Three Myths of Collecting and Investing in Art

By: Belinda Labatte, edited by Dahlia Labatte

1. Artwork must compliment your interiors

Artwork fulfills a need for form, reflection and contemplation of interior and domestic spaces; but it is most often accepted that the art piece functions as a conforming piece in a design direction. For example: the sofa is picked, then the coffee table, and then maybe a work of art to fill the space and to bring in the colours of the sofa. Instead, use art to reinvent your space – challenge the way you think about layout or the visual/emotional impact of your space.

Art has the ability to completely change the vision for a space, don’t limit that ability. Seeing beauty in art and valuing art for its beauty is not a negative thing. But don’t let art acquisitions or love of a certain piece be limited by the formal boundaries/design concept of the space. Oftentimes a piece that contrasts with the interior or that is placed in an unexpected spot is what makes it all come alive, reflecting a developed personal taste in both art and design that is dictated by love. Art is entirely subject to individual taste. When guiding people through the various pieces we have included in a show, often the same piece that a person is ready to skip past another person will stop and fall in love immediately. Sometimes art strikes a cord immediately, other times appreciation is something that develops over time, or a piece may not catch you at all. Don’t be afraid of not liking something, and don’t be afraid of loving something that most people don’t (you may be ahead of the crowd). 

For someone that is interested in art and wants to begin collecting, but is guided just by the amount of wall space in their home: don’t allow yourself to be limited by both wall space and a design concept. Focusing on figuring out, and being guided by, what you like and dislike is the most important part. A home that is filled with things you love is the most beautiful.

The experience created by the artist’s work/thoughts and the collector’s impression of it creates a new story. Where the artist’s work stops, another story can begin.

Photograph by Jessica Labatte

Daniela Terroba Schlam, Madre de Pliegues

2. Buying art and investing in art are separate things

Collecting pieces from informed and reputable galleries is to have the ease of working with curators who do the hard work for you. There is a deep and thorough process before a gallery will represent an artist’s work. This process is time consuming and requires a level of research and connection with artists, which for beginner collectors is often a daunting task.

The role of the artist is to produce work as they see fit that is unfettered by external demands, to create a visual representation of something that cannot be expressed in words and to lay judgement only at their own feet. The role of the gallerist is to create connections, frameworks, and relationships that highlight the work. At its best it is a harmony of ideas. 

As a collector, besides the obvious that you want the piece in your life, you may expect to acquire art that hold its value and has the potential of appreciation because while you are buying one piece, you are in fact acquiring a larger context – the context of the artist’s total body of work, and era.  

3. Acquiring artwork requires deep knowledge and expertise

This is perhaps among the most common thoughts we encounter, which is one of the benefits of creating a relationship with a gallery and a curator. We have done the work and the research, and are able to help you gain and foundation of knowledge/comfort/experience, and find a direction in art that strikes a cord. Start with just looking and figuring out what you like or dislike, focus on feeling. It is easy to get lost in ‘knowing’. Terminology, names, movements, history can come after. Knowing your likes and dislikes will allow you to figure out what histories or otherwise to look further into. At our gallery, we start with curation as a way to give an experience of delight so your starting point is a variety of works within a singular theme. This is what a great show will do; it will create an experience for you to play with your individual stance and experience as you walk through the show.

Curation also is able to provide current and emerging artists a visual context among other artists that situates their work in a larger context; this could be thematically, in art history, contemporary movements, etc. These various references and relationships bring heft and meaning into current works, as well as a sense of continuity.

Curation provides a depth and range of artworks so you can find yourself within the collection. Our objective is simple: we are a matchmaker wanting each piece to find its owner and vice versa.