As with anything new, getting into art collecting can be overwhelming. To help that process along, here are some resources that emerging collectors can use to help them move along their collecting journey. They are organized as follows:
Books
By Charles Moore
This recently published book focuses on the history of African-American art and offers a worthwhile introduction to the business of becoming a collector. You can read a profile of the author here.
By Alan Bamberger
Another solid primer.
By John Berger
A seminal book that demystifies the process of looking at art and understanding what you’re seeing.
By E. H. Gombrich
The highly accessible reference book (now in its 16th edition since its original publication in the 1950s) on the history of art from the prehistoric up to the modern (early 1990s).
Websites/Apps/Communities
Create an account and follow artists that you’re interested in. It also has an app. Good editorial content designed to help educate collectors about collecting and the art biz.
A free app that lists galleries and exhibitions in New York, LA, Paris, London, and Berlin. Unfortunately, for now, it’s iPhone only 🙁
News site focused on Black art, artists, and arts administrators.
News, opinions, and reviews/criticism of exhibitions and the art world with a progressive slant.
The latest news on the events, trends, and people that shape the global art market.
A 10-year-old collective dedicated to driving inclusivity in the art world and developing a broad community of Black and Brown artists, curators, collectors, and other art enthusiasts. They often organize artist talks coinciding with artist exhibitions.
A sales, education, and community platform for Black Art.
Videos on Art Collecting
Contemporary Art and How to Learn About It
Understanding the Unique Types of Collectors
Art Collecting for Beginners
10 Tips on Building an Art Collection on a Budget
Art Fairs
Art fairs are a great way to see a lot of art in a single location. They attract local, national, and international galleries, as well as artists and collectors. Here is a short list of key art fairs to add to your calendars:
2024
Taking up over 180,000 square feet of exhibition space, “LA Art Show is the unparalleled international art experience with over 120 galleries, museums, and non-profit arts organizations from around the world exhibiting painting, sculpture, works on paper, installation, photography, design, video and performance. All works presented by galleries are available for your purchasing pleasure.”
Los Angeles Convention Center – West Hall
“The IFPDA Print Fair is the oldest and largest art fair for prints and editions, showcasing printmakers, galleries, and publishers from across the globe.”
“The Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS) celebrates the African Diaspora by bringing together contemporary artists with the growing class of collectors.”
“…an internationally recognized exhibition platform using underused, atypical, and historic New York City exhibition spaces to activate and challenge the traditional cultural landscape of the art market, typically but not exclusively during Armory Arts Week New York and Frieze Week LA.”
This fair happens twice in NYC, once in the fall (September) and again in the spring (March 21-24, 2024). This fair specifically showcases artworks that range in price from $100-$12,000.
The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art hosts 170 leading international exhibitors at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall.
“The anti-fair for independent artists”.
A highly curated selection of galleries comprises “a consciously scaled art fair focused on inspiring relevant art encounters for a well-informed and devoted Contemporary Art audience.”
The New York edition of “world’s premier fair for fine art, antiques, and design.”
The New York edition of “the first and only international fair dedicated to contemporary African art.”
The following shows comprise "New York Art Week":
“…since its founding in 1994, The Armory Show brings the world’s leading international contemporary and modern art galleries to New York each year.” The fact that it’s at the Javits Center tells you a lot about the size and scale of this show.
Javits Center
“…[T]he contemporary art fair dedicated to photography and new media.”
Javits Center
This fair will showcase “100 galleries featuring top modern and contemporary paper-based art” that highlight the creative potential of paper.
Pier 36, Downtown Manhattan
The following shows take place during Miami Art Week
“As Miami’s original and longest running contemporary art fair and second most attended fair globally, Art Miami is consistently recognized as a leading destination for the acquisition of the most important works from the 20th and 21st centuries in collaboration with the world’s most respected galleries.”
“One of the most famous and prestigious art fairs in the world, the American Art Basel of Miami, gathers galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia in a 4-day show at Miami Beach Convention Center.”
Concurrent with Art Basel Miami. Focuses on art of the African Diaspora.
Independent art fair concurrent with Art Basel Miami.
This “is the sister fair to Art Miami and is dedicated to the development and reinforcement of emerging and mid-career artists.”
Galleries
Note: NYC alone has over 1,400 art galleries. What follows is a highly curated and tiny portion of the galleries you can visit.
Black-owned Galleries
Brooklyn
Richard Beavers Gallery (recently added a SoHo location)
Manhattan
Los Angeles