When I consult with clients, I see that newcomers often seem to dream of finally buying the first work in a collection, but they hesitate, worry and doubt. And this is normal, especially if you don’t just sit there thinking, but go to exhibitions, communicate with people related to the topic and study which artists are represented in key galleries. Moreover, the more we prepare for something, the greater the significance of the event in our eyes – we want everything to be perfect.
Recently, Cultured published an interesting review containing short interviews with art consultants. Among other things, they were asked what the biggest mistakes newbies often make. Experts noted the desire to buy big names without considering the value of a specific work, impulsiveness, and lack of research. And Ralph DeLuca told the publication that, in general, he is ready to seriously discuss purchases with a newbie collector only after he has walked around for at least six months and seen what the art is like. But this is in line with the scale of the Western market and the much higher price level even for works by young artists.
Calculation by calculation, but to the question “How long could it take me to make a purchase decision?” the answers are still quite romantic, even about the love of the work, about the understanding of one’s own desires that comes with experience. And it is difficult to disagree with my colleagues on this. Of course, observation is important, as well as attention to the quality of the work and the personality of the artist. If a collector has a background in art history, it is generally great. But if you buy art without any feeling or emotion, what is the point?
You could say that the Russian contemporary art market is built on love – the love of a still small number of collectors who are willing to support authors with rubles. And the barrier to entry in Russia is relatively low: if you have a few thousand rubles at your disposal, you can easily afford a good edition or an original book illustration, and for a few tens of thousands – a modern painting.
Collecting is a path of development. Few people can say that their taste has not changed at all from the first purchase to the 50th. Therefore, I would not recommend thinking of your debut acquisition as something that you should still like in ten years. The main thing is that you like it now, that your heart beats faster. If the concept changes, it does not matter: you can give the work to someone or sell it. And in the moment you will gain experience and feel the pleasure of owning art. At the same time, support the artist, give him faith that he is doing something important.
I have had different relationships with works that were once in the collection. I consciously bought a work of art for the first time in Paris: it was a Marc Chagall lithograph. I remember the trepidation I felt then. But four years later I sold it and I don’t regret it at all. Over time I felt that this work was no longer about me or my collection. And there were more than one such case: I deliberately bought several works, and after a couple of years they were no longer in the collection. In fact, I am even embarrassed to say that I had them. That’s how quickly I outgrew them and realized that they did not fit into my concept. And there are things that I will not part with for anything. For example, the work of Arthur Krivoshein, a gift from my husband for his birthday, or the painting by Lena Marru, which I see every day, hangs in my bedroom. That’s why I can say from experience: only with time will it become clear whether the acquired work will be familiar to you.
Yuri and Anastasia Postrigay, artist Arthur Krivoshein (center)
By the way, after many years it is very interesting to analyze your first step. Collector Anton Kozlov asked famous and experienced colleagues what they would not buy if they started collecting works of art right now. And from the answers you can see how each of them develops and sets priorities differently. Sergei Limonov, for example, would prefer to give up quantity in favor of several masterpieces. Ekaterina Lapshina, according to her, would avoid secondary work with a big name. But Denis Himilaine and Natalya Korenchenko see great value in the path of development and would not change a thing.
