People
Photo from one of InvestinArts
projects. Corinne Shane says, "Many
of my clients have long corridors or board rooms that will not
accommodate verticals, so horizontals are preferred."
A Look at Corporate Buying with
Corinne Shane, President of InvestinArt
Interview
by Alexandra Shaw
Corinne
Shane is founder and President of InvestinArt, an independent
art consulting firm in New York City that specializes in locating
works of art for corporations, professional service firms, businesses,
institutions, architects, and designers. In this interview,
she shared a wealth of information and advice to art buyers
and sellers.
AS: The current economy is a matter of great concern to
the art business community. How has it affected corporate buying?
CS: Despite the past slowdown in acquiring new works on
a regular basis, corporate loyalty to art collecting is strong.
And it is getting stronger as more and more corporate collectors
are convinced that art plays an important public relations role.
Art is a particularly effective way to add prestige to an overall
image. It impresses the people the corporations deal with and
it builds esprit de corps among employees. Additionally, the
collections, in many cases, have become springboards for various
promotions. The art is often a unifying element that influences
decisions on the "look" for a new brochure, the design
of an annual report, Christmas cards and other graphic materials.
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AS:
What advice do you offer to corporations that are taking the
first steps to acquiring art?
CS:
First I'd like to say that even the most frugal of corporations
can start a quality art collection if it follows a few simple
rules:
•
Decide
what type of art to collect. A company that wants to project
a very contemporary new-as-tomorrow image can achieve that by
collecting abstract art from living artists. Conversely, a firm
that prides itself on its rock solid heritage may opt for traditional
art.
•
Find
a reputable art consultant. These professionals save you a lot
of work and worry as well as money. Check out their credentials.
Ask to see examples of the art they have helped their clients
acquire. If possible, speak to their clients and find out if
they were satisfied with the job. Find out, as well, if the
clients have been with the art consultant for a length of time
or if they were just one-shot deals with one or two purchases.
•
Establish a budget. Even a firm with a very limited art budget
can still acquire good art without overspending. At InvestinArt,
for example, we've built an international network of contacts
including artists and private collectors with whom we work directly.
This, combined with the fact that we keep our overhead low by
operating out of a low-overhead office, enables us to offer
art at very competitive prices.
• Pick
carefully and buy only what you genuinely love because your
company should be prepared to live with the art it selects for
many years. If you have art that no longer fits your image we
can help to dispose of it through charitable deductions and/or
auctions.
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AS:
What advice do you give to artists who want to reach the corporate
market?
CS: I can only give advice based on my own corporate clients.
For the most part, my clients like traditional, representative
and semi-abstract art. Even my bold and daring advertising agency
clients prefer semi-abstract works rather than very abstract
art. Many
of my clients have long corridors and board rooms which accommodate
horizontals more easily than verticals, so horizontals are preferred.
And, we generally cannot use small works of art unless there
are several that can be grouped together. Any
medium is fine. And I'm happy to say that more and more corporations
are now interested in photographs. Generally,
artists should seek out corporate art consultants and find out
if they are willing to receive materials. We are always interested
in the works of emerging artists and are happy to hear from
them. All they need do is send their CDs to us with a SASE.
The CDs should be titled and have a corresponding list with the artist's name, the title, medium, and the size. A resume and price list should also be included.
AS: How many artists do you place annually in corporate
collections?
CS: We place about 50 different artists, and very often
we place more than one piece per artist. A good percentage of
these artists are "emerging artists."
AS:
What type of artworks are generally suitable for corporate environments?
CS: We do not place nudes and usually my clients are not
interested in art that is "spiritual."
AS:
Is there a specific corporate space for which you prefer to
acquire art?
CS: No. We're happy to take on a job whether it's as simple
as installing one or two works of art or as complex as commissioning
and installing a major structure. We are pleased that more and
more corporations are interested in art. After all, quality
art speaks of quality service. If corporations want to give
clients the impression that their firm does quality work, Elvis
on velvet on the wall isn't going to convey that message. Nor
are duck prints on the wall going to portray a firm as young,
bright and aggressive.
AS: How many art consultants are there in New York City?
Are there any associations of corporate art consultants?
CS: There are many art consultants and probably many associations.
The Association that I belong to is the International Association
for Professional Art Advisors. Many of the members are in the
New York City area.
AS: How can prospective clients and artists contact you?
CS: Corinne Shane, InvestinArt, 35 East 85 Street, New York,
NY 10028. Tel: 212.744.8299. Email:
InvestinArt@aol.com. Web site: www.InvestinArt.com
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