‘I’ve always collected,’ says Ed Cooper, an Abu Dhabi-based Brit who caught the collecting bug when he was a nipper. ‘My father went to the Royal Academy of Art [in London, England], so we always had paintings in the house. I buy a lot, so my main issue is wall space. I end up giving a lot of it to family members back home.’
Clearly there are people who live at the mercy of this passion but, aside from having a dad with connections, how does an everyday Philistine go about getting a collection started? Local gallery owner Salwa Zeidan says it can spring up on you unawares. ‘It usually starts when you get hooked on one painting and you feel connected to it and you don’t want to let it go,’ she says. ‘Or perhaps you have a passion for collecting [things]. Everyone has to start somewhere.’
‘It’s usually just something that catches your eye,’ Ed confirms. ‘Personally, I go for stuff that somehow depicts the local culture – Bedouin or desert scenes. But I’m buying for my own personal pleasure, not as an investment, and that’s an important distinction.’
Money has undoubtedly been the reason behind many great art collections, but does the local scene have a talent pool worth investing in? Ousamma Ghannoum, a passionate local collector, thinks it does. ‘At a GCC level, it’s very good,’ he tells us, ‘and it’s getting to be much better in the UAE now. Some of the artists are really contemporary, though many of them use the old doors and windows – the heritage things – the wind tunnels. It varies.’ Jalal Luqman, Abdul Alrayyes, Moza Al Suwaidi and Fatima Al Mazrouie are just a few Emirati artists getting their names known internationally.
As total art novices, we ask how you might go about selecting a piece that has investment potential. ‘Visit auctions and read up on what is happening in the art field,’ says Salwa. ‘[The literature] is everywhere. See what you can find out about the artist and who is buying their work. See if the museums are buying them or if the galleries are interested in them.’
‘If I’m starting to price an artist from scratch,’ she continues, ‘I’ll look at how the work is, technically, and whether it’s really a good start for an artist. Compare it with other artists – their age and their school, for instance. You have to see the history they have. It’s a good deal if you’re paying less than the price in the gallery.’
Ousamma points out that work by local artists can be bought for as little as Dhs1,000, though once they achieve a reputation, their work can reach a ceiling of somewhere around Dhs70,000. ‘Personally, I’m not spending large amounts,’ adds Ed. ‘I’m only paying Dhs3,000-4,000 a piece.’
Surely, though, you’re up against the experts when you approach a gallery for the first time. Aren’t there less daunting outlets to help birth your fledgling collection? ‘The Cultural Foundation helps,’ Ousamma sympathises. ‘They install a lot of exhibitions, and they have a list of local artists so you can contact them directly.’ Ed also recommends art fairs, such as the forthcoming Art Abu Dhabi extravaganza, or car boot sales – if you can find one. Ultimately, there are possibilities to be found everywhere. ‘Sometimes you’ll even find restaurants selling stuff off their walls,’ he tells us.
Once you’ve got your prize home, positioning can become an obsession. Ed, who has already mentioned his spacial frustrations, suggests that the placing of the piece, ‘whether you hang it in front of the ironing board, or wherever,’ will have resonance in your everyday life.
‘We live in a disposable society,’ he concludes, ‘where books and TV are easily finished with and discarded. In terms of having something that you can keep and return to, there’s nothing quite like a painting.’
Even if you don’t get art, you’ll like this…
Collecting Today In accordance with the New York University Abu Dhabi, there will be a special panel on collecting art in the modern world at Art Abu Dhabi. The panel will feature Gagosian Gallery CEO Larry Gargosian and Dr Roger Mandle, executive director of Qater Museums Authority. The idea is that they will give their views on the current state of collecting as well as providing tips for the discerning collector so that you know what to look for in the future.
November 20, Emirates Palace, 3pm-5pm.
