Sitting in the Punta Cana airport a few weeks ago, it struck me just how many passengers were actually traveling with carefully wrapped art pieces that they may have bought in local souvenir shops, somewhere along the streets of the Dominican Republic, or in the galleries at their hotels. Needless to say, there is no denying that many bought these pieces as souvenirs of their trip to the DR, but there certainly could have been one or two in the departure lounge who may have seen more in their purchases than just a memory of their vacation. With that I asked Wayne Gallimore of Jamagination, dealers and publishers of fine Jamaican and Caribbean art, to share some tips on how one can go about buying Caribbean art.
Wayne first noted that Caribbean artwork is usually purchased for the purpose of investment, decoration, gifts, souvenirs or some combination thereof. It is therefore important to be clear about your reason(s) for buying and your budget.
1) If investment is a motive, then seek to gain understanding of the relevant art market or get advice from credible sources, e.g. seasoned collectors, curators and/or dealers.
2) Art is ‘food for the soul’ but taste is very subjective. So since the pleasure derived from viewing artwork is arguably its greatest benefit, then a good rule of thumb, when buying art for yourself, is to buy what you like. In other words, if you connect with a piece in a meaningful way, whether emotionally, intellectually or spiritually, and you can afford it, then buy it. Your appreciation is a “return” that you will enjoy over the long term … or at least until your taste changes. An exception to this rule can be made if buying art solely for investment and faced with a good opportunity.
3) Buying for others can be risky depending on how well you know the intended recipient’s taste.
We will have more from Wayne on Caribbean art in July’s e-newsletter.
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