Tool kit for becoming an Experienced Art Collector
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Focus on building your taste, don’t rush to buy before you look widely at the work of a very large number of contemporary artists. The more time invested in looking at contemporary art, is the more you taste will develop and you will be able to start fine-tuning your searches. Research as much as information as possible about artists whose work you love or are interested in, and do not limit yourself to just their websites, social media pages like Instagram, etc, look at galleries, on art school or group art websites. Read about artists on third-party websites that discuss the artist or feature the art.
Over time, build a list of fine artists you are interested in that represent a wide range of attainable price points for your current budget and potential earnings budget over time. Once you have a list of attractive and mostly attainable artists names, start by visiting their websites reading their artist's statements, biographical information, reviewing their CV’s/ resume of shows and experience, look at selections of their art at different gallery sites. Note specialties, descriptions or explanations of their artmaking process and techniques, what materials or mediums they use. Artist sites rarely provide details on pricing, but many do note the current gallery representation, provide contact information, waitlist info, and other relevant details. Affiliated galleries should provide information on how to buy/inquire about an artists work, how they ship/ deliver the art. The more data you gather before you make artist and gallery contacts, the better.
2. Start to streamline and direct your art searches to focus on your favorite artists-(should mostly the artist on your collectors list) your prefered subject matters (figurative, landscape, still life, Preferred artistic medium (painting, sculpture, ceramic…). Read, listen, and observe how it is described by galleries, by the artists who create it.
Pay attention to what types of art you like, what you are drawn to, and the works you think about the most. Learn the description vocabulary, what they called and what words are commonly used to describe it. That's how you learn to search for and locate work of a particular style or movement.
Gradually identify and zero in on the artists, galleries, websites, and social media pages that specialize in your favorite artwork, look at those that offer significant selections.
Are their artists and art shows reviewed by significant art publications, websites or critics?
The best procedure at the outset is to work with galleries that have profiles in the art community and that collectors pay attention to, the downside that many of those galleries price work more expensive on average.
The same goes for websites that offer varieties of art from multiple sellers and artists. Stick with websites that vet, qualify, and verify their sellers like artsy.net, these are best to work with if you're new to art buying.
In the meantime, regularly read a variety of arts publications: local publications (Public Display ART), National publications (Theartnewspaper, ARTnews, Juxtapoz), regional, International arts publications (Artforum, ArtReview, Emergent Magazine, Hyperallergic) and Medium focused publications like Aperture, Flash Art, Ceramics Now) Keep up with online content provided by websites that specialize in the types of art you like. If you're buying or collecting more locally or regionally, find the most respected and established galleries, artists and websites for your area.
Look to the Academy, aka Museums.. Focus on those that collect art in your price range, for new collectors this should be mostly contemporary art museums like: Tate, Newmuseum, Whitney, MoMA PS1, The Broad, de Young, SFMOMA, Hammer, Henry, Frye, ICA, ICA LA, MCASD, MOT, MMCA, MCA, MOCA, MOCA Bangkok, MOCA Shanghai, MARCO, EMST, MUAC, Kunsthaus Graz, Centre Pompidou
Some of these will show artist on the very high end of the price spectrum, don’t get discouraged by the famous names in the permanent collections; look to the new artist shows.
There's something ephemeral about originality in artwork, this because nothing is really new in art. It's inevitable that some thing that we're looking might look like something else or someone else's work, but when duplicative elements are excessive it is a problem. We discuss this in some detail in the journey section. Just know that originality is key in terms of an artwork that you will value and will appreciate in value over time. Do basic image searches using Google image search with a picture of the art work. This will catch other artwork look alikes, find similar artist, and catch if AI thinks the work is another artists work. Quick check for uniqueness and originally. Look at who the artists you like, follow on Instagram. Reviewing who an artist follows is a great way to find other artists.
3. Watch out for fine art dealers, galleries, or online venues? Once you contact galleries, dealers, and artists inquiring about art you're interested in..things start move very fast. Excessive selling should not be necessary either in person or via email. For example: someone at a gallery might approach you, engage you in conversation, begin by asking about what kinds of art you like, and then pretty soon start asking personal questions like where you live or what you do for a living. Anytime you find yourself getting cornered or pressured into taking action now, especially on art you know little or nothing about, head for the door or the next website or wherever else you can flee to as soon as you possibly can. What is the caliber of the gallery representing the artist? Is the artist represented by an art farm? Like: https://www.singulart.com/ - Art Farm. You can tell the caliber of the gallery by the number of locations the gallery has in international cities. The number of artists the gallery represents, should not be more than 40 artist max for a larger multi branch gallery. You also can tell by the quality of the galleries website.
4. Ready to buy? Pause, Discuss, and Sleep on it. If it is still there a few weeks or days later, start here
1. Who is the artist? ——>Review primary source information for the artist again.
2. How significant is the art? —->Review: Influences, look-alikes, and Stylistic Similarities in other artists work
3. What is the art's provenance, history, and documentation? ——>If buying from a gallery make sure it's reputable. when in doubt, it never hurts to attempt to contact the artist first to source their work or consider commissions, I suggest even doing this first before going to the gallery.
4. Is the asking price fair?——>It's better to know the artists asking range for the work type, size, and style. Find the price of sold work, it saves to do your homework in advance, Survey the total amount of available artwork by the artist; lots of unsold inventory is not a good thing!
All good then! keep your justification notes for each work you buy …