5 Iconic Art Movements and Their Investment Potential

How can an art movement transform your investment portfolio?

 

Here are 5 iconic movements everyone should know about, (particularly if you’re looking to transform your investment portfolio) and their notable sales and key artists over the past 36 months. 

 

Art is not just a striking painting, an abstract masterpiece or a banana taped to a canvas; it can also be an investment that can yield substantial financial reward. Whether you’re a collector, working with an advisor or an enthusiast; understanding the differences in art movements can help you to make informed financial decisions when adding new pieces to your collection. 

18 Jul 2024
  • Contemporary Art, Leading with what’s contemporary -

    'Portrait of An Artist (Pool With Two Figures)’, 1972, Hockney, D. Sold for £70.7 million in Nov ’18 at Christies, NY. 

    Contemporary Art

    Leading with what’s contemporary -

    To define what we mean here, we are referring to all contemporary art that can be separated to a degree, from other movements. For example, Takashi Murakami is a contemporary artist, yet his work can largely be attributed to Pop Art, unlike the work and artistry of Gerhard Richter. 

     

    Once the most expensive living artist, Gerhard Richter is perhaps the leading figure of contemporary art as we currently know it. 

     

    His artwork, ‘Abstract Bild’ sold for £30.4 million at auction in 2012, setting the record at the time for a living European artist. With a 90% sell-through rate (percentage of lots in auctions that are sold) and an average sale price of $1M, the works of Gerhard Richter currently maintain an average of 36% above price estimate. Richter is widely regarded as a prime investment artist. 

     

    Another leading figure of contemporary art and conceptual visionary, Yayoi Kusama, continues to maintain an impressive art market performance. Boasting a sell-through rate of 90.9% with 198 yearly lots sold at an average of $691K, the works of Kusama achieve an average of 47% over price estimate. Kusama has earned global acclaim and even at the age of 95, continues to showcase extraordinary exhibitions.

     

    With titans like Richter and Kusama, Contemporary art not only retains its cultural significance, but also solidifies itself as a robust and promising investment avenue.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Abstract Expressionism, Moving on with the liberators of artistic expression -

    ‘Number 17A’, 1948, Pollock, J. Sold for $200 million in 2016 in a private sale. 

    Abstract Expressionism

    Moving on with the liberators of artistic expression -

    The Abstract Expressionists, with the likes of Pollock, De Kooning, and Rothko, emerged from post-World War II and emphasised spontaneous expression through abstract forms and gestural brushwork. 

     

    Having had a profound impact on the trajectory of contemporary art, these artists prominently feature in major museums like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and dominate the contemporary market. 

     

    Leading figure of the Abstract Expressionism movement, Jackson Pollock, sold two works in a private sale in 2016 to an outstanding total of $500M, with a highly impressive art market performance. Averaging at a sale price of $3M, with only 13 yearly lots sold, Pollock maintains a sell through rate of 88.8% with a 57% price overestimate.

     

    William de Kooning, an ‘artists artist’  (MoMA | de Kooning) and considered a leader of the movement, commands significant attention in the art market. ‘Woman III’, sold for $137.5M in 2006, and was ‘arguably the most important postwar painting that is not in a museum’ at the time of its sale. (Sandy Heller, 2006, NY Times, Vogel)

     

    With a performance that features 51 yearly lots sold, a strong 82% sell-through rate and an impressive average artwork sale price of $2M, de Kooning’s works achieve sales 7% overestimate and prove to be highly regarded within the market.  

     

    Do not underestimate the Abstract Expressionists - with such influence over the trajectory of contemporary art, the work from these artists still command significant attention in the art market.  

     

  • Street Art, From Graffiti to Galleries –

    ‘Untitled’, 1982, Jean-Michel Basquiat. Sold for $110.5 million in 2017, Sotheby’s.

    Street Art

    From Graffiti to Galleries –

    The 80’s marked a turning point as galleries and collectors realised the value and significance of street art. This shift was not merely a change of venue but an evolution in the perception and reception of the art form. The Shadowmen of Richard Hambleton, aka, ‘The Godfather of Street Art’ transitioned from the dark alleyways of New York into high-end collections, galleries and institutions worldwide. 

     

    Household name, Banksy continues to captivate collectors and investors alike. With an impressive 80% sell-through rate, 163 yearly lots sold at an average of $332k a piece, owning a Banksy is not just owning an artwork, it’s also securing a piece of culture with consistently high returns. 

     

    Another premier and dynamic investment choice would be the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Basquiat’s raw expressive style continues to resonate with collectors and investors. With an average sale price of $6M, Basquiat maintains a sell through rate of 83.7%, with 41 yearly lots sold, the work of Basquiat remains highly sought after.

     

    The Street Art movement, and its artists such as, Basquiat and Banksy have all garnered international acclaim. Once on the fringes, the investment potential of street art has surged significantly. 

     

     

  • Pop Art, Popular Culture, is Popular?! -

    'The Blue Shot Marliyn', 1998, Warhol, A. Sold for $195.4 million in 2022, Christies. 

    Pop Art

    Popular Culture, is Popular?! -

    Most of us are familiar with Pop Art, thanks to the recognisable imagery, bold colours and graphic compositions of the likes of Warhol, Hamilton and Lichtenstein. However, the philosophy to emerge from Pop Art in the 1950’s and 60’s, embraced popular culture, consumerism and mass media imagery, which are all very much relevant today. 

     

    Contemporary pop artist, Takashi Murakami - with a blend of Japanese popular culture and traditional techniques - obtains an impressive sell-through rate of 90.3%, with 182 yearly lots sold at an average sale price of $67K, the works of Murakami currently achieve an average of 51% over price estimate, and certainly demonstrate the relevance of Pop Art in the contemporary market. 

     

    As contemporary Pop Art maintains stealthy position, we see as expected leading figure of the movement, and renowned, Andy Warhol with a reflective art market performance. With 604 yearly lots sold at an average sale price of $545K, the works of Andy Warhol usually achieve 50% overestimate, with a grand sell-through rate of 86.4%. 

     

    Pop Artists by nature, inherently explore the nuances and phenomena that make up popular culture, realising outcomes that are not only profound reflections of contemporary society, but also compelling investments in cultural evolution. 

  • Cubism, If Einstein is the scientific genius of the 20th century, Picasso is the artistic genius -

    ‘Les Femmes d’Alger’, 1955, Picasso, P. Sold for $179.4 million in 2015, Christies. 

    Cubism

    If Einstein is the scientific genius of the 20th century, Picasso is the artistic genius -

    Many parallels can be drawn in the lives of Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, and the same to the relationship of art and science. However, their true relationship and how they affect one another, is still very much debated today. 

     

    Pioneered by Picasso and Braque in the early 20th century, and often seen as the precursor to modern abstract art, Cubism has revolutionised not only the way we perceive and represent reality in art, but also in disciplines beyond the aesthetic realm. Challenging traditional notions of perspective and representation, the impact of Cubism on contemporary art and life as we know it, is not to be understated. 

     

    Despite his significance and influence onto the art world, Picasso’s works can still be relatively accessible and affordable compared with other artists of his calibre. 

     

    With an expansive body of work, Pablo Picasso continues to display an impressive art market performance. With 873 yearly lots sold, a robust 78.8% sell-through rate, an average sale price of $561k and final sale prices averaging 50% over the estimate, the works of Picasso make a compelling investment. 

     

    Alongside Picasso in the development of Cubism, Georges Braque also offers attractive investment opportunities. Averaging a sale price of $138K with an average of 44 yearly lots sold, the works of Braque boast a sell through rate of 73.7% and achieve 24% over price estimate. 

     

    Acquiring a Cubist work to add to your collection, is an assurance that your investments reflect the artistic enquiry into the nature of reality from early 20th century artists, and perhaps even the scientific method itself. 

     

    The main thing to take away from the groundbreaking innovations of Cubism, bold statements from Pop Art, the edge of Street Art, the emotional impact of Abstract Expressionism, and the relevance and allure Contemporary Art, is that all five of these iconic movements, offer unparalleled investment potential.