| Before co-founding an online art auction website, I | | | | the world while giving something back to society |
| spent my career investing in small and micro cap | | | | -- and these companies aren't cutting back on |
| value stocks which basically means the smallest | | | | their art buying despite what's going on in the |
| and least expensive 5% of all public companies - | | | | economy, because they've come to recognize |
| and despite the fact that these were all well-run | | | | how much the visual really drives our culture, and |
| enterprises, most investors didn't pay much | | | | keeps them top of mind. |
| attention to them --- so, when I went to visit | | | | The other side of this new economy other than |
| companies to learn more about their operations, | | | | the art itself centers around the value of it -- art |
| many were pleased that someone was actually | | | | should always be purchased for the joy it brings, |
| interested. | | | | but art is also an asset and if it's bought for |
| Most importantly, by spending the time to get | | | | pleasure and gives the investment returns for |
| information that other investors were ignoring, I | | | | free, what more could anyone ask? |
| was able to find opportunities that others missed. | | | | However, when it comes to art, it's |
| I believe that like small and micro cap value | | | | contemporary art that's in demand because even |
| stocks, Emerging Artists are the greatest | | | | though people admire the Old Masters, what they |
| investment opportunities that no one has ever | | | | want to own are representations of their own |
| heard of. | | | | culture and time. Contemporary art is more |
| Many people make the mistake of looking at art | | | | topical and often more interesting and now, it's |
| as something that's nice to have, but that simply | | | | becoming more valuable. |
| doesn't meet the qualifications of a necessity. | | | | Art isn't usually an asset that springs to mind |
| How wrong they are. | | | | when thinking of investment alternatives, but its |
| Art happens to be the biggest unregulated, legal | | | | long-term performance record argues that it |
| economy in the world to the tune of $64B | | | | should be. |
| worldwide, in fact, it grew 95% between 2002 | | | | For the last 50 years, contemporary art has |
| and 2006 and, the truth is, as Robert Redford has | | | | outperformed the S&P 500, which means |
| said, "culture is a solid investment" | | | | that someone who bought a portfolio of art |
| Make no mistake, art isn't fluff. We live in an | | | | would have done better than someone who |
| abundant country, and have pretty much taken | | | | invested in the stock market over the same time |
| care of all of our basic needs, and our culture | | | | period. The same holds true during every major |
| places increasing value on creativity and innovation: | | | | war of the twentieth century and through the |
| the ideas that catch on today are those that | | | | twenty seven recessionary periods since 1875. |
| represent conceptual leaps - they give us things | | | | From an investment standpoint, and most |
| that we didn't know we were missing, not things | | | | important for Emerging Artists, is the fact that |
| we necessarily needed, but ideas that appeal to | | | | there is no greater advantage to buying more |
| our creative natures. | | | | expensive works of art, buyers get the same |
| Artists begin with an innate advantage in this new | | | | returns buying artwork that's never been |
| economy by their very ability to see and to think | | | | exhibited or received any citations, as they would |
| differently. And Art is becoming more and more | | | | buying the work of artists with more notoriety. |
| intertwined with our daily lives: we can see it in | | | | There's truly never been a better time to be an |
| the examples of corporations buying | | | | emerging artist. With their power to inspire, and |
| Contemporary art in order to attract and inspire | | | | yes, to prosper, the record is quite clear: the |
| their employees, and to highlight their brands to | | | | VALUE is in work of the emerging artist. |