Today there is a lot of hype surrounding investment in art and returns expected. The word itself signifies many things, but we humans immediately look it as a monetary means to bettering our lives.
Art is an investment that requires patience. That’s why for women who can make the initial venture, it is a good option. Art as a holistic approach means an investment in exposing the human mind to color, space, the evolution of man and woman and the history of the world among other things. This investment of enriching ourselves through art is forgotten today by many. It has become commerce.
We have investors, collectors, lovers of art and the lay person who feels shy to express her reaction to art, being most sentences on the subject with ‘I don’t know much about art’. Investors buy for the signature and the rising status of the artist. Promotion of the artist would either be through the gallery, or the media. If a well-known personality picks up the painting everyone else wants it too. The investor may not even enjoy the work, but hopes to gain a blue chip artist as part of his portfolio.
The collector is more discerning. He or she would buy works to enjoy, but also with the vision that this particular artist would ‘appreciate’ over time. Collectors love the world of art, have some background knowledge of it, and when they interact with artists, there is always a healthy exchange of thoughts.
The art lover buys for the love having a work of art that they would enjoy giving a good home to. Not for the signature and not the blue chip perception, but just for pure pleasure. This person has no reason to defend the work as serious art or boarding on craft or whatever may be the etymology. To the lay person shy about expressing feelings towards art, I would say, be brave. Be yourself.
If you already have art, how do you go about selling it?
Paintings don’t translate into easy or immediate money. There is no stock market to play with. No brokers as such, listed to handle one’s portfolio. No question of buying and selling over the telephone in seconds. So what do you choose? Auction houses? Galleries? Private investors or Collectors? It takes time to find the right source with the right price as perceived by the market. And, what are market prices to start with? One yardstick is auctions.
When buying art you should look for the following thing:
- Check out the basic guide to art available in India (web search)
- Zero in on art that relates to your aesthetic senses
- Check the history of the artists
- Check the price range
- Assure the durability of the work
- Find out how best to take care of the same
- Make regular gallery visits to get a feel of art face to face
After all this, make the decision. Take your time, and remember, finally, you have to live with the art you choose.
