Have you always wanted to buy a work of art, start your own collection, but have no idea where to start? We have collected tips for you and asked advice from the Groningen art collector Ger van Dam, who has already bought more than 400 works of art together with his wife.
1. Develop your own taste
It is important to know what your own taste is. By looking closely at different works of art, you learn what appeals to you. If a work of art does something to you, it has reached its goal, Ger van Dam says: “It is your own personal adventure and it should enrich you in some way in the broadest sense. Enrichment ranges from finding beautiful to irritating, to laughing or moving. The best thing is that you enjoy art, stay with yourself.”
2. No budget? Trade
Beginning artists, like novice art collectors, often have little to do. So think creatively: is there something you are very good at that can help the artist? For example, are you good at building websites, do you have an empty space where the artist can exhibit, are you an artist yourself and can you exchange your own work? Make use of your qualities and offer them in exchange for the work of art you want.
"If a work of art does something to you, it has reached its goal." Ger van Dam
3. Look around
Before investing in art, it is important to get to know the world well. Visit art school fairs, galleries and graduation exhibitions. Know what is being offered. Van Dam: "It is very valuable to go to the artist's studio and to be able to talk to him, this ensures that you can understand the work even better". Be informed and above all have patience when buying art. Be sure to sleep on it, so you avoid the risk of an impulse purchase.
4. Orient yourself online
Studio owners also suffer from the growing competition on the web. This growing market is extremely interesting for young art collectors. Viewing art is now possible anywhere and anytime! We can't get more accessible than this. It's easier to find out what's on offer, you can view online exhibitions and also unabashedly compare prices of the different works of art. The downside is that you don't get the total experience of the artwork. This increases the risk of a bad buy.
Examples of sites where you can shop for art online are: Saatchi Art, Etsy, Artsy and Patty Morgan. But also at Kunstpunt, ofcourse.
5. Pay attention to the quality
If you have bought a work of art, it is important that you maintain the quality of the work by treating it well. Van Dam: “At a certain point it is worth framing a work of art in a high-quality way. That does come with a price tag, but with that you hope to preserve the art product in a high-quality way.” When purchasing, also pay attention to the material used by the artist. For example, we know that acidic paper decays quickly.
Quality doesn't have to be expensive. You have good quality art that is less exclusive, such as graphic work. Graphic works, such as etchings and screen-printed posters, are often printed several times, which means that the price for a print is lower.
Bonus tip: rent
Borrowing art is the ideal way to afford art at home. And try it out. For less than 8 euros a month you can already have a real work of art at home. This is how it works.
Please note: This articles has been translated using Google Translate