Page 34 - SHARP November 2021

So You
LORNA BAUER, UNTITLED (ERICKSON VIEW #2) AT GALERIE NICOLAS ROBERT
ACOMMON MISCONCEPTION
about art collecting is that you have to spend a lot of money to take part. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. For a bit more than what you’d pay at Ikea for a generic print, you can buy an original work of art. Like most things in life, spending a bit more money up front ensures its longevity. Living with art is engaging and enriching — it comes with a built-in story to tell around the dinner table. Who made it? When did you buy it? What drew you to it? Collecting art is an articulation of taste. The excitement of building an art collection is in learning what your taste is, trusting your instincts, and then living with the bounty.
I bought my first piece in 2018, a small painting from Misbah Ahmed, a recent OCAD grad. From there, I expanded rapidly. Works by Margaux Smith, Keiran Brennan Hin- ton, Marlon Kroll, Laurence Pilon, Darcie Bernhardt, and Azadeh Elmizadeh joined my collection. The collection has become a visualization of my life. As I look at the art on my walls, I remember where I was, and who I was, when the work entered my life.
Art is often referred to as “an invest- ment you can live with.” But it’s worth not- ing that buying art solely as an investment is never a good idea; there are no guarantees that a work has growth potential. Instead, you should focus on buying what you love and want to live with. With that caveat, art is typically a steady investment. If bought from a reputable gallery, it’s unlikely that the price will drop, and in rare cases, the price will double or triple in a short time frame. Like any good portfolio, diversifi- cation is key. The more art you buy, the more likely it is that you’ll have a few pieces from artists whose careers take off. For me, the thrill of collecting isn’t about cashing in — I’d rather the art than the money — but about following an artist’s career and supporting them. It’s a nice perk when your taste is confirmed by the market.
Once you start, it’s hard to find wall space to accommodate the habit.
Wanna Start
an Art
Collection
Toronto-based art writer and curator Tatum Dooley on where, why, and how to start collecting art
34 GUIDE • NOVEMBER 2021
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ART