Need a sculpture to tie a room together? You'll probably be able to find one at SOFA Chicago, the long-running art fair that returns to Navy Pier this weekend (Nov 7–9). Bringing together sculptures, objects and functional art from nearly 70 galleries, SOFA allows visitors to view (and purchase) a wide range of contemporary art. If you've never bought a piece of art before, entering a hall filled with collectors, gallerists and artists can be a bit intimidating. We asked fair director Donna Davies to provide us with some tips for first-time art buyers attending SOFA this weekend.
What is the best way for a first-time buyer to prepare to shop for a piece at SOFA?
Our website is a perfect place to begin. You can see a list of all of the exhibitors coming to this year’s show and read press releases which include photos of some of the highlights. When you come to SOFA Chicago, it’s best to take things in stride. If you have the ability to view the show over the course of multiple days, we recommend it. The great thing about SOFA is that the galleries are very accessible—they want to meet you and talk to you. We also have somewhere between 700-800 artists in attendance, so in many cases you’re able to meet the artists themselves and learn more about the pieces.
When is the best time to come and shop for pieces?
If you’re able to attend the opening-night preview on Thursday night, it’s the best time to purchase pieces before anyone else has seen them. The public preview is a ticketed event ($50) that runs from 7–9pm on Thursday night. It’s the only time that you're guaranteed to see every piece—sometimes a gallery will sell a piece on Thursday night and then remove it from the floor for delivery and installation."
Vivian Beer, "Anchored Candy no.7", Represented by Wexler Gallery. Price: $28,000.
How much should you expect to spend on low-end, midrange and high-end pieces?
That’s a difficult question to answer, because everyone has a different threshold. High-end pieces are generally large-scale installations that require quite a bit of space, so prices for these works range from $100,000 to $350,000. Items in the midrange are what you’ll predominantly find at SOFA, and those pieces are usually priced between $15,000 to $50,000. You’ll mostly find pieces by emerging artists on the low-end, and those pieces can be purchased for $1,000 to $4,000.
Do have any advice for individuals who want to find a piece to invest in?
As any gallerist would tell you, if you bought and you love it, then it will increase in value. As a general rule, art does not lose its value. When you’re in the contemporary market place, you’re dealing with living artists, so it depends on what your interest level is. Some collectors want to invest in a young artist, follow their career and see how their work evolves. Other collectors are more interested in established artists that have museum collections and have been exhibiting their work. The best thing to do is to speak to the gallerists, who can educate about you about a particular artist. All of the work at SOFA is collectible—we’ve taken that guesswork out of the equation, because we’ve vetted the galleries and confirmed that they're providing high-quality pieces.
Sheryl Zacharia, "Pinstriped Vessel #3", Represented by Tansey Contemporary. Price: $3,600.
Are there any programs in place to help guide new buyers at the festival?
SOFA Selects is something that we created last year as a way to help guide anyone who is new to SOFA or collecting. We have tapped a number of curators, critics, designers and noted tastemakers and asked them to pick their favorite pieces that will be at SOFA Chicago and provide some commentary about why they like them. You can view the pieces online and they’ll be noted by a sign on the show floor. If it’s your first time, you’re feeling intimidated and don’t feel comfortable talking to a gallerist, it provides another way to navigate the fair.