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What if the box of action figures in your parents' attic could fund a house deposit?

In this episode of Behind the Seen, Carrie Scott sits down with Kayleigh Davies, a toy specialist with Auctionet with 15 years of experience in the auction world. Kayleigh stumbled into her dream career by accident—walking into a glowing auction house filled with toys and knowing instantly "this is where I belong."

But this isn't just a conversation about nostalgia. It's about a fundamental shift in how we think about value.

While the art world focuses on overlooked painters and undervalued movements, the collectibles market has quietly exploded. Pop culture departments that didn't exist at major auction houses a decade ago are now selling handwritten lyrics, concert memorabilia, and vintage toys for record-breaking prices. What was once dismissed as "just plastic" is now funding real estate purchases.

Kayleigh reveals how childhood Transformers have funded house deposits, why the pop culture market exploded, and what you should check in your attic before it's too late. Plus: the surprising gender gap in toy collecting and the 1920s bangle that still haunts her.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast.

Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art.

If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram, @watchseenart.

About Behind The Seen

TheBehind The Seen Series brings on art world professionals of all sorts to give you insight into what the art world is really like. Curious what it’s like being a gallerist, an art critic or a curator? Then this series is for you.

Artist Rob Strati drops antique plates onto rocks and transforms them into stunning art that explores memory, colonial history, and the power of repair. When his mother-in-law's cherished chinoiserie plate shattered, he saw opportunity instead of loss—extending the imagery beyond the fragments to create something profound.

In this conversation, Rob reveals his mesmerizing process, why people cry when they see his work, and how breaking porcelain can be an act of dismantling hierarchy. His art speaks to our fragmented moment, proving that sometimes the most beautiful stories emerge from what's broken.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast. Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art (⁠⁠⁠⁠https://seen.art⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Join our free newsletter and become an art insider:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://mailchi.mp/seen/waitlist⁠⁠⁠

If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/watchseenart⁠⁠⁠⁠.

About the Have You Seen? series:

The ⁠Have You Seen? Series⁠ is all about talking to emerging and mid-career artists about their journey to now.

Curious about how an artist got to where they are or indeed why they chose art in the first place? Then this series is for you. Join us as we speak to emerging and mid-career artists across the globe. Don’t worry, there’s no hiding behind art speak here, or pretending that being an artist is a bowl of cherries. We’re here to hear it all, straight from the source.

Learn more about Esther Kim Varet: https://www.estherkimvaret.com/

This week, Carrie chats with Esther Kim Varet—co-founder of Various Small Fires, the gallery with locations in LA, Seoul, and Dallas—to discuss her journey from opening a gallery at 24 (inspired by a chance $60,000 payday at an art fair) to running for Congress in Orange County.

Yes, she's the real-life inspiration behind the gallery owner character in HBO's Girls. But this conversation goes far deeper than pop culture moments. Esther talks about building an empire in an industry not designed for someone who looks like her, the lessons she learned from art world legend Mary Boone, and why "fake it till you make it" actually works in contemporary art.

Then we come to the pivot point: Why would someone at the top of the art world walk away to run for Congress? As the daughter of North Korean refugees who started with $400 and a shiitake mushroom farm in Texas, Esther explains her urgent mission to fight authoritarianism, protect free speech, and ensure her kids inherit a democracy worth living in. She's not just changing the art world anymore—she's fighting for the future.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast.

Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art.

If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram,⁠ @watchseenart⁠.

About Behind The Seen

The Behind The Seen Series brings on art world professionals of all sorts to give you insight into what the art world is really like. Curious what it’s like being a gallerist, an art critic or a curator? Then this series is for you.