How to build a collection that you love now and will grow with you.
1. Avoid trends and artists of the moment.
Buying what is cool at that moment is an easy trap to fall into, however it may mean that you miss out on building a cohesive collection and developing your taste. Try to go with your gut instinct, if hyper colour is in fashion but you like darker colours, find darker works.
2. Buy an artist and not just an individual artwork
When you purchase an artists work you are investing in their practice, as well as buying something for your collection. Try to buy works from artists who’s wider practice you’re interested in. If there’s an amazing performance artist who has an interesting ceramic practice, buy one of their works. You’ll be amazing how much more the work means to you.
3. When you have established the artist you are interested in try to buy more than one work – buy from different bodies of work.
This will allow you to watch their development over time and make for a more rewarding collecting experience.
4. Establish your own vision for your collection and stick to it.
This can involve collecting to a frame work, for instance collecting paintings or only collecting emerging artists. You might choose to collect within an aesthetic framework, collecting works that are darker in colour. Having a framework or vision to your collection makes it more cohesive, it also means it will be worth more, both monetarily and culturally.
5. Concentrate on a strong collection rather than a large collection.
Less is more when it comes to most things, but especially art. It is always better to have 5 pieces you love then to have 10 pieces that you sort of like. Collecting with a less is more ethos also helps to avoid excess clutter.
