Buy for Love, Not Profit

Plunge by Kerry James Marshall Photo: © 2016 Christie’s Images Limited Everyone wants to own artwork that appreciates in value, but the chances of discovering the next Basquiat are slim. So relax and buy something you want to look at for a lifetime. “I don’t care if the artist’s market is hot,” says Dan Berger, … Read more

Embrace the Expo

Expo Chicago, the five-day global art extravaganza on Navy Pier, starts September 13. There is too much to take in. Here’s a day’s itinerary that hits the most anticipated high points and will give you a sense of the trends driving the market.

Look for No-Fee Galleries

Opening Reception for Black Light and Make Room Photo: Photo: Gallery 400/Facebook A handful of galleries show promising artists but don’t represent them, meaning there’s no commission added into the price of the works. ACRE, in Pilsen, has curated group shows with up-and-comers such as painter Carris Adams and experimental artist Sofia Córdova. 1345 W. … Read more

Ease Your Sticker Shock

Many first-time buyers are taken aback by the prices, even for pieces from emerging artists who are not in great demand. But making art costs money. This expense breakdown for a recent work by Chicago sculptor Alex Chitty puts things in perspective.

Go Deep on a Genre

You can’t be an expert on everything. So rooting yourself chiefly in a single style is a smart way to begin collecting. To get you started, here are some artists doing bold work in major genres.

66 Things to Do in Chicago in September

United Flight 232 Photo: Michael Brosilow Sept. 1 Rock Kevin Morby Lincoln Park This Texas-born singer has never made straight country music, but there’s always been a twang to his sound. Last year’s Singing Saw—his third release, named for and featuring the distinctly rural musical instrument—was a work of evocative songwriting, rooted in the tradition … Read more