Wise to Art

Becoming overwhelmed, aren’t we? Internet has brought us ease of access, tremendous interaction and instantaneous updating with the art world. Discovery and study are facilitated by impressive online facilities; thanks to efficient commercial services all necessary market references are immediately at hand and, finally, the overall offer has become outright staggering.

This is no small advance seen that the present financial crisis teaches us that no investment is safe and that investing in art at least benefits from a non-pecuniary gratifying dimension quite absent in stock.

A market is essentially about exchange. This suits the art collector because exchange is essential to his occupation. Work is acquired and work is passed on all along his learning path. The collector’s choice oscillates between affective and financial value and the collector’s character and purse will decide on the itinerary to be followed.

A recession has two mutually annulling effects on the market. 1. The offer becomes abundant because no one wants to buy. 2. The offer becomes scarce because no one wants to sell. Booming economic times have just the opposite effects. The result is, believe it or not, a pretty constant equilibrium in offer and demand, only pricing changes according to conjuncture!

It’s on the brink of recession that money is made. When notwithstanding an abundant offer everyone still wants to buy. Hirst timed it all so well, what can you do except admiring a natural business genius?

A recession is buying-time. And buying is by far the most pleasurable activity!

Lindström 1925-2008, ‘Groteskt ansikte’ Bukowskis, Stockholm 15-16 Dec 2009, starting USD 2,500