Proof of Purity, 2025
Tianhao 田浩
KB Fine Art
About Joy , 2025
Huang Zhe 黄喆
AAIE Center for Contemporary Art
Do you want to buy an artwork, but you’re unsure about where to begin? You may have a living space in mind or a vague idea of the type of work you want. Perhaps you’ve fallen in love with a piece at a friend’s house or just saw an inspiring exhibition.
This is a place where many first-time art buyers find themselves—excited at the prospect of owning an artwork, but unsure of how to pick the best piece for their needs
The most common advice you’ll hear is to “buy what you love.” While this sounds simple, it can also feel overwhelming, especially given the vastness of the art world, with galleries, art fairs, and online platforms offering a dizzying array of works. How do you know where to start? What if you make an expensive mistake? What does it really mean to “love” a piece: to truly admire an aesthetic or resonate with an artist’s story?
Here, we break down some of the key factors you need to know to feel confident when you make your first art purchase.
How to cultivate your taste
El Fumador 3, 2025
Joaquín Reyes
Isabel Croxatto Galería
A good first art purchase starts with understanding what art speaks to you. It might sound simple, but the sheer variety of what’s out there can make it overwhelming at first. One advisable place to start is by visiting and viewing works at galleries.
“I would always recommend first-time buyers [visit galleries],” said New York–based collector Vikram Ravikumar. By immersing yourself in these environments, you’ll be able to “calibrate [your] eye to what is really good,” he said, making it easier to identify what resonates with you.
Other places to view art include museums or online databases, like Artsy, which feature thousands of artworks for browsing. The more art you see, the more you’ll understand your taste, and you’ll begin to draw personal connections to artworks that resonate. Alia Al-Senussi, a London-based collector and a senior strategist for Art Basel, describes herself as a “collector of experiences,” where each purchase marks a significant moment in her life.
The first work she purchased, an anonymous woodcut print, symbolized her first visit to an art fair, ARCO Madrid. Her second acquisition, a work by Walid Raad at Art Basel, is what she calls her first true art purchase due to its personal connection.
“I consider that the first piece of my collection in the sense that it was about making a considered acquisition of an artist I know, an artist from the Arab world, about being at Art Basel, which I had visited when I was 18 years old not really fully comprehending what it was, and then returned some years later and then with whom now I work, I could never have imagined what the future would hold but that work truly is emblematic of my story,” she said.
But there is no one way to build taste or discover art. With so many galleries, museums, nonprofits, and online platforms, it’s easier than ever to find and engage with art that you love. For more about cultivating taste, read our expert guide here.
Understand which medium and size suits you
Once you’ve narrowed down what you’re into, it’s time to consider what medium and size best fit your needs. Should you choose a painting, print, photograph, or even a sculpture? While these are far from the only mediums available, they are the most popular places to start.
Painting is versatile and ranges from small to large, dramatic pieces. Prints, which are typically sold in limited editions, can provide a more affordable option. Photography is an evocative medium, but be mindful of the edition size and the artist’s reputation. Sculpture offers a three-dimensional presence that can transform a space, but it requires careful consideration of your environment and how you want to display it.
For first-time buyers, prints can be an accessible and affordable option. As Frazer Bailey, founder of the Norwich, England-based gallery Moosey, noted, “a print is a good icebreaker for sure.” These media are easier to incorporate into your home and allow you to start your collection without overwhelming yourself.
If you’re unsure about where to start, reach out directly to the gallery that you’re considering purchasing from. Bailey recalled a collector who initially emailed the gallery to inquire about two prints. “It opened his eyes to how easy it is to buy art,” Bailey said.
What to expect in terms of price
TAAF 40/30 I, TAAF 40/30 II, 2025
Alfredo Gallegos Mena
Saenger Galería
When buying art, it’s essential to set a budget that works for you and to be mindful of hidden costs.
Pricing can be one of the most confusing parts of the art world, because no single factor determines the price of a given artwork. Instead, dealers and auction houses list prices based on characteristics, such as artist recognition, provenance, condition, and medium.
It is important to research prices before purchasing to ensure that you’re paying a fair price for the artwork in question. Varuna Kollanethu, founder of London gallery Ruup & Form, told Artsy, “If a price still feels uncertain, look outward—observe recent sales at fairs, auctions, or trusted secondary platforms.”
To establish a ballpark of what price to expect, research previous sales histories for the artist and similar artworks whenever possible. It’s also worth speaking to the seller in question to understand the methodology behind the price.
Walk in wisdom, 2025
Park Sebin
Gallery Playlist
Midsummer Night, 2025
Tianhao 田浩
KB Fine Art
“Many important works of art in history were purchased well above their market value,” said London-based art advisor Daniel Malarkey. “Equally, you should not overpay for a work that is hyped up without a story and visual strength that would suggest long-term value.”
In fact, Malarkey points out that some of the artists you may be interested in might be more budget-friendly than you think. “Never assume you cannot afford your dream artist,” he said, noting that he often starts discussions with clients from the point of their “OG artist”—the artist that got them interested in buying art
“We start there as a first point of inquiry to understand why they love this artist, and this conversation leads to other artists and ideas in a very natural way,” he said. “Things go from little knowledge to an addictive intellectual discussion and lifetime journey.”
Kollanethu also urged collectors to ask questions about logistics, which can add additional costs on top of the artwork’s price. These factors include everything from shipping, to artwork care, to maintenance.
“Clarify delivery and handling fees, and check whether installation is included or charged separately,” she said. “Ask the gallery about long-term care—how the work should be displayed, cleaned, or conserved over time. Request condition reports, authenticity certificates, and any other supporting documentation. These small steps build confidence and ensure your first and following acquisitions are both meaningful and well considered.”
To learn more about how artworks are priced, read Artsy’s guide here. To understand what goes into artwork shipping, click here.
Knowing where to buy from
Now that you know what speaks to you, the next step is choosing where to buy it. There are four main avenues to consider: auctions, art fairs, online marketplaces, and commercial galleries. Here’s what you need to know:
- Auctions are public sales where artworks are sold to the highest bidder. They often feature rare or high-value pieces, which can be exciting but competitive and difficult to navigate for newcomers.
- Art fairs are time-limited events that host numerous galleries in one place. They serve as a marketplace for artists to gain exposure and collectors to discover new talent.
- Online marketplaces are digital platforms, like Artsy, that connect galleries and artists with collectors from all over the world.
- Commercial galleries sell artworks directly from artists or their estates, offering a curated selection and expert guidance, making them an accessible option for new buyers.
While these are the main purchasing channels—and the most advisable—they are not the only ones. Other places to buy art can include private dealers, project spaces, artist-run galleries, and directly from artists.
Be mindful of trends
ikpalolo (Silence), 2025
Yusuf Akinkunmi Lawal
TAAG Gallery
When exploring the art world, it can be easy to get swept up in trends of what is popular in the art market and the art world at large. Al-Senussi advises new art buyers not to lose themselves in the noise.
“Don’t just jump in because you feel the hype, whether or not it’s because you think somebody is a tastemaker, or whether or not you think it’s because it’s an investment, or it’s popular,” she said. “I do believe that one should trust the advice of others and one should seek it out…but don’t blindly follow others just because it’s a fad.”
Gigi Surel, founder of London’s Teaspoon Projects, a curatorial project hosting pop-up exhibitions, advises that before purchasing an artwork, you should ensure the seller can answer all your questions: “Sometimes [dealers] really don’t know the answers, and that shows they don’t care much,” she said. “If they don’t care, they won’t help the artist’s career grow enough.”
Know that confidence will come
The more you learn about art, the more confident you will become when purchasing it. This is best done by educating yourself before buying, whether through friends, gallerists, artists, or independent research.
Ravikumar first purchased a few works from a bed-and-breakfast in Condesa, Mexico City, where local artists had painted many pieces. Despite these purchases, it took a while before he felt confident. “I went to a lot of openings,” he recalled. “I started to look at a lot of pieces. I made friends with people who have great taste and access to good works, and then I got a recommendation and picked a piece that I really was a little uncomfortable with, but liked.” This artwork was a mishapen bound canvas by Graham Collins, which Ravikumar considers his first collector piece.
The Big Dance (Hand-Embellished, Edition 4 of 10), 2025
Maggie Ellis
ART FOR CHANGE
One of Surel’s most practical tips for new collectors is to pause before purchasing, even if you love the piece. A self-described “impulsive” person, Surel now gives herself a “cooldown period,” taking time to ask questions, understand the context, and ensure the work fits into her collection. She emphasizes the importance of making this careful decision. “My artworks, the ones that I own, I treat them like my tattoos,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to ‘buy something that you love,’ which is a huge cliche. But if it holds a personal element to it, you will never want to get it removed.”
Purchasing your first artwork should be an exciting and enriching experience. Take your time, seek trusted advice, and, despite the cliché, buy what you love.
from Artsy News https://ift.tt/WNwDaHn
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