What Makes Art Collectable?

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What Makes Art Collectable?

William Russell Walker

and

Linda L. Walker

William Russell Walker - Well, that's a good question. One person might say it is artwork produced by an artist who is no longer living. Another might say it is artwork that is auctioned by the great auction houses. And yet another might say it is artwork that gains value steadily over time. But my personal definition of collectable art is artwork produced by an artist who has changed, defined or birthed a new art movement.

For example, the Renaissance painter, Rembrandt, forever defined the Realist movement with his incomparable self-portraits. Delacroix defined the Romantic movement; Monet birthed the Impressionist movement, Picasso the Abstract movement, and Andy Warhol the Pop Art movement. Caravaggio is incomparable in the treatment of lighting in his paintings, Bouguereau represents Academic painting at its zenith, Bernini set a new standard in sculpture, and Beethoven in music. Each of these is collectable is his own right because his contribution made a profound and lasting statement to his artform.

Linda L. Walker - If an art lover is looking for their next purchase, he or she should look for art that pleases them. If, however, they are looking for collectable art, they should look for an artist who is well grounded in their craft, whose body of work shows a recognizable progression, and whose vision or execution or style is peerless. Can they be found in contemporary art today? They are uncommon, but they are there...and worth the search.

How does a buyer know the value of a contemporary work? If it is for personal pleasure, that is a personal assessment. If, however, it is for a collectable piece, then there are some clues to help with the assessment. Certainly, the sales history of the piece and/or artist may be a clue. The venue (i.e., auction houses, galleries, outdoor festivals, etc.) in which it has been sold (or in which the artist sells) may be a clue. Art reviews and critiques may be informative. An art consultant may be helpful. But, the assessment of all of these could still be wrong. Why? Because they may all suffer from astigmatism (near-sightedness). That is, their view may be influenced by the current art environment which seems to be controlled by media gurus, marketing trends, critics and self-styled experts who promote themselves as trendspotters and their favorite artist as the next trendsetter. But is being a trendsetter what makes an artist collectable? I don't think so. Trends are just that -- fleeting, changeable shifts in popular opinion.

Art has undergone the most profound changes in history during the last one hundred years. During the last twenty-five years, that change has leaned more toward radical and provocative. If an artist covers a canvas with dung, does that make it art? Some might say so. Could provocative art ever be collectable? Only, if the artist made a contribution to his artform that caused a profound shift in art (that presumably will last beyond his lifetime). But the pendulum of art continues to swing. What is high priced "popular art" today may well be recognized as "trash art" tomorrow. Eyes will be opened and some people who were influenced by marketing-savvy "trendspotters" will wake up, like the emperor, and realize they are, indeed, naked. A whole generation will realize they were duped into believing there was value when, in fact, there was only hype.

If a collector is looking for artwork that will increase in value over time, he or she should search out the artists, wherever they may be and at whatever stage in life they are, who are grounded (i.e., they have a strong sense of who they are), who are committed to excellence in their craft, and who are passionate in the pursuit of their vision. Look at their body of work. Does it have a recognizable progression in execution, style and creative vision? Is there something defining about this artist? If so, buy as much as you can afford. Commission more. This is the artist that is collectable.

Website questions should be addressed to Linda Walker