The gallery director moans -- we’re not taking on any new artists, the market’s gone soft and we’re packing it in after thirty five years paying uptown rent. People just aren’t buying art these days because of the uncertain economy or because pro football and beer commercials have coarsened everyone’s taste. It couldn’t be because the merchants of art burned down the territory with outlandish systems of value, so busy establishing a bluebook rating for every sanctioned artist that somehow the art drained away.
Frankly nobody cares what sort of kickback shenanigan got the artist into a big corporate collection, or how they arranged for the unreadable writeup by a college friend, or that their ticket-punching career got them all the way here. Art world affirmation used to be enough to sell almost anything, but they don’t seem to be buying it anymore. The rational person purchasing art, just as when buying anything else, has two questions. First, is the particular piece of art in question worthy of the price, and second, will paying that price improve my life by at least an equal amount over the years that I own it?
If this might be you there’s homework. Knowing if a piece of art is worth the asking price requires visiting galleries whenever possible, a completely free, informative, and amusing pastime. Nod and smile, and say “just looking”, and you’ll be left alone. Spend some time in front of any painting you find appealing and then bend forward to read the price tag next to it on the wall. Knowledge comes quickly and not only will you be finding out how much to pay, you’ll be discovering what you like. In time you’ll recognize a good piece at a fair price and if you think you might like it even more if you see it everyday, you’ve found a good reason to buy art.
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