Collecting Art - The Taste Factor

Collecting art is a possibility for almost anyone. I can say this after many conversations with dedicated art collectors of many differing bents and differing economic means. Original art IS available to everyone.

The amount of money that you can spend is one of several factors in choosing additions to your collection. But, the amount spent has not been demonstrated to me as the prime factor in determining the size or quality of of your collection. Rather, I believe the prime factor is personal taste.

Personal taste accounts for a lot. There are many personal and organizational collections that were well-founded on the numerous secondary and tertiary factors, but were not well-founded on a taste for excellent composition. These collections, no matter how large or full of "name" artists, show themselves as well-meaning but second level collections.

You should remember that even when prestigious organizations acquire major works of art they usually want to focus on the best examples of a given artist or school. Size and price are important of course, but a masterwork is always desirable over the lesser efforts of even the very greatest names of the artworld.

In regard to taste - as it pertains to a good or best example of an artist's work - the decisions on what pieces will be decided upon and negotiated for may be up to one individual or a group of individuals. A purchase may very well need to fulfill several requisites for a collection's owner(s). If a committee is making the decisions then there will hopefully be real discussion.

Buyers for a collection, whether committee or individual, must use taste as well as the other factors needed to enhance the collection. If the artwork is a gift or bequest then taste is not a problem - then it's just a matter of how the work is to be accepted (publicized or not publicized).

Some buyers confer with appraisers or other experts before making a decision. They may value the opinions of particular academics, art historians, art writers, or art market analysts. Again, the taste of these experts will be important, possibly the most important parameter of the decision-making process.

Many people who look at art, or who buy and sell art have varying esthetic tastes. This begs the question - for whom is this collection built and exhibited? Is it only for the buyer? - his/her family? - or for a wider audience?

Museums and galleries very much take this into account when they buy or advise buyers. Although acquiring works for a public school audience will be different from acquiring works for a casino's hotel - taste should be the primary consideration.