Cohen has had his own exhibition spaces in Wolverhampton and London – but not his home city.
The 72-year-old says he would “love to” set one up. He adds: “I had the opportunity to do that [but] it got too involved.
“The council and the property people got involved. I wanted to do a cheap sort of thing [and it became] a very expensive thing. It’s a non-profit organisation.
“But if somebody did give me the right space, I probably would show my collection, or arrange for other people to show their collections, or have a contemporary art museum or something like that, like I did at the Dairy Art Centre [in London].
“No-one’s offered me anything, so let’s see what happens. I’m not getting any younger, and it’s hard work putting all this together.”
The 72-year-old looks admiringly at the old Granada TV studios, where Buy Art Fair is taking place. Unfortunately they are being demolished soon to make way for a new development, so Cohen cannot claim them.
He does say he is “really impressed” by how the city’s art scene has grown in recent years, with developments like the enlarged Whitworth gallery, Manchester International Festival and new arts complex Home.
But there are still too few commercial galleries, he says. “If I go to London I can spend a whole week going from gallery to gallery to gallery – East End, West End, everywhere you go there are spaces selling art.
“If I wanted to go out and buy art in Manchester, I might go to the Northern Quarter and see two or three galleries at most. The more showcases there are for people to see art and spend the day out will only enhance it. So I think it will take off.
“There is no shortage of money here, with plenty of wealthy businessmen and people who can afford to buy art. But really, in a silly sort of way, they need educating.”
Buy Art Fair runs until Sunday 27 September.
