First of all, when you see an artwork for the first time, you must “feel something”,

Notice that it can be a good feeling or a bad feeling. It doesn’t matter. It shows that the artwork in front of you is trying to tell you something.

At Step 1 do not buy anything. Even if you feel exhilarated. This is a good starter but it is not enough to buy the artwork straight.

In order to make the best decision, try put yourself the more you can “out of context”. Pretend you are two centuries later in a different country. It is not as bizarre as it sounds. Yourself, who you are as a person, is enough of a context, so don’t take influences from the environment or friends.

Step 2 – Examine carefully the artwork (and only the artwork)

• It must reflect high technical skills, but not only.
• It must contain creativity, not necessarily new but at least treated with originality. The creativity can show in figurative, narrative, abstract or conceptual mode, no matter.

Step 3 – Examine the entire Body of work

• If the artwork must show strong skills, as mentioned above, the entire body of work must show an evolution of those skills, and a growing creativity.
• The ensemble must be coherent, consistent. It doesn’t mean the artworks have to lookthe same. It means the artworks can vary, show researches and diversity but not heterogeneity.The body of work must show a constant evolution.
• To make sure you are right, consult catalogs of previous exhibitions, ask to see more art of the artist.

Step 4 – Long Term conservation

• Even if you are an art collector/investor, the art you’re about to purchase must be transportable any time, any distance, no matter the conditions of shipping
• The technique is so perfect that the art that will be durable
• Edition of a photograph, video, sculpture must be really limited as told by the dealer.

Stage 5 – Meet with the artist

• Once you’re convinced the art is good, go to meet the artist.
• Try to understand if he has a vision of his/her art.
• She/He should show an ability to tell his/her thoughts in words.
• You should be impressed by his/her character, intelligence, ambition, but that smartness in communication would never be the reason of your purchase