When looking at art, do you ever think: I would like to have that in my own home? Ever walked past a gallery window and been completely captivated by a work or an artist? But then were you too afraid to go in because you might feel stupid or didn’t have deep enough pockets? If so, the book is Ontroerend Goed. Van kunst kijken naar kunst kopen (Feel Estate: From Looking at Art to Buying It) might be right for you.
‘Ontroerend Goed’ was written by experienced collector couple Manuela Klerkx (1963), art agent, and Oscar van Gelderen (1966), publisher. They wrote it for anyone who loves art and would like to start a collection. However, before the writers begin giving tips about getting art, they first introduce ways you can look at it. This involves looking at the different types of art (academic, outsider art, activism) and the questions of whether you can also laugh at art and whether it always has to be beautiful. A brief survey of post-war and contemporary art will also be added. So if are not yet at home in the world around art, the first few chapters build a foundation for you.
In addition to the crash course in modern art history, the book, which runs about 400 pages, gives an awful lot of tips on how to buy art. But you can start using the following three right away:
1. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Anyone can buy art, but people who look at art a lot and know about art naturally have an edge. So how do you acquire that knowledge? If you already know what kind of art you want to collect (by a particular artist or period, for example), try to delve deeper into that. But not just the textbook type of information: check out the galleries that sell that kind of art and the prices they charge. Not sure what your taste is yet? Then browse through general art books and look online until you find something that appeals to you.
2. BUY ONLINE
Still find stepping into a gallery too intimidating? You can also buy online. You may not see the work in real life, but if you immerse yourself in a particular artist, period or technique, you will be able to estimate reasonably well what the work looks like. And the more you see online works and prices, the more knowledge you have. So this is essentially the next step for the previous tip on this list. Small and large auction houses from around the world are now represented online. Look into the gallery and ask for detail photos and videos, and any further information you think you might need when purchasing a work. If you are a beginner entering the art market, it is a good idea to go to Artnet.com. There, artists, galleries and auctions are divided into different categories, giving you a quick overview. You can also keep an eye on auctions through Catawiki and Artsy.
3. START WITH EDITION WORKS
Of course, we would all like a Warhol on the wall and a Hepworth in the garden, but that is not very realistic. Simply put: let that dream go for now. An alternative for the normal mortal who is just taking their first steps into buying art is to acquire edition work. The authors describe this as follows: ‘Apart from the different media and techniques, almost all of them involve the same principle: reproducing (done by the artist or not) the same, original work.’ Pay attention to limited editions and open editions, as the former is worth a lot more due to numbering, dating and signature. With editions, you can hang a work of art on your wall for less than 100 euro. For this kind of art, check out the Mini Galerie or museum FOAM, for example. Again, you can shop online.
Want to learn the intricacies of collecting and gain a deeper understanding of the art market? Ontroerend Goed. Van kunst kijken naar kunst kopen is available for €19.99.