What Kind of Art Buyer are You?

In my previous posts, I insisted upon the emotions that are involved in acquiring art. Bringing an artist’s work into your home should never be a technical gesture. Trying to understand the meaning of what was painted, sculpted or drawn is half of the magic. The other is the simple beauty that it represents and how you personally enjoy it, every day. Now, let’s take a look at the categories of art buyers, in a more technical way.

Investors

This is certainly the category that contact me most often to acquire artworks. They are usually wealthy and don’t mind if I am wrong about an artist every once in a while, as long as my average is good. Our relationship is what it is (no need to describe it), as we both know what to expect from each other. For investors to be happy, they want to buy pieces from young unknown artists who have the potential to become a big hit, rapidly. It means that I have to find them standing right at the cusp of glory.

The other solution for investors, is to buy artworks that are already well known. This means that they will spend millions of euros. Most of the time, they will end-up reselling it in a few years, making a very large profit on the sale. In truth, this is the safest bet any investor can make, as long as they have the money to acquire the work in the first place.

Private Collectors

If I had my way, I would probably specialize on private collectors. However, this is not the largest part of my clientele. The ones I do have, though, have become friends over the years. I try to come and visit them as often as I can, to share a coffee and look at the wonderful pieces that I have brought into their closed world. There are some that I miss more than others (work of arts, not clients of course). They are all part of my past and they remain in me as beautiful images that light-up my world, when I picture them in my head.

Private collectors see the works of art that they own the same way that I do. They are friends that they have invited into their house, that they honour by providing them with a place to shine. Most of the time, they do their shopping by themselves. But when they call for someone like me, it is usually because they have a particular piece in mind that they would like me to negotiate with the current owner.

Trophy Hunters

I try not to work with trophy hunters. Although, they sometimes trick me into believing that they are actually art lover - which they are not. They are only looking to acquire pieces that they will place in evidence in their house, not for their own pleasure, but to show-off to guests when they visit them their home. They are certainly willing to pay the price for their trophy and for the person who will get it for them. But this is empty of meaning for me and almost indecent in my view.

Art needs to be loved. Even if you acquire it to make money with it later on, you still need to be able to appreciate the work that you own. Otherwise, there are many other ways to invest that will satisfy you more easily. You would be surprised by how many investors fall in love with the artwork that they bought and never end-up selling it, in the end. That is the power of art: It moves you in mysterious ways.

-Lavinia de Leonis