4 reasons to choose investment art by Bradley Theodore
Take the edginess of street art, add the glamour of high fashion and the intrigue of historic icons. In my considered opinion, Bradley Theodore is producing some of the best investment art on the market today.
We’ve had the pleasure of hosting two incredible solo shows at Maddox Gallery, and our close working relationship with the artist continues to grow day by day.
If you’re looking to buy investment art to enjoy in your home and appreciate as a financial asset, Bradley Theodore is an excellent choice for several important reasons.
- Buy investment art that nods to Basquiat
With vivid use of colour, bold paintbrush strokes and stripped-back skeletal figures, Bradley Theodore’s work emulates that of another artistic icon. In fact, Vogue’s International Editor Suzy Menkes refers to his work as “Banksy meets Basquiat.”
Similarly, Theodore himself recently told The Voice Newspaper: “One of my friends… who knew Basquiat very well and had a very intimate understanding of his world has told me that my work has some similarities to Basquiat.”
Bradley told WWD he started painting skeletons in an attempt “to go deeper, and to cut beyond the surface and look at the deepness of relationships. We all have a deep relationship with our friends. There are things that we know that can’t be seen.”
If Theodore’s art is to enjoy similar success to Basquiat’s, it certainly makes him a prime choice as the creator of some of the best investment art around. Last month, Sotheby’s sold Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Untitled (1982), a “monumental masterpiece,” for a record $110.5m, giving the artist a new auction record for the second time in two years.
Untitled (1982) had been purchased at auction in 1984 for just $19,000, so the seller was provided with an incredible 580,000 percent return on investment.
Interestingly, this means the top three Basquiat lots sold at auction were all produced in 1982, at a time when the New York street artist was still virtually unheard of.
So what can we learn from this? Buy investment art by emerging names early in their career, and you may have the opportunity to benefit from incredible increases in value if and when the artist becomes more established.
- Invest in art with interesting subjects
GQ Magazine recently described Bradley Theodore’s paintings as “chromatic thunderstorms — at once exhilarating, incontrovertibly powerful and ever so slightly chilling.”
His works explore the contrast between perception and reality, the external and internal self, and the construction of personal image. Crucially, Theodore’s skeletal paintings strip back iconic figures who are most known for their carefully-curated exterior selves.
Undisputed fashion moguls Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour regularly feature in his work, alongside film icons such as Audrey Hepburn and more conventional members of royalty such as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
“Queen Elizabeth represents the strong, beautiful, powerful woman that is the archetype for women today,” Theodore explains, while King Louis “set the tone for how to be a modern monarch.”
Theodore’s work is more than just investment art — it is powerful and thought-provoking, and never fails to add a talking point to a room.
- Find artists following new creative avenues
Last year, Bradley Theodore was the official artist for the US Open. Now in 2017, he continues to explore new avenues for creativity.
Theodore rose to prominence in part thanks to his colourful murals in New York, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Oslo and Paris. More recently, he was commissioned to paint a large-scale work for the lobby of 261 Hudson, a luxury residential development in New York. The piece was created on site, giving residents the unique opportunity to watch his process.
Theodore is also revisiting his early career as a digital graphic designer and 3D animator, in his new role as virtual reality artist in residence for Google. He has used Google’s Tilt Brush tool to create virtual reality paintings at various exhibitions, which viewers can interact with.
He is also joining the ranks of artists represented by Maddox Gallery who have made a foray into the world of fashion. Theodore recently worked with Moleskine to reimagine its Classic Backpack, which was launched at Milan Design Week last month. Theodore is in good company, with fellow artists Romero Britto, Retna and Jeff Koons all collaborating with designer brands in the past.
- Take our word for it
Bradley Theodore art is one of our most prolific sellers. His collectors vary wildly in terms of age, wealth and investment experience — we’ve even had people passing by the gallery stop and purchase works on instinct. With prices ranging from £6,000 to £100,000, his work is accessible to a wide audience, and has significantly grown in value over the last year alone.
Best of all, he’s wonderful to work with, and like a member of the Maddox Gallery family.
We have exclusivity with the artist throughout Europe, and can arrange for special commissioned works to be produced if a client has their heart set on a certain artwork.
If you’re looking to buy investment art by an emerging name, we’d highly recommend that you consider Bradley Theodore. We also represent a number of other incredible contemporary artists, and we’re confident you will fall in love with one of their styles. Visit us at Maddox Gallery on Maddox Street or Shepherd Market, Mayfair.
Written by James Nicholls, Managing Director and Curator, Maddox Gallery.
