Being the multifaceted platform that we are, we have a myriad of different users coming from completely different spectrums of the art world.
Today we’re sliding into your inbox from the collector’s realm, and we’d like to show how you can use Artfacts as a tool to assist you when purchasing artworks.
Let’s take an example from this week:
An important online Photography auction at Christies featuring some stunning works, closes today.
We’ve chosen an artist included in the auction to explore.
Diane Arbus.
In a 2018 posthumous obituary, the New York Times described Arbus as “a seminal figure in modern-day photography and an influence on three generations of photographers”. No small feat. Her work was focused on marginalised groups whose images she brought into the light of the gallery room, hoping to remove stigma, and invite acceptance.
If you remember our recent newsletter detailing how artists are ranked, you can use the same system here for assisting your decision making. Two points we discussed that would aid the ranking of an artist are particularly helpful, and are available to you without having any subscription to Artfacts.
On the “Spotlight” page of Arbors profile, you can see those two points in charts:
“Exhibitions by type” and
“Exhibitions by Institution type”.
With a quick glance it’s instantly clear what the dominating factors are:
Group show and Museums.
That’s very positive, it means Arbor is recognised enough by respected art institutions to be shown repeatedly, and that she is valued by her peers, being featured in so many group shows. These points would lead to her being a good consideration for a collector.
Now what would we find if we went into more depth, switched onto an Analytics subscription and dove into the Trends section of her profile?
_MOMA is in the top three institutions where she has had her most exhibitions. _She’s had a relatively stable ranking for the past 20 years.
Looking at her full ranking graph, you’d likely be drawn to the year 1972- the peak of her career.
What caused the peak? Jump into our Biography section, and you’ll discover it was: “Diane Arbus” A posthumous solo retrospective at MOMA.
That exhibition garnered the highest attendance of any photographic exhibition to date at MOMA. In the same year she was the first photographer to be featured in the Venice Biennale. A very momentous time for her indeed. Unfortunately, she committed suicide the year before. We know. That hurts. The Art world and it’s glorification of the deceased.
But back to the facts: What does this mean for us?
By having a clearer picture of an artist’s history, the impact they have had on the art world and access to the credentials of their work, it makes it easier to be certain about a purchase. In this case, all signs would point to collecting the work of this iconic artist being a very solid buy.
Speaking of purchases, you’ll wish you’d got your hands on one of Arbus’s works a long time ago. Whilst Arbus was alive photographs were not considered as having much monetary value. The Metropolitan museum of art bought two of her photographs for just $75 each. Even with inflation, they bagged themselves quite the bargain.
Perhaps you could too, there’s still time to bid. But if her work doesn’t interest you, or photography, or you’re interested in a different price-calibre of art, whether much lower, or higher, you can use the same system to help inform you about whichever art purchase it is you may want to make, whenever the time is right.
We hope we’ve been able to help you understand another way you can use our platform.
For today, and every day, we wish for art in your life. Be it a painting in your living room, a sculpture in the street, a tree arching in the wind, or a candle flickering by your bed. There’s art all around us, may we see it.