You may choose to purchase a piece from an artist who is already recognized, or an artist who may become the next big name in the art world. Here are a few pointers for identifying artists that are well on their way to a remarkable reputation:
• Museum shows and purchases. Museums take their jobs seriously: they show only works they're convinced are worthy of public attention, and showcase only a few contemporary artists whose talent is undeniable. But museums have shown increasing confidence in the value of contemporary photographers over the last decade, exhibiting and purchasing their work in unprecedented numbers. As a result, photography has become highly collectable - and work by photographers shown in museums is especially desirable.
• Auctions. Like museums, auction houses tend to feature artworks whose worth has been well established for decades or more. Rare, vintage artworks by established masters generally fetch the highest prices at auction. When work by a living artist brings a good price at a major auction house, collectors take notice. If the piece is bought by a noted art collector, the value of that artist's entire portfolio may appreciate.
• Gallery shows and representation. Galleries invest time, money, and their professional reputations in the artists they exhibit, so they are very careful about which artists they choose to show. Representation is an even more serious, long-term commitment to stand behind and promote an artist's work. Artists must be accomplished indeed to gain representation from more than one well-established gallery outside their home city or country.
