Galleries are a crucial gateway to discovering and purchasing art. They platform new artists and nurture their careers, helping to build their audience and sell their works to buyers.
But to the uninitiated, galleries can appear inaccessible. Galleries are often quiet, sterile spaces. Some art enthusiasts might not realize that galleries have public hours and are free to enter.
These barriers to entry can help perpetuate an air of exclusivity, but speaking with a gallery is important to understand how to make the best choices when it comes to collecting at any level. This information is particularly important for new buyers: The best way to know how and what to buy is to ask questions.
“There are no stupid questions,” said Joseph Clarke, gallery director of Anima Mundi. “Ignorance isn’t about not knowing the answer; it is about not asking the question.”
Ultimately, the more information a buyer gains, the better equipped they are to build a collection that suits their interests and budget.
Here are six questions every new collector should ask a gallery, whether visiting in person or interacting online.
- How much does this cost?
It might sound simple, but asking the price of an artist’s work can be necessary, as it’s well known that many galleries don’t advertise this information.
“The ‘smokescreens’ of the art global can create an intimidating environment, the result of which is indignation or a clamming up of the viewer,” said Clarke. Omitting prices is often viewed as a tactic to lend an air of mystery and purported importance to a work.
Still, having to ask for an artwork’s price can present an opportunity to connect with galleries.
“When I first started collecting, all I would see were the lists with no prices and I thought it was some kind of secret, or that it was impolite to inquire about pricing,” said Ellen-Blair Chube, a collector and trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. “But you have to understand the market for any artist if you are going to consider it for your collection, and if it fits in your budget, so just ask!”
Even if the particular work isn’t a fit, knowing how it is priced can provide a point of reference when looking at other works by an artist. Understanding pricing is particularly important for buyers considering artworks as investments, as galleries can offer confidence in the long-term value.
It is also useful to ask how a gallery determined the price, and a reputable dealer should be able to provide context and comparables.