Herewith, some dos and don’ts for buying art for Christmas gifts.
If a de Kooning or a Duchamp is out of your league (not for long, perhaps, given the plummeting prices of art), at least something mid-range might suit for a Christmas gift. Herewith, some dos and don’ts for buying art for Christmas gifts:
Do consult trade newspapers and magazines (the Art Newspaper, Frieze) to see who is in esteem at the moment.
Don’t buy because someone is the latest young thing – fashion will always be succeeded.
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Do ask about (or at least ascertain) the recipient’s taste: there is no point buying them a video installation when they long for watercolours.
Do spend time with the artist if you’re very taken by their work: by talking to them you will understand their art much better.
Don’t buy it as soon as you’ve seen it: as them to keep it on reserve so you can go away and think about it.
Finally, and most importantly, do buy something because you will be able to spend time with it, not because you see pound signs.
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