At home with art

Should we buy art for our homes because we enjoy the piece, or because we think it will be a sound investment? And if we do want an investment, can we really identify good art that will increase its value over the years?

Paul Baragwanath says that questions about the value of art both financial and emotional are the most common ones he's asked in his role as an art advisor. His advice is to spend time researching artists and their work, and choose art that you will grow to love, rather than just like.

"For a good investment, choose work by artists who have already been exhibited in major galleries. Generally, it's safer to choose work by a more established artist, who has been practising for some years or decades. In terms of emerging talent, often the art school the artist attended is significant."

Pieces from the 60s and 70s, such pop art, are still strong, says Baragwanath, while nineteenth and twentieth century landscapes are less so. A growing area is limited edition video art, with moving images and sound viewed on widescreen TVs.

"The popularity of modern pieces is partly influenced by contemporary architecture, which creates large wall spaces that would be more challenging to place traditional paintings on," he says. "But I'm confident that the best examples of traditional landscapes will come into their own once more."

As a rule, he says, it's better to place major pieces of art, such as the large Elizabeth Thomson work shown on the right, in your main living area.

"Bare white walls provide the most versatile background and both cool and warm whites are fine, although other wall colours needn't be ruled out. And if you're placing more than one painting on a wall, it's best to choose uneven numbers, such as three or five," he says.

"Adding more than one painting to the wall can add an interesting gallery effect, but each painting needs to work harmoniously with the next, and as part of a group. That way, the entire space effectively becomes one big work."

Story by: Trendsideas