I have decided to break some myths today. I realised, that very often people do not have any art at home just because they are not confident enough about buying art. The art market has been always surrounded by mysteries, stereotypes and myths, but it is not as complicated as it seems. I believe everyone deserves living in beautiful and inspiring environment. So let’s begin the myth breaking!
1. Art is for rich people
Rich people can afford very expensive artworks created by famous artists. Yes, their budgets empower them to buy most expensive paintings at prestigious art fairs or place high bids at the auctions, but that does not mean that only people with very high income have the privilege to surround themselves with art. I think this myth is quite strong because every time someone acquires the work created by Warhol, Hirst, Basquiat or other celebrity, it hits the headlines. However, there are a lot of good artists who’s names are not in the media all the time and they still create very powerful pieces. I think that artists are driven by the creative process. Of course they need recognition, but they don’t have any assumptions about who should own their art and do not care about the art lover’s income.
2. Only art experts know what good art is
Collecting art as an investment requires the knowledge of art history and market. However, I dare to argue that most people buy art (whatever their level of income is) because they like it. They feel connected with the artwork, they find it interesting, vibrant, maybe even shocking, but they want to own it. They like it for whatever emotion it arises. I like comparing visual arts to music. You hear a song and you either like it or not. The same criteria applies to visual art — if you like it, it is good and it does not matter that someone else hates it. There is no need to be a certified expert to understand what is it you like. We are all different, we have different tastes and so there is plenty of different art for everyone.
3. You must have a certain status to enter an art gallery
I don’t know why entering a gallery always feels a bit uncomfortable. I visit a lot of exhibitions regularly, but I always have this awkward feeling stepping in. I cannot explain where does it come from, the silence, white walls or the absence of people. Whatever the psychological reason is, it should not stop us. People who work at the galleries are usually very nice. They can tell you a lot of interesting facts about the exhibiting artist and will not judge you in any way. The purpose of the gallery is to exhibit art and promote the artists, so the more visitors a gallery has, the happier is the gallery owner!
4. Art requires a lot of space
Yes and no. Large canvas demands a large wall, but smaller canvases also exist. Just as large and small sculptures. Every apartment and every house has walls, shelfs and corners that can be decorated with art. When you start collecting art the result is quite unexpected — the more art you have, the more pleasant is your space!
5. It is difficult to match art with interior
Absolutely not. If you acquire an artwork you like, it will always fit. You will always find the right place for the art that brings joy to your eyes. There are no rules and everyone is free to experiment. It is easy to move the artworks around and change the lightning. We are the creators of our environment and we can do anything we like. The most important criteria is that we are happy with what we see.
Originally published by Goda Smilingyte on https://www.artgoda.ch/single-post/2017/11/12/5-MYTHS-THAT-STOP-PEOPLE-FROM-BUYING-ART
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