#2 How and where to buy art online
+ curated selection of works from each platform | From series How To Collect Art
I wish I could say that my first art purchase was through an online marketplace, but technically, it wasn’t. I bought my first piece via Instagram directly from the artist. While that certainly qualifies as an online purchase, it doesn’t fit into the category I want to discuss today. However, my first curated exhibition was entirely online, which brings us back to covid times—launching my gallery exclusively in the digital space during the pandemic just made sense then. At the time, I had no idea how much my vision would evolve. Today, I don’t operate purely online but thats a story for another time.
What I want to focus on is the ongoing debate about buying art online now. Some collectors embrace it, while others remain skeptical. As both a curator and a collector, I believe buying art online isn’t just viable—it’s an essential part of the current art market, especially for those who don’t have physical access to art from where they live.
The key is knowing how and where to ‘online shop’ wisely. I’ve done a lot of thinking and rewriting of this article because I wanted to put together good recommendations, but I have two sides of experience: one as a collector and the other one as a seller of art. So, I will share my list below with an honest commentary from both points of view.
As a bonus, I’ve curated a selection of works from each platform (excluding auction houses) that I find worthwhile.
Where and How
Auction houses
If you're looking for works by established artists, online auctions are a great place to start. The "Big Four" auction houses—Sotheby's, Christie's, Phillips, and Bonhams—all host online sales and allow remote bidding in live auctions. I have personally never bought art from an auction house, but I did participate in an online auction bidding. I also used to work at Sotheby's and know the entire system of bidding inside out. Despite the fact that auction houses are known for selling high-value art, in the past years, they have also branched out into more affordable works from emerging artists. In this case, my favourite is Phillips and their New Now sales, which focus on contemporary and emerging art. Auction houses offer verified artworks and a level of prestige, but they can also come with high buyer premiums.
Marketplaces
The internet is flooded with art marketplaces, but if you’re seeking quality, uniqueness, and authenticity, not all platforms will do. When shopping for unique, high-quality art, avoid platforms with no curation, where anyone can list and sell. Instead, opt for curated platforms or marketplaces s that work directly with reputable galleries.
Artsy
Artsy is the largest global online marketplace where vetted galleries sell artworks. Artsy used to be my favourite not only from a collector’s point of view but also from a gallerist point of view. But a lot has changed. Today my gallery is still artsy, but things don’t work, unfortunately, the way they used to, and that is forcing me to reconsider things. That being said, from the collector’s point of view, I do think you find great artists ( established or emerging) on the platform, as many reputable galleries are still on there.Ocula
Similar to Artsy but more exclusive, Ocula showcases gallery-represented artists, though pricing is often not displayed publicly. Interested buyers must inquire directly with the gallery. I must admit I do not have any experience with this platform besides that I enquired about becoming a parter gallery at some point and I didn't meet their requirements. Now I see how we weren't a good fit for them because Ocula's focus is not on small galleries and emerging artists. I would recommend this platform to more experienced collectors or someone who also wants to take advantage of their advisory services.Artnet
Their concept has also changed a bit. I was actually on Artnet for a year as a gallery, but soon I realized it’s not a good fit. Artnet is more like Ocula -the focus is on bigger blue-chip galleries and high-value works. The pricing is also not displayed publicly, and they are also known for auctions. Once again, I would recommend this to more experienced collectors and/or collectors with bigger budgets.
Curated Platforms
For those looking to discover contemporary artists or invest in emerging talent, curated platforms offer a well-vetted selection of artworks.
Platform
A project by the renowned David Zwirner Gallery, Platform offers one-of-a-kind pieces, limited editions, and artist objects. It bridges the gap between blue-chip galleries and collectors seeking more accessible works. I don’t have a personal buying experience but browse their works often and they have had some good names.Avant Arte
Avant Arte makes collecting art more accessible by collaborating with leading contemporary artists on limited edition releases. They offer sculptures, prints, NFTs, and hand-finished silkscreen works, often at more affordable price points. Again, I don’t have a personal buying experience but I’m currently eying an edition piece from a great artist ( I’ve included it below in my curated selection).AucArt
A great platform for new collectors, AucArt connects buyers directly with emerging artists, offering works fresh from their studios. It’s perfect for novice collectors.NewCube
Specializing in contemporary art by traditionally underrepresented artists, NewCube provides a marketplace for collectors to discover and acquire unique works directly from artists’ studios. The platform has a much smaller choice than AucArt but is more curated. Great for discovering unique talents.Docent art
I just recently learned about this platform ( it’s actually an app); it's created by collectors for collectors, and it’s highly curated. They showcase art from selected galleries, and the focus is on emerging talents. I’ve heard great things about them and already discovered some great talents. Great for novice and experienced collectors who love high-quality emerging art.
Emily Pope
What you don't forget, 2024
Oil on canvas
16 × 20 in | 40.6 × 50.8 cm
£ 1,700
Janaina Tschäpe
Himmelhoch, 2024
Oil and oil stock on linen
2992.1 × 203.2 x 5.1 cm
price on request
Sui Changjiang
The Back View, 2022
Oil on linen
78.7 x 59.1 in | 200 × 150 cm
price on request
Donna Huanca
Spiral para el cielo
Edition of 30
Archival pigment print with screenprint layers on Somerset En Satin 330gsm paper
100 x 80 cm unframed | 108 x 88 x 5 cm framed
£ 1,123
Alexandra Tarver
Nights, 50, 2023
Oil on panel
12 x 9 x 2 in
$ 4,200
Thenie Khatchatourov
Fontaine, 2023
Sgrafitto - gouche and wax on paper
40 x 30 x 1 cm
£ 380
Subsistence
Yuma Radne 2023
Oil on canvas
447.2 x 61 inch \ 119.89 x 154.94 cm
$ 5,200
Parasitic
Li Jun, 2024
Oil on canvas
50 x 40 x 5 cm
£ 2,600
(link not available as you need to download the app)
I’ve been a painter for 30 years, finding the right fit to sell paintings is tough and time consuming. I seem to do better in Europe than here in the states, now I’m trying Artsper as well as my own site marklesserart.com. But still searching for better. I will check some of these out.
Regarding buying online I’d really love to see a survey done to find out the max price people would be willing to pay for an artwork they have only ever seen online, and not in person. Of course, you would need to have 2 variations of this: artwork by an artist whose work you have seen in person at some point, and artwork by an artist whose work you have never seen in person at all, anywhere. I suspect people would spend more if they were already familiar with an artist, whereas with an unknown entity it’s more of a risk.