Roxanne’s Top Tips for Collecting
Meet Roxanne Cohen our New Director of Art Advisory
Born and raised in London, Roxanne Cohen comes from an art collecting family. After 30 years in the UK, she relocated to NYC, the center of the contemporary art world. With years of experience as an independent art consultant, Roxanne now brings her skills to The Fine Art Group. For 5+ years, she worked at Christie’s Auction House within the Post-War and Contemporary Art Department and Client Advisory. Her extensive knowledge of the primary and secondary art markets helped clients build unique collections of work by various artists, both emerging and blue chip.
Roxanne has a Masters in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute which is affiliated with Manchester University, a BA (honors) in History of Art and Architecture from Manchester University (UK), and a Certificate in Collections Management from Sotheby’s Auction House.
BUY WITH YOUR EYES, THEN WITH YOUR MIND
By this I mean, buy what you feel passionate about and then validate the purchase with your due diligence.
Loving the work must be the most important factor. You should take time to develop your eye, research and learn what it is that you love. Visit Museums, Art Fairs, Auction Houses, Galleries and follow people in the art-world on Instagram. Read as much as possible on artists you’re looking at, check their resume for important gallery and museum shows. Did an important collector own the piece you’re looking at? Has it been exhibited before? Have you checked auction results to make sure that you are paying fair market value?
Make sure you see the work in person. Photographs and PDFs can be digitally enhanced. It is also crucial that you have the correct measurements. Make sure your measurements reflect the size with frame. The work does not necessarily need to match an interior but should fit well in the space. Buying art for your home means that you will live with it every day; you don’t want to regret an ill-informed decision.
Looking for a work by an established artist on a lower budget? These blue-chip artists may remain out-of-reach for the collectors with lower budgets but there are more accessible works out there. An artist’s early drawings, studies, print editions for example, represent a good starting point for anyone wishing to own a work by a blue-chip artist. When buying, consider looking for works that capture the most distinct elements of an artist’s practice.
Don’t just ‘buy into the hype’ especially with young emerging artists. If you do, make sure you will love the work in the long run, as the emerging market can be very volatile.
It’s also important to buy quality not quantity when investing in art. Invest in fewer pieces that are higher quality. Art is a purchase for life, so it’s better to collect slowly with a focus than try to rush.
An art advisor can be used along the entire spectrum of the collection process – from early days when a simple educated walk through a fair may be a great start, to pricing works before acquisitions, to developing a comprehensive collection management strategy. Having a trusted advisor to work with can be a major benefit as they know you, your taste and are committed to building your collection with your values in mind.
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