#4 From Where Can I Collect Art?
Everything you need to know about where to buy and why
With so many options to choose from it is hard to decide what you should collect, or even know what you like. The first step is to start developing your taste, and how you do this is by looking at a lot of art. Before too long preferences will begin to emerge, patterns will start to form, and you will also develop a clear idea of what you do not like! While you look at art, take your motivation(s) for collecting art into consideration – Do you want to be inspired? Do you want to be conceptually challenged? Are you decorating your home?
When it comes to deciding where to buy art from, you need to not only know what your options are but to understand what type of art is typically sold where. This knowledge (and me!) will help guide you in making collecting decisions based on your taste, your priorities, and your budget.
One immediate and important distinction is to understand the difference between the primary and secondary art market. Essentially, the primary market consists of artwork that is being sold for the first time, while the secondary market consists of artwork that is being re-sold. Primary market artworks come directly from the artist (emerging, mid-career, or established) and can be purchased from artist studios, galleries, art fairs, or online platforms. Secondary market artworks can have a more limited availability and value is determined by the success of an artist’s career and the sales history of comparable artworks. Secondary market artworks can be purchased from galleries, art fairs, online platforms, and auction houses.
With such a huge variety of artists and artworks available to collect from a huge variety of places, getting started can be overwhelming. By attending art gallery exhibitions, art fairs, and art auction previews, and by browsing online platforms and art & design magazines, you will begin to understand where you fit in the world of art collecting (and where the pieces destined for your collection are hiding out!)
Air kisses (we are who we are), Casey
Different Places to Buy Art
Art Galleries
Art galleries come in all shapes and sizes, and offer art from a wide variety of artists ranging from emerging artists to established “blue chip” artists. They most often present art in the form of exhibitions, curated around a particular artist, movement, or theme, and provide additional information such as artist biographies or press releases, which provide more context on the artist(s), artworks, and exhibition. Gallerists or gallery attendants are available to answer questions, talk more about the artist(s), and provide additional information on available artworks. Online platforms such as GalleriesNow or MyArtGuides.com can help you find galleries and current exhibitions in cities near you.
Art Fairs
Currently over 300 art fairs take place every year in cities all around the world. Essentially “art trade shows,” art fairs host hundreds of international galleries under one roof, typically for 3-4 days, and offer a great opportunity to take in a lot of art in a short amount of time. Each gallery presents an artist or group of artists in a “booth,” with many art fairs focused around a theme such as art on paper, Old Masters, prints, emerging artists, or Contemporary art. Each booth is attended to by representatives from the gallery, and sometimes the artist(s) themselves, giving you the chance to ask questions, discuss what you are seeing, and inquire about collecting available artworks.
Auction Houses
Auction houses may at first seem intimidating, particularly if you’ve seen high-society scenes in movies or read about record-breaking art sales in the headlines, however in recent years they have opened their doors to a wider audience, with almost 90% of artworks selling for under $10,000. Auction previews, typically on view for 1-2 weeks before an auction, are free to attend and give the opportunity to see a variety of artwork within a certain artistic style or movement, such as prints & multiples, design, photographs, Contemporary, or Latin American art, among many others. Well-known auction houses include Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, Bonhams, and Heritage.
Online Platforms
Discover art from the comfort of your own home! Instagram is a great resource for discovering art – start by following the profiles of artists and galleries that you like. There are also several online platforms for buying art. Gallery platforms partner with galleries and showcase artworks from all associated galleries on one site, making it an easy way to access a wide variety of style, type, and price point. Artsy.net and Platformart.comare two great examples. Artist platforms are websites where you can buy directly from artists, again exposing you to a wide variety including artists who may not yet be represented by a gallery. Some recommended artist platforms are Saatchiart.com and Singulart.com.
Artist Studios
Another, perhaps lesser known, place to buy art is directly from the artist’s studio. This becomes a possibility when you have a developed a relationship with an artist (or an art advisor who knows the artist) and can gain direct access to the artist and their studio. One benefit with this method is that you can avoid the extra fees associated with buying from a gallery, auction house, or online platform. Another is that it makes collecting art a more intimate and personal experience, offering the chance to better understand the artist’s creative process, the context in which they produce ideas, and their artistic vision.