Art & Object Fall Fair 2024

FEATURE

make a note of who’s showing it. Ask a few questions if you want. Who’s the artist? What’s their history? Do you have any materials or links you can share? Expressing interest does not obligate you to buy anything, nor does it require you to engage in deep detailed conversations, especially ones where someone starts asking personal ques tions. If you have what you need for now and would appreciate a little time to think on it, say so. You should never feel uncomfort able or pressured to buy. Take your time. Head home, go over your materi als along with any URLs, information on the gallery’s website, or other details they provide. Google the artist and the gallery. Check out their social media, their personal websites if they have them, their online presence, and any thing else you might find. Get informed before you buy. That’s the key. Things to watch out for? Don’t believe for an instant that there is only

Also keep in mind that no matter whom you’re talking with, if they make a statement about an artist or work of art, they are obligated to back it up with facts if you ask. Especially in the ener gized settings of art fairs, you can’t sim ply take everything you’re told at face value. Your job, assuming you’re serious about whatever you’re looking at, is to verify any claims sellers make (unless you already know and trust them). Ask them to substantiate what they’re tell ing you, and then confirm their answers independently. For example, watch out for versions of “The artist is really hot right now,” “They’re collected interna tionally,” “Prices are on the way up,” “They have a great career ahead of them,” “They were selling for a lot less two years ago,” and so on. Trust but verify. So let’s say you’ve done your due dil igence and you’re pretty sure you want to buy. If you reach this stage, it’s time to examine every physical detail of the artwork—not just the parts you’re

before purchasing it, do the same with art. And of course, if you have any ques tions about what you’re looking at, ask. Assuming you’re completely satisfied at this point and prepared to finalize the deal, the only item left on the agen da is price. Don’t feel uneasy or intim idated here. Art is not cheap, and as with any significant purchase, you want some sense of assurance that you’re get ting your money’s worth. You are fully within your rights to ask how a seller set their price. Ask whether similar works sell in the same price range. Ask how regularly the artist sells. Ask whether there’s anywhere you can go to learn more. The seller should be more than happy to talk prices. If they get upset or offended by the question, maybe it’s best to walk away. But only talk price if you’re serious and ready to buy. Novice buyers might wonder wheth er it’s OK make an offer or bargain in any way. Depending on the circum stances, that’s always an option, but you’d better know why you’re doing it, and most importantly, be able to back up any offer with facts. Bargaining just to pay less is never a good idea. Assum ing you can explain yourself, then fine. Most sellers appreciate a good argu ment, but even if you’ve got one, ask ing for more than 10 to 20 percent off is really risky, and you can easily alien ate a seller that way. And never bargain at the opening of a fair. Best time to do it? Towards the end. Of course you take the risk that the art might be sold, but if it’s not, galler ies may be more amenable to offers. You can also choose to forego any bargain ing, especially if you love the art and like the seller, as well, and pay whatever price they’re asking. Who knows? This could be the start of a great relationship. One thing is for sure—it’s the start of a great relationship between you and the art that you’re about to make a perma nent part of your life. A Alan Bamberger is an art consultant, advi sor, appraiser, writer, and the publisher of the consumer-resource website artbusi ness.com. His book The Art of Buying Art has been in print in progressively updated editions since 1990.

ART SAN DIEGO

ANY EXPERIENCED ART BUYER WILL TELL YOU THAT PATIENCE IS ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF EFFECTIVE COLLECTING

COURTESY OF ART SAN DIEGO

one piece of art for you and that if you don’t buy now, you’ll miss out forev er. Nothing in art is that way. You will always find plenty of other art to love just as much, maybe even more, by mul tiple artists and from multiple galleries. It’s easy to get cornered in situations like this especially if you don’t have that much experience and are speak ing with someone who’s motivated to sell and knows how to do it.

supposed to see, but everything. That includes the front, back, sides, edges, top, bottom, and insides. Why? You want to be sure it’s built to last, made with quality materials, and that it looks equally accomplished and impressive no matter how or where or from what direction or angle you look at it. Just like taking a test drive and checking under the hood before buying a car, or inspecting a house inside and out

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Art&Object | Fall 2024