What is it about art and why do people buy it?
If you walk into anyone’s house you are guaranteed to find some type of artwork whether it be a vase, painting, framed photo, or even a sculpture – but why is that? Some people are true art collectors and spend thousands or even millions of dollars adding unique pieces to their sprawling collection. There’s a very distinct difference between luxury art and everyday art. For the affluent with discretionary income, the purpose of buying art has a very different meaning behind it and is usually driven by desire or emotion.
The power of art can be a very gratifying purchase and with it, can come a great deal of satisfaction. An emotional purchase can come from the meaning behind the art and speak to a buyer by eliciting a feeling of joy or happiness. The beauty of art is that it can have different effects on different people and it’s always open for interpretation. The buyer might love the way the artist created it or share a similar experience with the artist. Sometimes it has nothing to do with what the piece actually depicts, and more so involves an emotional attachment that the connoisseur has developed – a random little inkling of adoration or inspiration that the artwork might evoke to them.
Another reason a buyer might purchase a certain piece of art could be simply because it symbolizes a persona of achievement or success. Buying art for the sole purpose of making a statement is mostly centered on creating the perception of accomplishment. More often than not, these are put on display for everyone to see and are meant for guests and friends to strike up a conversation. When you first walk in the door of someone’s house and you see a nice framed painting hanging over the fireplace mantle, it usually attracts people’s attention. Now some guests might not say anything but on a non-verbal level they know that this person is trying to convey their status.
Some people also purchase or collect art because they view it as an investment, but in most cases this is not the issue. The initial reason they bought the piece was told hold onto it for extended period of time. Of course there are some exceptions such as a classic work of Picasso. Most people who can afford investment artwork do it simply for the financial gain but then again art can be a very specific desire.
Buying art can have a wide array of influence and for the true collector, their reason will be explicitly unique to them. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if you’re purchasing art for rankings of status, or simply because you thought that abstract piece would be a nice little addition to your wall or add a pop color. Collect art because it makes you feel emotion every time you look at it. Purchase a piece because it causes you to be wistful and nostalgic for something you never even knew, evoking a child-like sense of wonderment or unleashing a hidden passion. Find something that represents you as a whole and let it be an exuberant extension of your personality. Go to a local gallery and check out the different artwork – find things that you would be excited to share with your friends and family. Make it a fun experience and something that you can afford within your means at this particular time. Don’t try to overextend yourself to impress others…at the end of the day, art should be a selfish pursuit of the heart.