Learning what motivates collectors to buy
Alumna Adriana Rangel (Modern and Contemporary Art Certificate, 2015) talks to us about combining the study of art business with art history, and gives three pieces of advice to those embarking on a career in the art world.
What has been your career since graduating from Christie’s Education?
After graduating from Christie’s Education I moved back to my hometown, Monterrey, México, to reconnect with Latin artists and explore the art scene in the country. Shortly after, I decided to show artists’ work by curating pop-up shows. I curated shows for Loren Erdrich in New York City, Rosy Navarro in Mexico City and Efrain Cruz in Miami. Since I was already putting together the shows, I also decided to create an online art gallery. The industry is moving towards using digital platforms to both grow a presence and to sell; my online gallery helps me as a sales tool when approaching bigger potential clients such as office spaces, hotels and other residential projects.
I started writing as a contributing author at various magazines with the intention of promoting the work of fellow Latinos in the arts and other cultural activities. Later, I began contributing art-related articles for Vice’s The Creator’s Project Mexico. I will soon start a series of stories about important figures in the industry and how their efforts have shaped the career of artists and influenced the market as a whole. Currently, I am working on expanding my Latin American presence by working with Cuban artists and collectors that support Cuban art. I am also looking to engage with local auction houses.
What are your current career ambitions?
I aim to help Latin artists gain more exposure and penetrate the market. I want people to know that there are many talented artists in Latin America beyond than the big names everybody already knows (although this does not mean that I won’t work with artists from other countries: just recently I started collaborating with an artist based in Austria). I want to get people to support artists who didn’t get the opportunity to attend fancy art schools but have the talent and passion to make great art. I want to collaborate with artists that transform spaces that are accessible to everyone, like with large scale murals.
I hope that the digital presence will help free my gallery from being confined by walls. That said, I will continue to have in-person shows. These shows are important for artists’ careers as well as for art lovers.
Tell us why you wrote your The Creators Project feature, ¿Por qué estudiar negocios de arte en vez de historia del arte?, about the importance of studying art business.
I think that people have the notion that the only way to be a player in the art market is if they are a human encyclopedia of the history of art. I think that while it is very important to learn what it is that validates artworks and artists throughout the years, it is just as important to understand who the players in the industry are, and what motivates collectors to buy. People need to learn how external factors play a part in what sells, when it sells and why — even when those reasons are not related to the art itself. Christie’s Education develops this sense in their students about looking past the art itself and seeing the bigger picture. At Christie’s Education we listened to experts talk about their experiences in the art world and how they learned to plan and adjust to ups and downs of the industry.
What three things should anyone embarking on a career in the art world know?
1 It takes time to get people to trust that you know what you are selling to them.
2 Networking is vital. Be ready to invest time in developing relations. People expect you regularly to be present at the fairs, shows and parties, so they know you are serious about being in the industry.
3 Not all work in the industry is going to pay the same (or well). Sometimes you have to do it without looking at the monetary value. Find value in learning and do not lose motivation. Hard work does pay off.
How has Christie’s Education helped your career?
Christie’s Education exposed me to an arena of people that are serious and passionate about the arts. Thanks to Christie’s Education, I met my then classmate Dolly Geary who is director of Geary Contemporary. I had the privilege to intern there and learned most of what I know now from mentors Dolly and Jack Geary. Christie’s Education offers many networking events throughout the year and I very much enjoy attending these events where I can chat with professors and ask them for guidance. It is great to reconnect with ex-classmates and find a way to collaborate with them as well as with current students.
What was your favourite aspect to studying at Christie’s Education?
My favourite aspect to studying at Christie’s Education is that it gave us a 360° view of the market and its players and great insight into each. We had the opportunity to gain knowledge not only from professors but also from guest lecturers who shared tips and insights with us. I very much enjoyed being able to visit the auction house and have specialists give us previews of the upcoming sales. Visits to studios to hear artists talk about their art and creative process were great immersive experiences.
Find out more at adriana-rangel.com
