while working? Apocalypse (stream it here).

Interior item you’ll never part with? A cowhide cigar armchair my mother made for me for my 30th.

Dream dinner guest, living or dead? Leonardo Da Vinci.

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