There are two kinds of people who have paintings on their walls: those who purchase paintings, and artists who don’t or can’t sell their works. It is the will and the aim of an artist to create works of a level of greatness that this world has never seen before. Selling the artwork is optional. But as any artist knows, being able to sell them at a high price is always welcome.
Besides mind-blowing talent and blackmail, there’s another way of getting more for your artwork: auctions.
Auctions have been here for several centuries. They have been a way to sell items like artworks, realty, as well as automobiles. An auction is a perfect venue for selling artworks because here, you’re not asking random strangers to buy your art for a high price. During an auction, your market is already given, and you’ll have the best feeling in the world watching rich people try to outbid others just to obtain your work for whatever reason and purpose. However, the situation mentioned is a best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario would be that your artwork won’t even be dignified enough to be part of the auction list.
However, a true artist is always diligent in selling his work (how else do you think he’ll be able to afford purchasing canvas cloth, paint, cigarettes, and wine? Those things cost a lot). So here are some things to keep in mind before venturing into art auctions.
Experience
First of all, art auctions aren’t like those young female slave auction in the black market as shown in some films. Art auctions are formal gatherings and social events. They’re a good way to gauge the market of the auction house, or the group handling the auction. Ask around if these are the same people who usually attend these kinds of auctions.
And also, observe the buyers during the auction itself. By comparing the artwork and how much they are willing to cash out, you can figure out what starting price to slap on your pieces.
Click here for tips on how to price artworks
Name
Being a famous artist goes a long way. However, not everyone is born with tickets to stardom. Reputations have to be made or earned before you yourself, as an artist, become a brand-slash-merchandise. Achieving this can be more difficult than creating artworks themselves.
A way of getting your name and your works to fly is through exhibits. Be in the know about where the next exhibit will be, and participate. The next step would be to launch a solo exhibit. When doing so, invite friends, as well as writers for lifestyle magazines or broadsheets. Their readers are the target market you are looking for.
Click here for a list of renowned artists and their biographies.
Work and Venue
Your work should not cater to the market an auction house has. Rather, simply find an auction group where your works will fit in. Keep in mind that most auctions will display your work first. As an artist, you will be able to gauge whether your works are ready for the spotlight or if they still lack sophistication or whatever it is the right crowd is looking for.
The biggest auction houses that remain are Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Both are international firms but are reputable for their items. They have brought several Filipino artworks and sold them to buyers around the world. But for more information about current auctions, keeping an eye on the arts section of the broadsheets is always a good thing.
Click here for our list of some of the most notable galleries in the metro.
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