The Art Market LUMAS Galleries, Berlin

By Dr. Jan Seewald, Senior Manager, A. Lange & Söhne

The frst work of art I owned was a small print my mother bought me on a fea market in Switzerland for a couple of Swiss francs, years ago, when I was a child.

It was nothing special, made by an unknown artist, and I discovered it in a pile of many others. But when I held it in my hands I knew I wanted it. No: I needed it. It almost spoke to me and I fell in love with the piece at the very moment.

Ever since then, I added other works of art to my collection, which I had laid the foundation for in my early years.

The print I got years ago is still in my possession, reminding me of a beautiful day that I spent with my mother. It is a small piece of art, but it has the power to trigger in me a multitude of emotions.

In my opinion, art should always trigger emotions and in order to enjoy it over a long period or time, it is vital to really ‘fall in love with a piece’.

Photography has become increasingly popular over the last couple of years.

Historically, prices for photographs used to be much lower then for paintings or sculpture for example, but this is changing fast.

There is a rapid increase in value and in prices, especially when it comes to big names, such as Horst P. Horst, Bert Stern, Andreas Gursky, Richard Prince or Cindy Sherman.

But the public interest in photography is growing stronger, which is made apparent in the growing worldwide interest in photo fairs, such as Paris Photo, Unseen Photo Fair Amsterdam,

AIPAD or the newly established Photo London, which was held for the frst time in May this year. I think photography will continue to grow in popularity and we have not seen the peak yet. The fact that photography is now considered to be an art form in the same league as painting and sculpture has only been a fairly recent development in art history. It slowly evolved from documentary photography and journalism to one of the most important mediums in art. Maybe that’s why photography is becoming more accessible to new collectors than other more established art forms.

As a result of this shift in perception, galleries and online platforms such as LUMAS have sprung up around the world to accommodate this growing interest.

By way of example, LUMAS, founded just ten years ago, now offers more than 1,800 works by 200 established artists and promising newcomers, creating a portfolio which delivers a comprehensive look into the contemporary art and design scenes.

For photography lovers, a gallery like LUMAS therefore offers a perfect place to start a collection.

Even though it is tempting to consider art as a fnancial investment, especially in times of a heated international art market, I would not recommend collecting with a purely fnancial motivation when starting out.

While the pieces you fall in love with might be out of reach in your frst years of collecting, there are ways to work around this, so don’t let a limited budget stand in your way.

There are a number of galleries, including LUMAS, who offer a large variety of works, from established masters to young talents, over a range of budgets, from very affordable prices to more expensive pieces.

Having said this, it is worth determining how much one is willing to spend on photography each year, if not each quarter.

Before actually going out and buying something, it is most important to actually fnd out what you like.

To determine this, the following strategy always worked for me: go to museums, browse through galleries, attend art fairs whenever possible and fip through photography books: this way you will fnd out what you can relate to personally and what you are drawn to. Pretend you have an unlimited budget and see what you would buy. Your taste will narrow down and you will know quickly where your areas of interest lie.

Another question you need to consider when buying is the purpose of it and if you want to follow a special direction for your collection.

Are the works to be hung in your offce or in your living room? No matter where you put them, they need to ft the setting you provide.

Many galleries still adhere to a white cube model, making it hard to imagine the works in a domestic setting.

There are ways around this however, and technology is working to make the process easier, with a variety of apps and the use of smartphones to help you visualise the work in your own home.

One of the most interesting recent trends is that more and more people are buying art online and there are now a multitude of outlets to be considered.

That was not the case ten years ago, when a platform like LUMAS was a novelty. This move to purchase art online stems largely from caution; a lot of people visit a gallery and see something they like, but they don’t want to decide straight away and instead choose to make their purchase at a later date in their own home.

However, nothing beats the actual moment when you see a work of art in a gallery and fall in love with it right there and take it home with you on the spot.

And once you found the perfect place to hang it, you cannot imagine living without it.

LUMAS Galleries

Ernst-Reuter-Platz 2 10587 Berlin Tel: +49 30 30 30 69 69 Mon - Fri - von 09-19 Uhr