Choosing an art piece is very much like falling in love. While artistic works can be subjective, they add plenty of character to a home. We sounded out a professional art editor, Deepika Shetty, for some tips for choosing and buying art for home for a beginner. In my decade of writing about visual arts, I have had friends, and even strangers, ask me these questions: "What do you recommend? What should I buy? There are so many paintings I don't even know where to look.
I hear them when they say it is confusing. Singapore's visual arts scene has undergone a transformation in the past decade, and more people are not just looking at art but buying it as well. Along with the proliferation of art fairs, another good indicator of the change is the attendance at art openings.
When I started on the beat, most galleries rarely ran out of bites and wine. These days, if you show up after 8pm, you are better off bringing your own glass of wine. All of this is great. It means more people are showing up for art - generally before 8pm. It is not just art openings that are packed. Artist and curator talks are huge draws too. A series of three pop art works hung on a wall of exposed white bricks in a home in Singapore. Interior design by Architology. Singapore's strategic location allows people to travel with ease and gives them access to museums, galleries, art fairs, artists and even world class art storage.
If you are thinking of journeying into the colourful world of art, you could not have asked for a better location to get started. But where exactly do you start? Before you buy, go to as many museums, galleries, art shows and art fairs to do research and familiarise yourself with different styles of art.
Remember, it is not the size of the painting or sculpture but its year, medium and subject that matter. Back to top. Do not be afraid to ask questions. It does not matter if you think your questions do not sound smart enough or intelligent enough.
