Sculptural Art Investing
For centuries, art investing has focused around famous artists and their paintings. Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollack and the like have dominated the attention of art enthusiasts. However, there are several other categories of art that can make great investments, including three dimensional art. More commonly referred to as sculpture, this medium is often overlooked in art investing, but every bit as valuable as some of the most famous paintings.
There is a certain stigma attached to sculptures with regard to art investing and collecting. Perhaps one reason sculptures lack the enthusiasm paintings command is simply because of their bulkiness. Even the smallest piece can be heavy and difficult to transport. They are a less attractive subject in art investing for this reason. Art is already difficult to sell without it being difficult to move to its new owner.
Most people that think about art investing, either for financial or aesthetic reasons, immediately think of paintings and drawings. The practicality of displaying a sculpture is often a turn-off for potential investors. A sculpture of any size takes up space, and often that is a characteristic that steers collectors away. Sculpture is often associated more with architecture than fine art, and the small market makes valuation and price prediction more difficult. These are all unattractive features if your art investing is primarily profit-driven.
Regardless of the drawbacks of sculptural art, there are many reasons to include it as a part of your art investing portfolio. It may not be reasonable for everyone, but for some investors, three dimensional art is a smart choice. Even for the collectors less interested in art investing and more interested in art only, there are more than a few redeeming qualities that make sculptures a valuable addition.
A painting or drawing is often easily reproduced, making yours less individual and more commonplace. The same is not true for sculptures. From an art investing standpoint, the originality of a sculpture is a good thing. Because it is difficult to recreate, your peace may hold more value as a one-of-a-kind. This is particularly true if it is an artist that is famous for another medium such as painting. A famous painter that dabbled in sculpting may have created a thousand paintings, but only one or two sculptures.
From an art enthusiast's point of view, aside from art investing benefits, there are many advantages to owning sculptures. If you have the space, a well placed sculpture can add character and depth to a room and can complement the existing fine art you have already. It also rounds out a collection, especially if you have other mediums created by the same artist that did the sculpture. If all else fails, you get the sculpture home and hate it, use it as a coat rack until you find a buyer.
Art investing is often about trial and error. A painting you loved at the gallery could look hideous when you get it home. A piece that was supposed to triple in value may suddenly become garage sale inventory. However, the sculpture that you thought twice about could surprise you. Your art investing portfolio should contain a spectrum of mediums, from paintings and sketches to antique sculptures. Whether your purposes are more art and less investing, or more investing and less art, a sculpture can add variety you never knew you needed.
