Beyond the Frame: Art As Preservation of Life, Legacy, Culture
Ploughing Through The Pillars of Cultural Heritage and Tastemaking; Where Inspiration Meets Invoice
Whenever I think of art, I think of Paul Allen the Co-Founder of Microsoft, sitting next to his Rothko, and I reflect on my own journey learning to appreciate and building my own budding collection. What started off as humble beginnings with pokemon trading cards as a child – grew into sophisticated tastes that eventually included Kusama’s (more affordable yet iconic) works.
(Credits: Paul Allen and his Rothko, by Robyn Twomey for Newsweek)
An attempt to make sense of this wild and rancorous world has led me to pen this beginner’s journal into art. And is by no means financial (nor expert) advice.
Art is Anything You Can Get Away With - Andy Warhol
When you think of art - you often see two very extreme ends of the world. For the modern man in finance, you see the NFT degen who’s flipped his way into success, and for more sophisticated readers, you think about the Tulip Mania, that gave the Dutch, an unrecognizable fever dream, a three year rally, starting from 1634 till 1637 when it fell flat on its face. On the other hand, works by Renaissance masters like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Impressionists such as Monet, Renoir, and Degas, and more recent icons like Andy Warhol have maintained their value and significance over time.
Through wars and catastrophes – art still stands. Where pieces of history, culture, and legacy are backed up by a collective consensus. You see that these pieces celebrate a perspective, a focal point. In other words, a crescendo in history. I’d like to offer you (dear reader) the perspective that Art serves this purpose: To spark conversations of growth, and to bring the owner of each piece to the forefront of conversations.
A sort of social mirror, where your understanding of sentiments is squared reflexively with where the market or, even the world is going.
My fascination with collectibles, and culture began in my younger years collecting trading cards.
It’s a story as old as time. Or should I say, a story about stories. A group of people are bewitched by a show – a piece of history, a story, and they live, breathe, and keep it close to their heart.
It could be that fairytale that you’ve been told as a young child – that sense of innocence, the idea that Santa Claus exists after all. Or even a superhero, or a comic book that you’ve fallen in love with.
You stand at the edge of your seat, waiting for them to see how they’ll evolve their story. You get emotionally attached to the characters that they’re creating.
A part of you – wishes to be a part of that fantasy world. If it’s a more traditional hero arc, you want to be a part of that story of triumph.
If it’s a more counter-cultural piece of work, you might be finding solidarity in unique struggles that you’ve had – and the complexities of reality that you’ve had to face growing up when you were younger.
In all cases, these stories, films, icons – have struck a chord in you, and you resonate with that
Beneath the surface, a cult following begins to bubble. A community of like-minded individuals, sharing your passion, starts to coalesce. An energy builds behind the movement. This phenomenon isn't limited to art; it can revolve around various focal points: It might be a narrative about a nation's identity or heritage.
Perhaps it's the story of a visionary company reshaping industries. Or it could be a bold vision of the world's future.
Take, for example, the fervent Elon Musk fandom. Devotees eagerly collect SpaceX merchandise or limited-edition Tesla posters (I'll admit, I'm guilty of this myself). They hang on his every word, following his statements and actions with unwavering dedication and excitement. Why? Because Musk embodies certain ideals: Savant-like intelligence; Dogged determination and what some would argue is 'rationality' in its highest form
It could be the story of one’s career – the deep analytical, methodical plodding. The careful calculations, studies made of markets, and even the brains that have gone into creating a lasting career for yourself. It’s the idea of legacy, the audacity to say that you know what you want, and you’re willing to put in the work to get there.
And so it is with Art.
A crescendo, and a focal point for moments of revolution, and catalytic change.
It is about the collective struggle – that I believe, coalesces into the single artist that's able to ‘pick up’ on these soft tunes. The artist then takes his or her medium of choice, – and brings your experience into life.
So now, the owner has a grand connection to being a part of something higher than themselves.
Thinking About Art As Society’s Focal Point
My recent trip to Italy struck me that art not only served the purpose of catching the ‘viewer’s attention’ in the work, but on a grander, larger level, where the art serves as a focal point of society.
It’s a convergence point. A flash point. A moment where the collective pain, suffering, triumph, and victory – gets locked in, and sealed into the piece of art.
Art is a statement, a challenge, a powerful icon in a world where mere opinions are cheap and hold little to no significance. It’s about which side that you’re going to stand on in history. The stories that you’re going to back. The cultures that you think are going to win, and should gain more attention.
Art affords the luxury of being a purveyor of taste, for the sophisticated connoisseur. In game theory, there is financial value in being at these focal points.
Focal points allow the masses to make sense of the world. It allows ideas to converge – it allows communities to be built, and it gives a certain rhythm and flow to the world. The NFTs, Bored Apes, and events – are all focal points. Art Basel… for example. These focal points serve to unite the conversation, and to draw attention, energy, and collective action, towards a cause to be furthered.
More rigorously put – without diving too deep into the theory. A simple example of focal points, comes in the form of the ‘usual’ meeting spot.
Tom says hello to Harry.
But Tom’s in a rush.
He tells Harry, meet me at the usual place.
Harry doesn’t know what the usual ‘place’ specifically is – but he kind of knows that there’s a place that Tom always talks about.
There’s a place that he seems to always frequent. It’s Harry’s Bar.
So Harry chooses this usual place.
And they both end up meeting each other.
A similar form of logic can be used to understand Art – as a way to spark conversation, and to highlight values.
Art creates this semantic space for ideas to exist, form, and meet.
Now of course – how should one start ‘thinking’ about art?
The obvious answer is to trust what you think is cool – or feels right to you.
Aside from this rather superficial understanding of what ‘coolness’ is, I believe that you can start to think about the causes, and conversations that matter to you the most. Or more specifically, the side of history you wish to be on.
What kind of values do you embody? What drives you? What makes you, you? What do you wish to project into the world? What kind of legacy do you wish to live? What cultures create a strong response for you – whether it’s a hateful one, or a loving one – or maybe one of curiosity, and endless passion and wonder?
This connection to oneself – will serve as your own personal, inner compass into the art world.
And as you go deeper into this journey, you may also discover why many of the world’s elites have 3-5% of their wealth in collectibles. (Collectibles: An integral part of wealth, 2020 Credit Suisse Research Institute).
Aside From The Obvious Speculation That Goes Into Art – The Truth That Drives Its Underlying Value, May Be A Much More Noble Endeavour
Art Does Three Things For the Collector:
It’s a way to look into the past – to understand ourselves better, and to make sense of the heritage that’s shaped human history – and to be part of the stories, that are shaping society as a whole
It’s a way to look into the future – to experience the fears, the myths, and the visions that are shaping society’s imagination in the current moment. A glimpse of the tales to come.
And lastly it’s a moment to make sense of the present moment. To get in tune with yourself now – to find a way to both express yourself, and to take on the role of being a purveyor of taste, an individual who sets the cultural tone, and one who gets to be at the forefront of creating the future.
Now of course, this is very similar to the financial market, where one gets to speculate on the price of assets in the future, and if you really want to see it that way, art is a gamble on culture.
A daring way to say where the world is headed, and where you want it to go.
Art gives you the perfect vehicle, to bet on the times, for those more financially inclined.
Now Turning This Into A Lucrative Pastime, Simply Requires Attention To Detail
Art’s a game of social storytelling.
In the art market, one word reigns supreme for both the budding and established connoisseur: Provenance. This is the key to unlocking the social underlying value that's gone into every piece of art. It’s just like how a well-established Venture Capitalist backs a rising founder, with a daring vision. You’re saying that this provenance, this ‘seed’ of culture – is going to be the dominant trend, and the backbone of society in the coming years, or decades. And the collector lends himself (or herself) to become part of the artwork’s story of provenance.
This means that you're deeply involved in the zeitgeist. This means that you know about the conversations that are happening in the world. You know your values, and you know what they stand for – and you know the values of others as well. And I suppose, you're willing to take a massive bet and swing on where you believe the world should go.
The more one immerses oneself in culture, the more attuned one becomes to the subtle nuances that collectively shape the grand narrative. This heightened sensitivity not only enriches your understanding but also sharpens your acumen in the art game. The incentives at play here are multifaceted – financial gain, cultural capital, and the thrill of being at the forefront of societal trends.
Now defining an artwork’s intrinsic value, according to Laura Noll, is broken down into the following categories:
(Source: Understanding Prices at Art Auctions: A Conceptual Framework for the Auction Price Mechanism)
This is where things get interesting.
With this framework in mind, the 'coolness' of a piece of art transcends subjective opinion. It becomes a quantifiable, qualified, and tradable asset on global markets. However, this game is not for the faint-hearted or the purely profit-driven. It's a pursuit best suited for those who genuinely wish to witness how a 'story' they believe in materializes and evolves in the world of art.
For those who lack the passion to uncover the narrative threads woven into each artwork, or who fail to find joy in decoding the cultural DNA embedded in every piece, this pursuit might prove unfulfilling.
But for those who enjoy the journey of getting to know a piece of art – akin to a courtship, from attending exhibitions to immersing oneself in the stories that shaped both the art and the artist – this could be more than a pastime.
It's an opportunity to engage with history, shape contemporary dialogues, and potentially influence future narratives through the powerful medium of art.
A Final Commentary On Crafting One’s Own Legacy With Art.
As you grow closer to these works – find yourself more deeply immersed in the stories, narratives, and the thousands of hours of craftsmanship that has been poured into each work.
You may begin to realise that through your appreciation, you’re beginning to shape your very own legacy, and mark on the world. It’s through this deep and thorough process of connoisseurship, that you’re able to breathe life and legacy into these works, giving each piece, a larger than life significance.
You get to tell the story. You get to be a part of this movement. You collect the pieces that resonate with you, and eventually will do their part – in speaking for you too. You create worlds within worlds for others to explore, you demonstrate the hills that you’re willing to die on – and as the story grows richer and richer, so does your legacy too.
The values that have gotten you to where you are today. The pains. The moments of victory. The moments where you may have felt shaken. Events, and shocking movements, that stir to your core – awaken an instinct primal and irrevocable within you.
You get to now share this experience with the world, with your little worlds – through the art that you collect.
This time – it’s time for your story to be shared.
See you at the next art fair.
Budding curator,
Samuel
Public References:
Noll, L. (2022). Understanding Prices at Art Auctions: A Conceptual Framework for the Auction Price Mechanism (Doctoral dissertation, University of St. Gallen).
nice bro