{"product_id":"the-intrepid-art-collector-isbn-9780307237132","title":"The Intrepid Art Collector","description":"Ready to upgrade your artwork from framed Monet posters but intimidated by what you see in galleries?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003cb\u003eThe Intrepid Art Collector\u003c\/b\u003e, Lisa Hunter shows you how to start a fine art collection without spending a fortune. This accessible, jargon-free resource contains up-to-date information on the most popular original art—everything from photography and posters to African art and animation—including where to find it and how to buy it at a fair price. Easy-to-use checklists help you evaluate original art and steer clear of clever fakes. In addition, Hunter has interviewed top dealers, curators, arts lawyers, and appraisers to bring you the best advice on:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• Advantages to buying real art instead of reproductions\u003cbr\u003e• Determining if a piece of art is fairly priced\u003cbr\u003e• Predicting if an artist’s work will go up in value\u003cbr\u003e• Techniques for negotiating a price with a dealer\u003cbr\u003e• Developing your artistic taste, so you’ll know if you’ll still love your purchase ten years down the road\u003cbr\u003e• How to preserve art in your home\u003cbr\u003e• Resources, websites, and magazines that will help you learn more about the market and where to find different types of artArts journalist \u003cb\u003eLisa Hunter \u003c\/b\u003ehas been an editor and publicist for cultural organizations for the past 15 years. She was the associate managing editor of \u003ci\u003eNatural History\u003c\/i\u003e magazine, published by the American Museum of Natural History, and also edited several of the museum's exhibition catalogs. Most recently, as director of media relations for the New York Botanical Garden, she publicized all exhibitions in the garden's Rondina Gallery of Rare Books and Prints, as well as a loan exhibition of sculpture from the Museum of Modern Art. \u003cp\u003e Ms. Hunter has a degree in writing and fine arts from Columbia University and has written more than 100 articles on science and culture for such publications as \u003ci\u003eArchaeology\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCurator\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eNatural History\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as the book \u003ci\u003eThe Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner's Guide to Finding, Buying, and Appreciating Art on a Budget\u003c\/i\u003e. She has been shopping for art and antiques since her teens.\u003c\/p\u003e1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Contemporary Art\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e      Technically, “contemporary art” is recent work by living artists—or by  their peers who died tragically young. Beyond that, though, contemporary  art can mean just about anything: a shark suspended in formaldehyde, a  photograph, a video, a ceramic bowl, a mound of elephant dung, or even a  painting. That’s why collecting contemporary art is so exciting—because it  offers a chance to discover something new and unexpected.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Unfortunately, it’s easy for new collectors to find contemporary art  intimidating or merely baffling. When you’re looking at something  completely new, how do you tell whether it’s good or not? Even more  mysterious is how to tell which artists—out of the thousands now  working—are the ones destined for museums and which are destined for yard  sales.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Don’t worry if you feel lost at first. Everyone does. Plunge in by going  to galleries, museums, and art shows. You may not feel ready to buy yet,  but that’s okay. Most artists and dealers are very welcoming to people who  are getting started. All you need is willingness to learn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Learning About Contemporary Art\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    First, here’s how not to learn about contemporary art: When   I was an art history student in New York, my friends and I would dutifully  go downtown to contemporary galleries (a prerequisite, we thought, to  becoming “intellectuals”). Our courses on Caravaggio hadn’t prepared us  for anything we   saw there. We had no idea which pieces were good and which were junk, but  we were too mortified to admit it. Instead of asking questions, we’d walk  around the galleries with a knowing air and murmur, “Very interesting.”  This is a dumb—not to mention boring—way to go to galleries.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    You wouldn’t expect to learn about any other topic without reading or  asking questions. Why should contemporary art be any different?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    You probably had a teacher once who told you that if you looked at a work  of art long enough, you’d understand it. Not true. You could look at a  pile of bricks in a gallery all day without realizing that it’s a witty  refutation of another artist’s work, if you didn’t get the reference. Ask  questions! Once you understand what the artist was thinking, that pile of  bricks may actually be fascinating, amusing, even moving.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    A hushed gallery isn’t always the most comfortable place to ask questions,  especially when you’re not ready to buy. If you’re shy, ask to see press  clippings or background materials. Many exhibitions include an “Artist’s  Statement,” in which the artist attempts to describe what he or she was  trying to   do. (Artists hate writing these, but they’re very helpful to new  collectors.) You could also read reviews of the exhibit before you go, to  get a general sense of what you’re looking at.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Even better, start by going to art fairs, art shows, and open studio  tours. These are more casual than galleries; they’re more amenable places  to ask questions and strike up conversations. So are art school  exhibitions. Students love to give their opinions about what’s good and  bad in contemporary art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Start with basic questions such as “Can you tell me about the artist?” or  “Is this work part of a particular tradition?” Admit what you don’t know.  As long as you don’t try to pretend you’re a buyer when you’re not,  dealers and artists are usually gracious and willing to answer questions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    If you keep asking questions and engaging yourself in the work, you’ll  find that contemporary art is endlessly interesting. There’s always  something new.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Where to Find Contemporary Art\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    The Chelsea neighborhood of New York is the epicenter of contemporary art.  A case of botulism at the local deli could knock out half the art world’s  power brokers. London and other international capitals—as well as American  cities such   as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Miami—also have well-respected  art galleries. But you don’t need to live in a major city to find  contemporary art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Many midsize cities have lively art scenes. Minneapolis, for example, has  one of the most prestigious contemporary art museums in the country (the  Walker Art Center), as well as a large creative community. So does  Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol’s hometown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Resorts like Aspen, Santa Fe, and Provincetown probably have more art  galleries per capita than Paris.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    In addition, university towns draw huge numbers of artists to study and  teach. You can find innovative work all over the United States, in places  as disparate as Bennington, Vermont; Oberlin, Ohio; and Athens, Georgia.  If you’re lucky enough to live near a major art school—such as the Rhode  Island School of Design (in Providence) or the Cranbrook Academy of Art  (in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)—don’t worry about saving up your  frequent-flier miles to visit New York. The contemporary art world will  come to you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Even middle-of-nowhere places may have significant art-  ist colonies. Marfa, Texas, for example, has been called “the most  avant-garde art destination in the country.” (Second prize probably goes  to the tiny Hudson Valley town of Beacon, New York, home of the Dia:Beacon  museum.) Blue-chip sculptor Donald Judd created a massive, minimalist  museum in Marfa thirty years ago, and artists have flocked there ever  since—even though it’s three hours from the nearest airport.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Wherever you live, you should be able to immerse yourself in contemporary  art. A magazine called Gallery Guide provides a good way to find out about  what’s happening in your area. It’s published in several regional editions  and lists most of the major gallery shows and museum exhibits near you.  (See the Resources section for details.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    The Elite Galleries\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    New collectors are often afraid to go to high-end galleries. They worry  that the staff will intimidate them or, worse,   will try to sell them something wildly expensive. Neither is the case.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    At the elite galleries, the dealer isn’t expecting a walk-in to be a  customer. Most of the work on display was already sold through private  negotiations before the exhibit opened. Some-  times the art doesn’t even belong to the gallery. Top dealers frequently  borrow art for exhibitions that will increase the gallery’s prestige in  the art world. Going to these exhibitions is like going to a museum, only  without the admission fee.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    In New York, you can even attend the opening-night parties and meet the  artists. Very few openings require invitations; most are free and open to  the public. On Thursday and Friday evenings in Chelsea, you’ll see gangs  of art students and collectors meandering from one gallery to another,  sipping white wine in little plastic cups.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    What you won’t see are price tags. Many dealers—even at more affordable  galleries—think that listing prices next to the art detracts from the  viewing experience. Instead, they type up a price list, which you can get  from the receptionist. It spares you any embarrassment you might feel  about asking for prices.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    “Shopping up”—looking at art above your price range—is a great way to  develop your taste and learn about the current art scene. If you find you  really love an artist whose work is unaffordable, ask if the gallery has  any limited-edition prints by the artist. Unbeknownst to many visitors,  galleries have more art in the back room than on display, and it’s not  always expensive. Even elite galleries may have items that sell for   a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. In some cases, they sell them  only through their website, but it never hurts to ask. (A couple of snooty  galleries—I won’t name names—might try to dismiss you with the comment,  “Everything is already sold.” Don’t take it personally. Just move along to  the next gallery.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    If you don’t happen to live near a large city, consider a trip to one of  the major art fairs, such as Art Basel\/Miami Beach in Miami or the ADAA  Show in New York. These high-end fairs are a great way to see art from  dozens of elite dealers, all in one place, in a limited amount of time.  They’re like a preview of what will be in museums ten years from now.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Finding the Next Big Thing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Most new collectors secretly hope that the contemporary artist they just  bought will become the next superstar. They’ll read about some other hot  young artist whose work just sold for $100,000 at auction and cringe when  they learn that the same piece sold for only a few thousand dollars five  years ago. They kick themselves and think, “If only I had walked into that  gallery.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    The way artists become stars is utterly mysterious to the uninitiated  collector. Most people assume that dealers discover talented new artists  and then display their work in a gallery where anyone with foresight and a  good eye can buy it. That’s not how the system works. The upper end of the  art market is fixed to favor a handful of influential collectors. You can  beat the system—and I’ll tell you how—but first you have to understand how  it works:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    1.Certain elite dealers have a reputation for finding the Next Big Thing.  Whenever they sign a new artist, the art world takes notice. The dealer  carefully cultivates that interest, trying to place the art in important  and highly visible collections. At the same time, he or she carefully  controls the supply. As word spreads that major collectors are buying,  other collectors start clamoring to get a piece too. And what does the  dealer do then? The dealer tells most of them, “No”—they’re not “important  enough” to be allowed to own this artwork. Only the “best” collectors will  be allowed to buy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    2.Instead of buying something else, the people who’ve been rejected by  the dealer start to covet the art all the more. (Many are important people  who are accustomed to having anything they want.) Owning this particular  artist would be not only a good investment but also a huge sign of social  prestige. It doesn’t matter that twenty other artists’ work would look  just as good over the couch. At this level of the market,   a hot artist is like those shoes you had to have in junior high because  all the cool kids were wearing them—only with more zeros on the price tag.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    3.Eventually, someone takes a piece of the artist’s work to an auction  house to sell. For all the would-be collectors who were turned away  earlier, this is their big chance. Their heads spin with visions of  jealous neighbors and invitations to join elite museum boards. The bidding  goes sky high.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    4.Guess what happens next? Once the record-breaking auction price is made  public, the value for the artist’s work shoots up. The collectors who were  allowed to buy early now have much more valuable investments. Newspaper  and magazine articles hail the dealer’s great instincts for spotting the  Next Big Thing yet again. You can bet that the next time the dealer signs  a new artist, even more collectors will want to buy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Dealers aren’t the only people with influence, though many art world  denizens complain that they are. Sometimes an important critic, curator,  or even collector can be a star-maker. A certain British collector, for  example, has a contemporary art collection so highly regarded that other  collectors monitor his buying habits. Whenever he buys a new artist,  dozens of others rush to buy that artist too, which makes the artist’s  prices go up, which reinforces the collector’s reputation for picking  winners. This collector can’t go wrong. Any new artist he buys rises in  value, because he himself is the one creating the market demand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    How can ordinary collectors get in on the Next Big Thing? Those with big  ambitions and deep pockets often hire a well-connected art consultant to  buy for them. If that’s beyond your budget, and you haven’t been the  artist’s best friend since third grade, you’ll have to beat the dealers to  the art.What to look for in Contemporary Art * 19th \u0026amp; 20th century Art * Native AmericanArt * Oriental Rugs * Vintage Posters * Photography * And More . . .","brand":"Crown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302275993829,"sku":"NP9780307237132","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780307237132.jpg?v=1767739961","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-intrepid-art-collector-isbn-9780307237132","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}