If you’ve ever found the world of contemporary art “surprisingly opaque and shrouded in mystique” you’re not alone.
To find your way through the contemporary art world, you need both advice and an opportunity to test it. For published advice, thank Louisa and Judith. Together they wrote Owning Art – The Contemporary Art Collector’s Handbook (that “opaque and shrouded” phrase is in the intro). And for a chance to apply their advice, thank Deborah and Sarah, who run the Contemporary Art Fairs of both Reading and Windsor.
Louisa Buck is an art columnist and a reviewer for BBC radio and television. Her co-author Judith Greer is an experienced collector who counts among her friends many of the leading artists in Britain’s contemporary art scene. They wrote Owning Art to provide “practical points of entry into [the contemporary art world] and offer clear and unbiased guidance through its workings.”
Deborah James and Sarah McAllister have been running the Windsor Contemporary Art Fair since 2005, and the Reading Contemporary Art Fair since 2010. “Our aim,” they say, “is to de-mystify the art world and make it truly accessible to everyone. We want to debunk the myth that contemporary art is only for a select few.”
I think of Louisa and Judith and Deborah and Sarah as friendly guides. I don’t know about you, but anyone who wants to demystify the world of contemporary art is a friend of mine.
What’s so great about contemporary art?
It’s part of life in the here and now. It’s the work of living artists whose styles are evolving all the time. And because they’re still around, they’re able to meet you and talk about the thinking behind their art and how they go about creating it.
What’s so great about art fairs?
They bring all kinds of contemporary art together under one roof. Some of it you’ll love, some of it you won’t, and not all of the art looks its best in a stand at a fair. But if you want to meet in person some of the people who make the art world go round, you can hardly do better than a fair. At bigger events on the British art scene, for example the Affordable Art Fairs and Frieze, you’ll meet gallery owners and art dealers. But at smaller regional events like the Reading and Windsor Contemporary Art Fairs, you’ll meet the artists themselves.
Who are art fairs for?
The answer is, everyone. But could one of these be you? You may be:
- A first-time buyer on a budget – You love art, you’ve saved up to buy an original, but you’re not sure how to go about it.
- A homeowner with an empty wall – You’ve just come through a major life event. You’ve moved house/married/divorced/retired/downsized/redecorated/decluttered. You want something to mark the occasion. And you want it on your wall
- An office colleague with cash – Someone’s retiring at work, they’ve taken up a collection, and you’re the one who’s buying the gift. Something he or she will love — but you might just fall in love with it, too.
- An art lover looking for WOW – You’re confident about buying art and you’re on the hunt for something special. Something to surprise, transport, intrigue, make your heart sing.
- A collector with an obsession — You’re an experienced buyer of art and you’ve run out of wall space, but you have a keen eye for new talent and an irresistible urge to keep adding to your collection.
What’s so great about the Reading Contemporary Art Fair?
Think of it as part of an art lover’s guide to the contemporary art scene. No matter which sort of art buyer you are.
You get a friendly, relaxed, professional setting. You meet face-to-face with more than 80 painters, printmakers, sculptors and photographers, and with prices from £40 to £4,000 there is something for everyone. The artists may be local, regional or international. All of this without having to schlep into London.
The Reading Contemporary Art Fair also has the endorsement of Sir John Madejski, the legendary philanthropist and art connoisseur who is passionate about all things Reading. “It’s tremendous,” he says. “The Fair is giving oxygen to local artists and those from further a field.” Sir John is coming back again to cut the ribbon at this year’s fair, which runs from the 14th to the 15th of May 2011. “We want people to come along,” Sarah says, “to find out what contemporary art is all about.”
OK, so you’re hooked. You’ve cleared your diary, you’ve bought your ticket to the Reading Contemporary Art Fair and you’re set to go. But you want to keep this art love thing going long after the fair. What would Louisa and Judith say?
Engage with the art – Let yourself fall in love. If a work of art stops you dead in your tracks, don’t pretend to be cool. Feel the passion.
Train your eye – Look, look, look at art. Everywhere. Public galleries, museums, commercial galleries, fairs. Get a feeling for art in general; old and new, familiar and foreign, from Da Vinci to Dali to Damien Hirst. The more curious you are about art, and the more you look at it, the more confident you’ll be when you buy it.
Read and learn – As your interest in art grows, you’ll want to learn more about it. You’ll read about the artists who interest you, you’ll get a feel for the way they fit into the wider art scene. You’ll turn up at public institutions for talks and tours. You’ll read what the critics say and decide which ones to pay attention to.
Talk and listen – Keep your ears open as well as your eyes, but be aware: there’s a lot of hype out there about contemporary art. Learn what’s useful to you and what’s not. Talk to dealers, curators, collectors and artists. Ask questions. Don’t be shy.
Take your time – All that researching and looking pays off. With a well-trained eye, you’re more likely to make sound decisions when it comes to buying art. Do your homework, but don’t keep putting off your purchase. The best way to learn about art is to buy art.
See you at the fair.
Notes
Reading Contemporary Art Fair 14-15 May 2011 at the Rivermead Leisure Complex, with a private view on Friday 13th May ( see web site for private view tickets and more details ) www.readingcontemporaryartfair.co.uk
The Jelly will be running hands-on workshops during the Reading Contemporary Art Fair. They’re an artist-led studio and exhibition facility in the heart of Reading; a registered charity with visual arts and creative excellence at the top of their agenda. www.jelly.org
Owning Art – The Contemporary Art Collector’s Handbook, by Louisa Buck and Judith Greer (Cultureshock Media Ltd, London 2006). This is where the big red quotations in this article come from, and here’s who said what: “What you really collect is always yourself” is from the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard; “Art fairs are good for finding things that are rare” is from Joel Wachs, President of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; and “I love going to art fairs…” is from Glen Fuhrman, an art collector based in New York.
Cynthia Barlow Marrs ASGFA is the Art Editor for Beat Magazine. An artist based in Windsor, Cynthia is on the Council of the Society of Graphic Fine Art. She started out with a degree in fine art and worked internationally in environmental planning and business-community programme development before returning to England to stay put and paint.
More about Cynthia Barlow Marrs can be found here: www.cbarlowmarrs.com
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