Stop staring blankly at blank walls and start staring blankly at beautiful, art-adorned walls
Many of us have been spending more time at home recently than we may have ever expected. So maybe you’re OK with bare walls or that one Pulp Fiction poster you’ve owned since university (you know the one), or maybe you’re wanting to add a little art to your home.
Trouble is, where do you start? People can feel intimidated when buying art, or that they can’t afford it. But there’s a huge world of art out there, with something for every taste and budget. Our tip? Buy art that you love, that makes you feel something. At the end of the day, it’s going in your house, so unless you’re buying art as an investment, the most important thing is to buy art that you love. Here's where to buy art in Melbourne, no matter the budget.
Outré Gallery specialises, in their own words, in “contemporary international pop, lowbrow, pop surrealism, modern folk and underground art”. With prices that range from “yes I could afford that” to “my car cost less than this”, it’s a great place for gifts for your more discerning (and deserving) friends. Some works are available unframed but most have framing included in the price (great if you want some art that's ready to hang on your wall).
With IRL markets a little tenuous of late, the Finders Keepers turned its regular independent designer markets into an online marketplace. It's here you can source prints, framed and unframed works, photography and sculptures from the Victorian and Australian artists usually featured in the regular pop-up markets.
Café and art gallery Creamtown initially opened online back in 2020 as an online collective showcasing work by artists financially affected by the shutdowns. Photographer Isaebella Doherty founded the company, and since its inception, has raised over $150,000 through the platform. The online business was then expanded into a cafe, which you can visit next time you're in the Castlemaine region. Prints start at $100.
The NGV International plays host to one of the best design stores in the city, collaborating with artists, designers and makers to supply shoppers with interesting and contemporary products. If you love a certain work currently on show at the gallery, there's a good chance you'll be able to buy it as an art print to take home and frame, with some of the gallery's most famous works (for example, 'Collins Street 5 p.m.' by John Brack and 'Banquet of Cleopatra' by Giambattista Tiepolo).
Bluethumb has really done the hard yards to demystify and democratise the process of buying art. The online-only gallery gathers together more than 15,000 artists and curates them in very user-friendly categories. Do you want abstract art? Done. Looking for illustration? Too easy. If you find the process of buying art daunting, Bluethumb is for you. Pricing runs the full gamut too, with works suitable for most budgets.
Flinders Lane Gallery nurtures the passion of both new and seasoned art lovers while also supporting emerging, mid-career and First Nations artists. The gallery sells works from a huge number of contemporary artists, and also offers a range of high calibre prints. Both options are easily accessible online and the gallery has a digital service where they can virtually "try out" works in your home.
Tolarno prides itself on unearthing and nurturing young Australian artists. It has inhabited several spaces over the years but has found a fine home currently on the corner of Flinders Lane. If you want to own a slice of someone who might be huge in the next few years – or a slice of someone who's already making waves – Tolarno might have what you need. Just remember you can't put a price on art.
