Legacy building in an art collection





I have been frequently asked, what is good art and what is bad art

Its a difficult question to answer.  Because some times we buy art to make us feel good, some times we buy art for the aesthetics, sometimes we buy art because its telling us a story. 

All artists are storytellers, some better than others. Some tell a story so well, that some times, you can fall in love with the piece and stay in love for years. 
Some artists like the process of telling a story, and paint from the heart. 
 

So coming back to my answer - what is good art and what is bad. Its a grey area of discussion. Its about taste....I may like Thai food, you may like Italian...both good....but different tastes..

However, I will tell you what I have learnt from my family , friends and other art collectors....that those pieces that hold value are a combination of magic, art, story telling and pure beauty. I have actually seen paintings that have put me into a meditative state, just by the sheer magnificence of theirs ...

Pieces that have endured the test of time , are the pieces that speak the most. 
 Raja Ravi Varma....and his Saraswati playing the Veena.....or a Husain Bull, or a Raza Bindu....or or...the list goes on.....all beautiful pieces and all very collectable. 

I have four paintings of a Bengal School artist called Bimal Das Gupta, seascapes, water olours....they speak to you. When I asked a gallerist how much they could be worth, just for my knowledge, he immediately said...dont sell, these are artists with a small but loyal client base....which means there is a group of people who have fallen in love with his work. 

Now coming back to the earlier question...what is good art....good art is what legacies are built on...generational wealth is formed.....Look at most great collections, they dont just have good art...they have great art.....mesmerizing art.....

So next time you want to buy a piece ask yourself this question.....what is do I want to achieve with my art collection?  

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