#1 What is art collecting and how to navigate it
From series How To Collect Art
Welcome to the first edition of 'Art Collecting' series.
Before diving into this topic further in upcoming newsletters, I would first like to look into the term' art collecting' as an introduction to the overall subject matter. This newsletter will also mention other topics that will be discussed in this series. Recently, I read some interesting articles ( even here on Substack) that were challenging what it really means to 'collect’ art - and I do think it's important to re-define the meaning behind this often elicits term.
I would be curious to know what everyone thinks when they hear: `I am an art collector'. `I have been in the art industry for almost 10 years, and I still find this phrase very elitist and most used when talking about high-profile collecting from blue chip galleries. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with being that kind of a collector, it's wrong to use the term exclusively for this type of collecting. I believe that art collecting art should not intimidating; it should be more inclusive and accessible. It should not be only about ‘big budget’ collecting to be considered a collector. There were great art collections created on low budget - for instance the Herbert and Dortohy Vogel collection.
As someone running a nomadic gallery focused on emerging art, I know how important it is to convert new collectors. The potential is there.
Who is an art collector, then?
Of course not everyone who buys art (that's a broad term) is a collector. It depends on factors like where do you buy art from, what quality its is and how ( not why ) do you buy it.
HOW
There are many reasons why you want to buy art - you like a specific artwork, you know the artist, you need something for the living room - all these are fine despite what some art professionals might say ( I really enjoyed this article talking about this matter). The important question is how do you buy it: do you buy it with passion because you just fell in love with the piece? Do you buy it with an appreciation for the artist and her/his practice? Do you do your own research or educate yourself about art? Do you buy it because you like the specific style or medium?
WHAT
Doing research, reading about art, talking about art, or just purely looking at art in museums and galleries are all important factors that create the framework for how you will want to buy art. And that knowledge or 'eye' ( as I like to say) is what will pave the way towards 'what' art you will buy and ultimately what quality. I have friends who want something 'special' for their new house ( as I mentioned before, there is nothing wrong with that) , and they end up buying art from one of those huge online marketplaces ( and I am not talking about artsy.net, there are market places and there are market places - this will be a topic for another newsletter) or Ikea in wort cases. That is not the quality art we are looking for when talking about 'art collecting'. Art that is mass-produced, made by a street artist who paints everything from cats to squares, or art made in 5 different colour ways according to what the client's orders is not exactly considered quality.
WHERE
Where to buy art, then?
Art Galleries - from blue chip, mid-level to small and nomadic galleries. But be aware that even some galleries can sell 'trashy' or low quality art. But if you follow the above steps ( especially 'WHAT') you will learn to recognise which galleries are not worth it. I will also write an entire newsletter dedicated to this topic later on.
Art fairs - are basically the same as buying from galleries. This means you want to attend art fairs where galleries exhibit instead of the artists themselves. Those art fairs have an application process and curatorial team, and they don't just accept any gallery to exhibit. That way, the system preselects a range of galleries you might be interested in buying from.
Art studios/graduate shows - are an amazing starting point for new collectors or collectors with a budget. I personally still love acquiring directly from artists' studios or graduate shows. Again, this topic will be discussed more deeply in upcoming newsletters.
Via art advisors- if you don't have time to do your homework or just want professional help, you can always work with an art advisor who again preselects options for you based on your criteria or budget. I also offer this service as a part of my nomadic gallery practice.
Well-established curated online platforms—like I said before, these can be tricky. The most popular place among young but also established collectors is artsy.net, but there are some other options ( again, a topic I will expand on later).
Lastly, here are some resources if you want to read about the world's top art collectors or just listen to an interesting interview with a collector who does it right.
https://www.larryslist.com/artmarket/the-talks/i-hope-to-amplify-their-voices/
https://www.artnews.com/art-collectors/top-200-profiles/
https://time.com/4328769/cheap-art-collection-tips/
I'm an art collector. I have a room in my basement full of art that I rotate around my walls. I mostly buy direct from the artist via Instagram - that's my go-to place to spot up and coming artists. I think anyone who buys art is an art collector but I agree that term can be off putting. A gallery is off putting for many too so I would love to see a re-frame and just call them shops for art and collectors as buyers.