Essay by Luke Foster
“Everywhere you walk, every place you go is full of art, explicit or hidden! If you can see them, you will be the richest art collector and your memory will be the richest art gallery!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan
Since art school days I have been doing swaps with other artists but because I have moved around a bit, I lost some of the early ones.
However, over the last twenty years or so I have done swaps with quite a few Australian artists and a few Asian artists.
My most valuable was a Yoshitomo Nara the Japanese artist but sold it at auction last year.
I have been looking forward for years to have my own apartment so I could hang my art collection both my own and mainly friend artist’s works.
My collection is mainly drawings but also a painting and some ceramics.
I also have a robotic artist’s photograph.
This is a quote by one of my favourite artists Anish Kapoor about contemporary art.
“One of the great currents in the contemporary experience of art is that it seems to come out of the experience of the author.”
I love living with beautiful art and ruminating on its beauty and meaning every day.
I have also bought a few artworks very cheap from friends who are quite successful who gave me mates rates.
In conclusion I encourage all young artists to start collecting cheap art by emerging artists and doing swaps with artist friends and other artists you meet in group exhibitions and residencies but not for the financial benefits but because there is not much better than living with a beautiful art collection.