How to start a design collection?
INSIGHTS
Sabine Marcelis, "No fear of glass," 2019. Barcelona, Mies van der Rohe Pavilion
A design collection might have been unheard of decades ago, but nowadays the collectible design market is growing non-stop, and even though is quite young compared to its older siblings: architecture and contemporary art that have been in commercialization for a long time, the design market is expanding rapidly.
We share some insights on what to look for if you are looking into starting your own design collection.
1.-Dig into the context of the piece.
Find out more details of where the piece is being produced and exhibited, to see how relevant the value of the piece has become through time. If it's a limited edition, vintage or custom made piece.
2.-Learn about the designer/artist that is producing the piece.
For example, how does the piece reflect the narrative of the artist? Does the body of work of the designer connect with this collectable piece.
3.-Find out its cultural relevance.
How is the piece connected with the time it was manufactured and how it bonds with our present times? This may show a hint on the value nowadays of the piece.
Of course, criteria may change for contemporary collectible design pieces, however one of the main characteristics we could look for in a contemporary piece, would be its cultural significance, their message about its context, and lastly the experimental use of materials, production processes.
