If you’re looking for cheap art to invest in, scouring the art market for up-and-coming artists is one of the most affordable, but also riskiest, ways to do it. Finding artists who will make it big is a bit like trying to find your 5 foot 2 friend at Coachella: you’re scanning a sea of flower crowns and feathers, halfway blinded by all the glitter, just trying to spot that one wide-brimmed hat she wore that looks like all the others.
Get an art world education: You could hop on the ferris wheel for a bird’s eye view of the crowd. When it comes to art investing, this entails arming yourself with a solid knowledge of art history and the contemporary art world. Buy some art books, attend museum shows, get a sense of which contemporary artists are gaining momentum, and become a regular in your local gallery scene.
Even if you do spot your friend off in the distance, though, she could dart off to a different stage just as quickly. Similarly, you’ll never be able to predict exactly where the art world will go—especially when it comes to younger, up-and-coming artists. You should always invest in art you love, that way if it doesn’t gain value, at least you own a piece of art you can enjoy.
Invest in Black artists: Unfortunately, the work of Black artists is still extremely undervalued in the art world. This is also true for artists of color in general and women artists. Art Review has been dropping a Power 100 list of the most influential contemporary artists since 2000, and it wasn’t until 2017 that the first Black artist finally made the top 10. On a list of top 100 most collectible living artists created by artnet in 2015, Yayoi Kusama was the only woman to make an appearance.
This is an opportunity for you to get in on an undervalued asset with serious potential to skyrocket while also supporting artists who deserve more recognition. Prolific art collector and ex-investment banker Freda Isingoma created KIISA, an investment firm dedicated to modern and contemporary African and diaspora art, for this reason.
