How To Collect Art In 2025--Part 3: Ways of Seeing
On the one thing that's really up to you.
Image: Michael Igwe, “Armour,” 2024
Yeah, I just wanted to give a nod to the John Berger classic. That said, let’s go!
As you may have gathered from earlier posts, one role art advisors play is that of guide and educator. Yes, we leverage our art world knowledge and our relationships with artists and galleries to make acquiring art as smooth as possible. We help you save time and money. But if you have a sense that you’re in this to be a collector for the long term, there’s one thing we absolutely can’t do for you.
We can’t train your eyes for you.
That’s on you.
While I can get you access and show you work, I can’t help you see. Your ability to look at a work and see nuance is going to take time. Put simply: You must see art regularly. It’s the same idea as getting in shape: If you want to improve your health, you’ve got to exercise several times per week.
Your ability to be discerning about the art you’re seeing improves the more you expose yourself to it, and you’ll start to make connections between works.
The other important thing that comes from seeing art regularly is that it helps you clarify what you like and what you don’t. And when it comes to collecting, it’s probably more important to be clear about the latter. It doesn’t matter if everyone’s buzzing about Artist X: If you’re not feeling the work, you’re not feeling the work. That’s okay. It’s not that a work is necessarily “bad”, it’s just that it’s not for you.
Sadly, many people don’t fully commit to collecting because they don’t want to spend this crucial time.
I often tell the story of meeting this brotha, Michael. I’d seen him at several openings, so I introduced myself. He told me he was a collector, and I asked him how long he’d been at it. He responded that he’d only recently bought his first piece but that he’d spent the previous three years researching art and going to see shows. Without seeing his collection, I can tell you he’s a better collector for having put in the time. Those three years of him not buying weren’t missed opportunities. Rather, he used that time to get super clear on the type of art that interests him and can focus his efforts accordingly.
Three years is a short time to spend when you consider that collections are built over decades.
Lastly, know this: Training your eyes isn’t only about seeing shows. It also involves educating yourself in other ways: Reading art criticism, talking to gallerists and artists, building relationships with fellow collectors, studying the basics of art history, and generally being curious about the art world. The more you do that, the more you bring with you when you stand in front of a piece of art. You’re also improving your ability to articulate why you like or dislike a piece, something that’s especially useful as you start making choices about investing in acquisitions.
For example, the artist Steve Locke recommended that I read James Elkins’s What Painting Is, and it changed the way I look at work on canvas. Specifically, it gave me an appreciation for brush strokes, paint thickness, and the ways that artists build colors on their canvases. I was in the middle of reading this book when I walked into Alex Gardner’s show at Perrotin last summer, and my jaw hit the ground.
Here’s what I saw this week:
Monday
Artist studio visit
Wednesday
Preview of Tyler Mitchell at Gagosian
Friday
Brooklin Soumahoro and RJ Messineo at Canada
Jessica Stoller at PPOW
Carlos Rosales-Silva at Sargent’s Daughters
Saturday
Virginia Chihota and Anthony Bumhira at James Cohan
Group show at Storage Gallery featuring Michael Igwe, Leasho Johnson, Rick Lowe, and Hugo McCloud
Group show at NADA featuring Amani Lewis, Milo Matthieu, Devan Shimoyama
Ashanté Kindle at Kates-Ferri Projects
I’m not suggesting that you need to be in these streets like I am. My point is that, in NYC with its ~1,400 galleries, there are a lot of opportunities to see work. Commit a few hours on a Saturday to seeing art. I’ll help your collecting immensely.
Ready to start your collecting journey?
I’m interested in building a cohort of smart collectors. If you’d like a structured way to start your art-collecting journey, consider my 3-month collecting programs. I’ll orient you in the art world, provide a reading list, facilitate introductions to dealers and artists, and give direction on developing your collection.
Book a 15-minute call with me here.