Collecting Art: A Handbook

I often wonder what motivates an individual to start collecting art. But perhaps more intriguing is, what sustains the collector’s interest in this endeavour? It is fascinating that some people do not stop after purchasing maybe ten or twenty works but continue accumulating until they have several hundred artworks. I wish I could conduct in-depth research into this aspect of human behaviour. Today, a “Handbook on Collecting Art” can be seen as a modern day “Do it yourself” manual. Personally, I have never been guided by such a book; neither did I come across any handbook on collecting art. So when I was asked to write this Foreword, I was excited although a little uncertain, as I put my thoughts together.

“I love this work,” “This is a remarkable piece,” “Lovely,” “Oh that painting speaks to me”- these are some of the common expressions one often hears from collectors as they go through exhibition halls or at various artists’ studios. These comments are from the heart, triggered by the eyes, processed in the context of our brain and tamed by the depth of our pockets. These are feelings which cannot be expressed in a “Handbook on Collecting Art.” What then are the psychological factors which affect the decision making process of an Art Collector? How do you analyse or measure the consistency or the intensity which drive one to actually purchase and continuously acquire art? How does one understand or evaluate the buying pattern of a collector?

Many studies have shown how much our childhood activities, hobbies and upbringing, impact our adult lives. Could this be applicable to our behaviour as art collectors? For example, many people began collecting various items as children – stamps, marbles, dolls, cards featuring footballers, and country flags. I vividly recall the keen competition between my childhood friends on the type and colour of marbles in our collections. The same applied to friends who collected stamps, dolls and cards. It did not matter the socio economic background of the children. Those who could not afford stamps or marbles collected “ikoto” (tops made from metal strips) which they played with in the sand. Could those childhood behaviours have created the foundation for collecting later in life? Could there be a correlation between these two phases of life? Could our early childhood competitiveness for the best marbles, stamps, dolls or card collections, have shaped our perception about art or other collectibles? Did out childhood visits to museums and galleries with our parents or on school excursion, have an impact in developing our appreciation of collectibles?

Until a formal study is done, your guesses are as good as mine!

1970’s AND 80’S

I would like to make a few observations about this era which probably may not apply to more recent or younger collectors, but may resonate with older ones. In trying to understand how it all began for me personally, I think there are four main milestones:

• The Lagos art scene of 30 to 40 years ago was a very fascinating one. It was mostly characterised by the same group of people who you bumped into, several times a week at shows or exhibitions. These shows and exhibitions were mainly staged then, at the Italian French, or Russian cultural centres, and at the British Council, and Goethe Institute, then. In those days there were “saloons,” where an art lover would host a small exhibition for an artist in their house or garden. Corporate bodies, in line with their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, hosted exhibitions curated by art enthusiast. Saloons have now completely disappeared from the scene, replaced by art galleries. Over the years, the numbers of people who plough the art scene have multiplied in number and in complexity. As a result, there is now an increased desire to acquire, and the Lagos Art scene is now a major social event.

I believe that most of today’s major collectors were part of this scene of the 70’s and 80’s and many started collecting at that time.

• Secondly, I do believe that there is a “raison d’etre” for collecting. Somewhere in the psyche of the collector, is that individual eye for art – a sombre and genuine appreciation of the creative mind of the artist. Both of these elements are situated within the context of one’s environment. Personally, there has been no method to my collecting or any investment angle. If I liked the artworks, I bought as many as I could afford.
• I started off by buying watercolours – they were vibrant, bright, colourful, and the texture was light. Landscapes also spoke to me – nature, cities, rural areas, roof tops, monuments. At a later stage, I started looking at oils, etchings and multimedia. Subsequently, I eased into sculptures. In reality, there was no well thought plan on how I bought art.

In those days, we would often ask ourselves. “Do you have an Olaku; a Barber, or Ovrati or Akande, or Dale or an Oshinowo, or a Bruce, or an Ewonwu?” These were some of the artists that were talked about among my circle of art friends. These kinds of questions also shaped one’s acquisition pattern.

• Finally, another factor which shaped one’s early collection was the influence of art from Anglophone West African especially from Ghana, on the Lagos art scene; the likes of Glover, Delaquis, Kotei, Bartimeus and Butler.

POST 2000

A lot has changed in the art scene and the collecting of art, since the turn of the century. The advent of local and international auctions conducted by various auction houses including Arthouse, Bonhams and more recently, Sotheby’s, has had a major impact on the art sector in Nigeria. The following significant changes have been resulted:

• Internalization of African Art. Especially Nigerian art. Nigerian art has now been taken to the world by more Nigerian artists who live and work in the diaspora. Also, Nigerian Art is being showcased at many international art fairs. Shows, biennales and exhibitions at international museums. These factors have given rise to an independent system of assessing the quality and value of African artworks. A new value proposition is now being attached to the collection of art from Africa. Collectors, who hitherto, have made acquisition decisions purely on aesthetic value can now ascribe monetary value to each of their work.
• This monetization of African art, though still at its infancy, has brought with it a vibrant interest in Nigerian art, with scores of new collectors, Art Funds and happy artist- both old and young.       Driven by enormous monetary value of their collections, a very active art market has evolved with big ticket transactions taking place.

Today, collectors are now trying to maximize the value of their collections, by buying contemporary works, thereby, hedging their bets for the future. They are focusing on works that command big ticket value at auctions. They are, in essence, refreshing their collections in order to strike a balance and enhance the overall value of their collections.

It is only a question of time- sooner rather than later before the Nigerian art scene becomes a multi-million-dollar market like the European, Indian, and Chinese art markets.

• In the past, the issue of provenance was moot. Art was purchased mainly at exhibitions or directly from artists. Although there were a few art dealers, the works they sold also has solid provenance. Collectors exchanged or sold works angst themselves and provenance was never an issue. Today, this is now an important issue. The lack of documentation or reference database has highlighted the “soft underbelly” of our art market. The increase in the monetary value of our art market. The increase in the monetary value of our art has now made the source and origin of the work an imperative. This has given rise to a noticeable increase in fakes and forgeries. Sadly, the “N” facto has appeared on the art scene in Nigeria. But it is reassuring that collectors are now documenting the works in their collections. For instance, the Foundation for Contemporary and Modern Visual Art (FCMVA) has established a database for contemporary Nigerian artworks. In future, these initiative will probably ensure a solid reference database for provenance and the documentation of artworks.

(iv)These changing times have thrown up a new breed of collectors:

• The upwardly mobile professionals “investing” in art.
• The ‘keeping up with the Jones’ type’ who see art as a way of validating their position and success in life and attending auctions because they want, and have to be seen.
• “The new money” type, as changing political and economic scene in Nigeria has thrown up different individuals, who spend their windfall profits on art collecting.

To conclude, it is an absolute privilege for me to write this foreword and to be a part of this new endeavor of a friend and fellow collector, Jess and his co-author, Fabian. I believe that this book will further stimulate discussion within the art scene in Nigeria and abroad.

Olayinka Fisher