Blog entry | 17 nov | 2020

Complexities of collecting art + things to look for when investing on an original piece.

Oh sure, it is common knowledge that the value of art exponentially increases when an artist has passed on, but there is an argument to be made for those who are still very much alive too. One example is our ubiquitous British street artist, Banksy [who really needs no intro if you love art of any kind]. Anyone who has watched “Exit Through the Gift Shop”, can see how his passion for expressing himself, quickly transformed into an insanely lucrative business for those who happen to “discover” his art. The fascinating thing about Banksy is that his choice for anonymity [which I totally respect], led him to lose a legal battle against a greeting card company 3 months ago over a trademark dispute [source: theguardian]. And yet, his most recent piece “Show me the Monet” recently sold at auction for US$9.8 million just last month [source: CNNStyle].

Beyond trademark infringement, how can artists help collectors get their ROI over the course of time? Doing what most artists do – create one of a kind pieces, naturally. But what if an artist chooses the route I’ve chosen for my current body of work? Well, I took this into heavy consideration, and the answer was relatively simple – I made the conscious decision to create limited edition prints, rather than open edition prints. Does it work? In theory, sure. Will there be risk for counterfeits? Absolutely. This being said, I have addressed this concern by providing a stamp of authenticity on the back of every print I create, including vital information about that particular print, along with my personal signature. This strategy not only guarantees a collector is getting a legitimate piece by the artist who creates the art, but it can also act as a type of record for both artist and collector, alike. There are great resources out there that can provide some great tips, and I found this article to be provide a great starting point.

Even though many artists provide a separate COA [certificate of authenticity], I chose to opt out of including one for the following reasons:

1 | Less paper use from a sustainability perspective.
2 | Practicality in terms of not needing yet another piece of paper when my personal signature is on the back of every print.
3 | Last but not least, I also include a red stamp in the front of every print [hand carved by yours truly].

Recognizing that running my own art business is still a fairly new process, there are no guarantees this will solve the risk of trademark infringement, which is totally OK. As long as I do my due diligence, I imagine I should be good for the time being. And if I encounter any hiccups along the way, well, I’ll do my best to adapt.

And don’t forget to follow me @mundodaromi

xoxoxo

PS | BTW, going on “scavenger”-like hunt in search of Invader’s work throughout the globe has been, by far, one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Quite amazing what serendipity fosters, sometimes.

Blog entry | 17 nov | 2020