As with anything new, getting into art collecting can be overwhelming. To help that process along, here are some resources that emerging collectors can use to help them as they move along their collecting journey.
Books
The Black Market: A Guide To Art Collecting by Charles Moore:
This recently published book focuses on the history of African-American art and offers a worthwhile introduction to the business of becoming a collector. You can read a profile of the author here.
The Art of Buying Art: How to Evaluate and Buy Art Like a Professional Collector by Alan Hamburger
Another solid primer.
Ways of Seeing by John Berger
A seminal book that demystifies the process of looking at art and understanding what you’re seeing.
The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich
The highly accessible reference book (now in its 16th edition since its original publication in the 1950s) on the history of art from the prehistoric up to the modern (early 1990s).
Websites/Apps/Communities
Create an account and follow artists that you’re interested in. It also has an app. Good editorial content designed to help educate collectors about collecting and the art biz.
A free app that lists galleries and exhibitions in New York, LA, Paris, London, and Berlin. Unfortunately, for now, it’s iPhone only 🙁
News site focused on Black art, artists, and arts administrators.
News, opinions, and reviews/criticism of exhibitions and the art world with a progressive slant.
The latest news on the events, trends, and people that shape the global art market.
A 10-year-old collective dedicated to driving inclusivity in the art world and developing a broad community of Black and Brown artists, curators, collectors, and other art enthusiasts. They often organize artist talks coinciding with artist exhibitions.
A sales, education, and community platform for Black Art.
Videos on Art Collecting
Contemporary Art and How to Learn About It
Understanding the Unique Types of Collectors
Art Collecting for Beginners
10 Tips on Building an Art Collection on a Budget
Art Fairs
Art fairs are a great way to see a lot of art in a single location. They attract local, national, and international galleries, as well as artists and collectors. Following is a short list of key art fairs.
These first three are part of Miami Art Week
The North American edition of this global art fair in which “leading galleries from five continents show significant works by masters of Modern and contemporary art, as well as the new generation of emerging stars.”
December 8-10, 2023
December 5-10, 2023
Concurrent with Art Basel Miami. Focuses on art of the African Diaspora.
December 6-10, 2023
Independent art fair concurrent with Art Basel Miami.
2024 Art Fairs
“The IFPDA Print Fair is the oldest and largest art fair for prints and editions, showcasing printmakers, galleries, and publishers from across the globe.”
February 16-18
“The Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS) celebrates the African Diaspora by bringing together contemporary artists with the growing class of collectors.”
February 23-25, 2024
“…an internationally recognized exhibition platform using underused, atypical, and historic New York City exhibition spaces to activate and challenge the traditional cultural landscape of the art market, typically but not exclusively during Armory Arts Week New York and Frieze Week LA.”
February 28 – March 3, 2024 (Los Angeles)
NYC dates TBA in early 2024
This event happens twice in NYC, once in the fall (September) and again in the spring (March 21-24, 2024). This fair specifically showcases artworks that range in price from $100-$12,000.
March 21-24, 2024
“The anti-fair for independent artists”
May 2-5, 2024 (NYC)
A highly curated selection of galleries comprises “a consciously scaled art fair focused on inspiring relevant art encounters for a well-informed and devoted Contemporary Art audience.”
May 9-12, 2024 (NYC)
The New York edition of “world’s premier fair for fine art, antiques, and design.”
May 10-14, 2024
1-54 International African Art Fair
The New York edition of “1-54 is the first and only international fair dedicated to contemporary African art.”
May 18-21 (NYC)
The following shows make up “NYC Art Week”
“…since its founding in 1994, The Armory Show brings the world’s leading international contemporary and modern art galleries to New York each year.” The fact that it’s at the Javits Center tells you a lot about the size and scale of this show.
September 6-8, 2024
Javits Center
“…[T]he contemporary art fair dedicated to photography and new media.”
September 6-8, 2024
Javits Center
This fair will showcase “100 galleries featuring top modern and contemporary paper-based art” that highlight the creative potential of paper.
September 6-8, 2024
Pier 36, Downtown Manhattan
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