Don’t be intimidated
The art world can be daunting, especially when you hear art specialists and industry experts using jargon like ‘edition, ‘print’, ‘modern, and ‘contemporary’. Rest assured that there is no such thing as a ‘stupid question’ at Strauss & Co, and no uppity-nose-in-the-air art consultants who will scoff at your enquiries. We’re passionate about art, and part of the joy of our work is helping and educating prospective buyers and art lovers to broaden their knowledge. Our art specialists are always ready to answer your questions, make recommendations, and show you artworks and collector’s pieces that will bring you joy.
When buying art for their homes, consumers often turn to high-street retail outlets and purchase mass-produced decorative pieces that match their drapes and scatter cushions, because of the perception that original art is prohibitively expensive. But we’ve sold artworks on our online-only auctions for less than you might spend at a chain store. When you buy an artwork on auction at Strauss & Co, you can trust that our art specialists have vetted the provenance and authenticity of the work and that it is being offered at a realistic market price, based on auction precedent.
Find out what you like
The secondary art market has the luxury of offering the work of hundreds of different artists in a single auction, with a wide choice of mediums, periods and prices. Auction houses often exhibit the artwork going under the hammer before an important live sale. These exhibitions are a great place for prospective buyers to familiarise themselves with what’s on offer, to compare different artists, periods and styles, and to find out what they like.
Whether you’re interested in contemporary sculpture, ceramic art, mid-century modern furniture, or abstract painting, a pre-sale exhibition allows you to sample a wide array of artworks. You might like traditional landscapes, but as you become exposed to a greater variety of styles and more artists, you might find that you begin to appreciate abstract compositions as well, or you develop a taste for the work of artists from a specific era or region in preference to others.
It’s also a great idea to visit contemporary art galleries and chat with the curators and owners about upcoming artists making waves in the industry.
Browse online
Strauss & Co have a massive online database of all the artists and artworks they’ve consigned, as well as digital catalogues of previous actions and information written by art specialists and industry giants. It’s a valuable, free resource to kickstart your art education, or just a lovely way to spend a bit of time perusing the high-res images. Social media has also empowered artists and galleries to market art to a new audience and most have their own websites or some other visible presence online. Social media allows you to follow your favourite artists while discovering new talent. Visit Strauss & Co’s website www.straussart.co.za or follow them on instagram at @strauss_and_co
Support young creatives
We believe in supporting up-and-coming young artists. Strauss & Co has ongoing relationships with The Bag Factory, a non-profit contemporary visual art organisation, and Artist Proof Studio, leaders in art printmaking training, which are both committed to investing in the long-term development of young artists. Organisations like this offer incredible, innovative new work at affordable prices, and when you buy art from them, you’re supporting a young creative. Hopefully, the piece will increase in value and, in time, could be sold on the secondary art market at a profit, unlike mass-produced retail goods, made to satisfy the whims of consumers and changing fashions, which seldom keep their value. Investing in the creative community keeps its wheels turning, enabling artists to keep on creating and developing.
Why are you buying art?
Is it part of an investment portfolio, and do you expect it to appreciate over time? Do you want something beautiful and decorative to adorn your walls?
There exists a perception that art collectors need deep pockets and the right connections and it’s only worth investing in the big names, but this is not the case. The art market is more accessible than ever for novice collectors and information about artists and artworks at all levels of investment is readily available.
If you’re collecting for investment and expect your artwork to accrue value over time, it’s always best to buy from a reputable auction house or gallery. This way you have peace of mind that the piece went through a process of due diligence to value and authenticate the work.
Works by blue-chip artists like William Kentridge, Walter Battiss and Robert Hodgkins do sell for millions of rands on auction, but their editioned works on paper offer a foot in the door for collectors determined to invest in one of these auction stalwarts, without applying for a second mortgage on their homes.
That being said, I’m a great believer in buying what you love, because you’re going to have to live with that artwork and look at it every day. So if you drive past a collection of canvases next to the road and one of the pieces speaks to you on a deep, visceral level, making you fall head over heels in love with it – go for it, buy the artwork, you’re supporting an artist and acquiring something that’s special to you.
