Advertisement
Buying valuable artworks is one of the oldest ways of investing but the practice has usually been reserved for astute art collectors who are able to distinguish a good investment piece from a bad one.
Recently though, and perhaps thanks to the rise of NFTs (investments in virtual art pieces), businesses have started to look at how they can ensure that the art pieces hanging on their walls are attractive to their bank balance and not just the eye. Mia Louw is the Gallery and Special Projects Liaison for the 10th anniversary edition of Investec Cape Town Art Fair, which took place in February 2023 at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
As Kingswood Golf Estate is busy with its Community Centre/ Clubhouse art Four things to consider before investing in art for your estate project, we leaned on her expertise for four top tips on how to invest in art on your estate.
Know your space
Before embarking on a spending spree, you need to know where you would like to place the artwork as this will guide you in terms of size and medium. Most artwork should be placed in an area without direct sunlight and moisture. ‘A clever way of leveraging your investment is to mix textures in a room – for example, hanging a framed photograph behind glass in front of a bold ceramic sculpture – but this won’t work well if the area has high foot traffic, such as a clubhouse for example, as the sculpture risks being damaged,’ says Louw.
Choose artists your residents will like
Investing in art starts with a good browse, says Louw. Follow galleries and artists on Instagram, visit your local gallery to see what is available, or surf the net for art dealers who can sell and source an international mix of works. ‘Art from local South African artists can have just as much investment potential as that from international artists. Consider things like whether the artist has exhibited work before, if they have participated in shows at museums, galleries or pop-up spaces, and if they have developed their practice through formal education or attended artist residencies,’ she adds.
Don’t listen to your heart
Investing in art for your home is very personal and is all about love at first sight and buying what appeals to your heart in terms of the colour, texture, medium and the title or story behind the artwork. Choosing art for your business is less personal. After all, it has to appeal to most residents, reflect the lifestyle on offer at the estate, and suit the estate’s brand identity. ‘Whatever you want people to feel like when they’re in the estate should ideally be reflected in the art.
If your estate offers a laid-back country lifestyle, then modern abstract pieces are probably not the way to go,’ says Louw.
Work out the costs
Investing in art is not a cheap exercise. As Louw explains, maintenance and installation costs will largely depend on the artwork. ‘If it’s frameable or otherwise easy to hang, installation is usually straightforward, but things like tapestries or sculptural works need a professional installer, and paintings on canvas or other delicate works will need a minor touch up over time,’ she adds.
