If you're looking to start investing in art, you'll likely already know how complicated and opaque the industry can be. There are prints, posters, paintings and photographs from many sources, but identifying where exactly to focus your search is the trickiest first step. Los Angeles-based art collective Tappan is a great place for burgeoning art investors to begin. Follow their simple guide to investing in art and you'll soon enough build up an impressive collection.
1. Find a credible source
When looking to invest in the future of art, you need a trusted source. An entity like Tappan, an online art gallery that supports emerging artists from around the world, has artists that have showed with the Guggenheim, the Hammer Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Hole, The Armory Show, Kohn Gallery, showcasing their ability to find talent on the rise.
2. Buy with your eyes, not your ears
Just like stocks and real estate, there is an art to investing in any industry. Galleries and advisors might be able to show you who is "of the moment" but at the end of the day you still have to believe in and enjoy the works your purchase. Keep your ear to the ground, but at the end of the day go with what you aesthetically love from a trusted resource.
3. Consider the current climate
What's happening in the world always comes out in modern art movements. Passionate about climate change? Invest in an artist like Nicole Patel, who uses natural food sourced materials that are non-toxic as a commentary on the toxic nature of paint and classic supplies. Moved by the modern racial justice activism happening around the world? Invest in artists like Jaimie Milner who's looking to reimagine how we see Black men, or Umar Rashid, who's retelling the stories of colonialism through the eyes of those who experienced it.
4. Your walls deserve something special
While posters are price-friendly, and you can often find one that fits your space's vibe, open edition prints from any artist rarely retain their value. Look for limited edition prints that have a set number of what's created. Consider original works like paintings and sculptures to confirm the rarity and uniqueness needed to have something gain value.
5. Just like tech stocks, your best chance of investments is at the beginning
Many of us wish we knew about Tesla and other innovators before they began building. Similar draws could be made to the art world. Buying from emerging artists give you a chance to support their work from the very beginning.
