How to Sell Assemblage Art
Assemblage artists use found objects, bits and pieces of everyday items and objects never intended for use as an art material, to create dimensional artworks. Selling assemblage art online is a challenge due to the dimensional shape and depth of the work and the inability to easily convey what the item actually looks like and the feeling it evokes in a viewer. However, there are ways to capture the attention of buyers including video, detailed information and measurements, knowledge of assemblage art and its history and data on recent sales.
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Instructions
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Assemblage Artists
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Work in materials that can withstand changes in weather and temperature. Paper, cardboard, twine and other delicate materials may not hold up over the decades a buyer expects to have an assemblage piece. Metal and plastics may handle location changes better and last longer when moved from dry to humid climates. Encasing assemblage art in protective boxes or providing a stand with a Plexiglass cover are options.
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Develop your art career. Apply for local, regional and national shows, become known as an artist and continue to learn skills that feed your knowledge as an artist and the making of your assemblage pieces. Buyers like to purchase from career artists because the value of the work increases as the artist's skills and sales increase.
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Obtain gallery representation. Assemblage art may be delicate and difficult to install and preserve over long periods of time due to the nature of some of the materials you choose. Buyers may be more comfortable purchasing through an established gallery that can assist them in handling, installing and managing the work over time.
Selling Assemblage Art
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Assess the art. Write a description, taking photographs and measuring its widest points. This exercise will familiarize you with the art and provide valuable information the buyer needs especially when selling assemblage art online. Assemblage art that is viewed in the round will need photographs from all sides and measurements from the tallest height and the widest width in all directions. Include measurements with and without the base if one is included in the cost of the piece.
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Make a video of the work and post it at your gallery website or other online venue with measurements and a written description of the work. Use detailed photographs where video is not a possibility. A video showing the work up close, from a distance and from its many angles, gives the potential buyer more information before buying the piece. This is especially important when selling the work online but can be equally important when someone has viewed the work in a gallery and needs to see the work again before making a decision. Adding commentary from the artist is something many interested buyers may enjoy.
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Educate yourself about how the piece fits into the artistic landscape. Know what others are charging for similar pieces and how galleries and artists are selling the pieces by reviewing advertising, visiting art and gallery websites and visiting galleries, exhibitions and art sales locally, regionally and nationally.
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Learn about assemblage art and its history. Informed sellers help create informed buyers. A course in art history, contemporary art or about specific, historical assemblage artists are helpful. Check with your local contemporary art museum, art school or continuing education facility for classes being offered. Check local libraries and bookstores for books on contemporary art and assemblage artists.
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References
- "Marketing and Buying Fine Art Online"; Marques Vickers; 2005
- "The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art"; Donald N. Thompson; 2008
