We have put together a list of artists who could have the potential to experience growth this year. They are names you are likely to have heard of but, the last 12 months have changed the landscape with regards to pricing and opened the door to opportunity.
ANDY WARHOL
Both original works and editions by the American visual artist will always be a reliable investment, year on year his prices continue to rise and there are a couple of fundamental reasons for this. Firstly, he passed away in 1987 which means that was when he stopped signing works, even the last few productions from The Factory (Andy Warhol’s studio) which were unsigned continue to sell well.
Secondly, Warhol is one of the most influential and popular artists of the twentieth century. His pool of collectors gets bigger every year and with more and more of his works being purchased by collectors all over the world, basic economics dictate that the prices will continue to rise as demand significantly outstrips supply.
BRIDGET RILEY
Riley has been painting beautiful works for decades now and features in the collections of the world's most affluent and educated. She has had shows with some of the biggest blue-chip galleries in the world and can be seen in the most prestigious of museums. For most, her original work is way off budget but her screen prints can still be found for less than the price of an entry-level edition by Damien Hirst, who she is often compared to. I anticipate that the right purchase in the current market could do incredibly well for any investor.
DAVID SHRIGLEY
Although Shrigley’s production rate over the last few years has been higher than most other artists (most of his works sell out within a matter of hours, which is a clear indication that the demand is high), some of his more popular editions already demand prices of up to sixteen thousand pounds which, when compared to many other artists, still represents value.
We believe that his market is going to jump up over the next 12/18 months as a surge of new young collectors enter the market, his overall pricing would suit most budgets with works starting at a few thousand pounds. Look out for original works by Shrigley with strong imagery and upbeat wording as the value of his acrylic on paper works are still incredibly good value.
BANKSY
It’s no secret that the last 12 months have not been good for Banksy owners who purchased their work in 2021/2022. Many are classing what’s happening in the Banksy market as a correction which isn’t surprising considering some of the prices his works were achieving both at auction and privately during that period.
We have seen some incredible deals on Bansky works over the last 12 months but with collectors beginning to buy again it feels like we are somewhere near the bottom of the market which means it could be a good time to buy. It’s almost guaranteed that the artist will begin to pull stunts and get back in the public eye any-day now which always gives his market a boost. It will be interesting to see how his market performs this year, but it feels like there could be some growth on the cards.
A WORD OF CAUTION
These recommendations are purely Mustard’s perception of the art market as it currently stands and the last 18 months have proven that anything can happen so it’s important that when making any investment, not just art, that you only invest money that you are not going to need instant access to.