.ART

Most of the talk in the collectors’ world seems to be centered around the processes of selection and purchase, but is there such thing as appropriate post-purchase behaviour?

The concept of “cultural capital” has been present in sociology for a long time, meaning mostly social assets of a person (education, intellect, style of speech, style of dress, etc.) that promote their social mobility. In the modern world, we would need an update on that to include one’s choice of material possessions. The swell of voices on the culture of consumption is rising, and it’s up to each of us to make them part of our personal branding. When it comes to having a private art collection it doesn’t matter whether you are guided by passion or investment choices – it is worth displaying your art online. Here are three main reasons why:

• Sharing opportunities
• Data storage and provenance records
• Creating a legacy

Sharing opportunities

We are all guilty of bragging about our new purchases: books, cars, adventures. We eagerly take out our phones to scroll through dozens of images and add a visual element to our story, usually adding that pictures don’t do it justice. Turning your private collection into an online gallery could really help you immerse anyone you’re having a dialogue with. A beautifully designed website could mimic a museum experience, include 3D visualization, music and much more. It will reflect your view of the collection: central pieces, stories behind it, connections you might have with the authors.

Data storage and provenance records

Whether your collection consists of a few paintings or is spread over several bank vaults across the Atlantic, it’s worth having a safe place for keeping all of its paperwork. The safest place of the 21^stcentury is not physical – it’s the Internet, where you can store any amount of data which could be available for public or private access. You could simply create a website which will serve as the online gallery for your pieces of art. You can choose to publicly display a limited amount of information, while having a log-in section for your personal needs. Next time you want to check purchase details or share information on a piece with a potential buyer or a gallery, you can do so from any device on the go.

There is also Digital Twin, a new .ART product, which stores information about art objects in a way that provides evidence of provenance and increases an art object’s value. Leveraging the easy-to-understand technology of domain names, using an international standard for describing cultural objects developed the J. Paul Getty Trust, and offering the option of a blockchain connection, Digital Twin creates a sophisticated but easy-to-use art object identification tool. Learn more about Digital Twin by .ART.
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Creating a legacy

Once you have established the purpose of your art-collecting activities, you might find yourself asking how to turn it into something more: more lasting, more meaningful, more universal. A lot of collectors, like Francois Pinault or Poju and Anita Zabludowicz, have eventually turned to making their collections accessible to the public. A great test-drive of the process is the launch of an online gallery. It will allow you to connect with the potential audiences, find a display angle and create a network of cultural institutions interested in displaying your collection. Ex-Googler Joel Kremer has already done that with the Kremer Museum, a VR museum that hosts an Old Masters collection of about 75 works collected over the years by Joel’s parents George and Ilone Kremer. Find out why Joel thinks it’s an especially fitting way to address the new generation.

If you aren’t yet convinced, have a look at some of the catchiest .ART domains and simply imagine: your private collection could be displayed under one of those.

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Also published on Medium.