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In the previous article on the collecting of art, it was outlined that in order to collect art there must be extensive research in regards to the value or potential mass appeal of an artwork, it was stated that a scholarly yet blinkered approach to buying art has to be employed. Aside from that it was outlined that when buying art one cannot mask themselves with the illusion that there is such a thing as the ‘best art’. When the discerning collector makes an analysis of what they find appealing in the artwork, its meaning whether implicit or expressive.
The purchase of a work of art works on physical and physiological grounds as it can serve as many things for instance a status symbol, an object of spiritual connection or most importantly, an investment. The discerning art collector must have conducted research before making an acquisition of artwork and must naturally have the knowledge of the artist’s themes, style and most importantly should find satisfaction in the work of art that they are purchasing.
Regarding satisfaction in artwork is a very diverse topic as taste varies thus no one artist can appeal to the diverse body of buyers and collectors. The reasons for collecting art can be equally superabundant to the discerning collector needless to say the reasons behind acquisitions are infinitely different, one may, however, identify a psychosocial need to be the unifying factor behind the purchase of artwork.
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs stipulates the lower level or physiological needs as the most rudimental drivers of the human experience; shelter, food, sleep, safety and love. One has to skip the basics and move towards the mid-point for Maslow’s hierarchy to identify the later additions on this pyramid, namely the cognitive and aesthetic needs.
The urge of the individual for acculturation offers a new dimension of identity and uniqueness as it denotes a sense of freedom and discretion within the individual. Moreover, the pursuit of collecting art would be tantamount to having a keen interest in knowledge and finding the meaning in one’s surroundings or existence all the same. Engaging artwork provides this to the discerning collector and notably it provides them with a material heritage which can be passed down to a later generation and as stated in the previous instalment, presents an air of relevance or detail to the period in which it was executed so that eventually it becomes a historical resource.
Knowledge serves as a keystone in building identity and naturally once the discerning collector has expanded their collection of artworks, the body of works takes on and reciprocates the identity of the ‘owner’ of these works, for example the Courtauld Collection, the Rogers Collection and so on. Collecting art creates a cultured individual and as such one becomes a guardian of heritage for future generations of the nation by simply investing in art and satisfaction of the cognitive need.
The penultimate need is that of aesthetics and the discerning collector’s objective is based solely on this. Arguing on the existence of excellent art or best art would be an inexhaustible debate, taste enters the fold once again and the notion of beauty arises depending on one’s appreciation of form, balance, texture, hue, shape and line. The exhausted cliché of beauty being in the eye of the beholder is fairly applicable when the acquisition of art is considered in as far as one does not veer off the straight path to becoming cognoscenti for the deplorable world of kitsch.
It is, however, strange that Maslow puts the aesthetic need so near the peak that one questions whether there is no appreciation for beauty when one is unclothed or emaciated, after all the starving artist reaches Maslow’s transcendence without all the basic needs considered, Vincent Van Gogh was one of the adherents of the starving artist state of affairs yet he became the jewel of artistic practice and broke through to initiate modern art.
If the artist can create art beyond her or his needs, could the discerning collector not acquire artwork on their own disposable income too?
The collector can find many artworks on the market that will appeal to their needs, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe recently acquired works from the now closed Matombo Gallery Collection and is offering them to the public. The grand comprisal of this collection features works by the second wave of sculptors, predominantly works from the 1980s and 1990s.
The discerning collector will find works of historical significance such as Damien Manuhwa, Albert Nathan Mamvura, Nesbert Mukomberanwa, Shepherd Madzikatire, Norbert Shamuyarira, Edronce Rukodzi and Richard Mteki.
A collection of sculptures as strong as such could provide the discerning collector with a culturally relevant initiation or addition to their own personal collection. Not limited to individuals alone, the collection of art can be also carried out by organisations such as banks, embassies, government departments, non-governmental organisations and institutions of learning as artwork in their foyers and offices would give their images a uniquely Zimbabwean identity. Art is no longer a reserve of the wealthy and as such according to Maslow’s hierarchy, a leap can be made to satisfy aesthetic needs albeit as an investment.
Online Reporter