Emerging Artists: A Popular Entry-Level Market for Buyers

As the contemporary art market continues to grow, more and more collectors are interested in buying work from emerging artists, whether for enjoyment or investment purposes.

As an art collector, it can be difficult to know how to assess the works of emerging artists. With so much new and exciting work being produced, it can be tempting to simply buy what you like without doing any further research. However, taking the time to properly assess a work before making a purchase can save you a lot of money in the long run.

What are the factors that a buyer needs to take into consideration before spending money on an artwork? And can the trajectory of an artist be predicted from the moment they graduate to their entry onto the primary market and transfer to the secondary market? What is the difference between buying art by emerging artists at a gallery and at auction? Here are a few easy tips to help you when assessing works by emerging artists:

First, take a close look at the quality of the work. Is it well-crafted, or does it appear rushed or sloppy? Second, consider the artist's subject matter and approach. Is the work original and intriguing, or is it derivative and uninspired? Third, think about the market for the artist's work. Is there likely to be strong demand from other collectors, or is the artist's work niche and unlikely to appreciate in value? By taking all of these factors into consideration, you'll be able to make more informed decisions about which emerging artists' works are worth investing in.

Panel Discussion: Jacqueline Towers-Perkins, Annelien Bruins and Stephanie Manasseh

This panel is made up of Jacqueline Towers-Perkins, a Post War and Contemporary Art Specialist at Bonhams Auctioneers, Annelien Bruins, an independent Chief Marketing Officer, and Stephanie Manasseh, founder of the Accessible Art Fair. Together, they aim to provide collectors with hands-on guidance on how to assess works by emerging artists - before they buy.

This session took place live at The Accessible Art Fair at the iconic New York City landmark, the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park.

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Speakers

Jacqueline Towers-Perkins

Jacqueline is a Post War and Contemporary Art Specialist at Bonhams Auctioneers in New York. She was previously a Specialist at Artnet and Paddle8 and held the position of Auctioneer and the Head of the Paintings department at a London auction house. She received her Master’s degree in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. She is also on the board of trustees for a London-based...

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Annelien Bruins

Annelien Bruins serves as an independent Chief Marketing Officer to companies in the art, luxury and wealth management industries. She is a board member of the Foundation of the American Institute of Conservation.
Prior to her current focus on marketing strategy, she founded and ran her own art advisory firm in London, founded Katapult Coaching for Artists, an online business that...

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Stephanie Manasseh

Stephanie Manasseh was born and raised in Montreal and graduated from McGill University. In 1997 she moved to Europe and lived in Prague and Milan before moving to Brussels. She spent two years running conferences in Milan and has since studied with Sotheby’s in London.
She launched the first Accessible Art Fair in 2007 in Belgium. Her mission has always been to bring together talented...

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