Art and the Images of Corporate America
   by Judith Selkowitz

A slack economy and corporate cost-cutting have left American businesses with less to spend for art. This may not, after all, be such a bad thing: There is less buying of big names with big price tags, and more of a need to experiment. Instead of buying major pieces that shout "We have arrived!" companies want to show that they are vibrant, confident organizations.

Corporate collecting has, as a result, gone in some new directions.

Companies are often choosing more topical art, art that says something about their industries, about their locations, and about their spirits. American scenes and antique Americana - quilts, posters and the like - help create an upbeat atmosphere. Photography commissions can satisfy limited budgets.

Some companies take a fun, eclectic approach, blending the topical and the abstract. Companies can display works by young and emerging artists that reflect their own growth and vitality.

Tough times also mean that those who do want a recognized artist can find bargains. One firm recently bought a Roy Lichtenstein print, priced at $50,000 in 1990, for $25,000. The same firm showed that bargains can be mined from an existing collection. A Robert Mangold print, badly framed and awkwardly displayed, was reframed and rehung at little cost. It now shines as one of the prizes of the collection.

A word of advice to corporate art collectors though: Despite the bargains, you are not buying soybean futures, so make sure you and your employees can live with your art through many business cycles to come. Look for pieces that bring energy to your organization. Collect art with the same zest you bring to your business.

Maximize

Art and Corporate America
Contract 11/00

Judy Selkowitz '62 and Art Advisory Services
Columns 11/98 

Interview with...Judith Selkowitz
L'Optimiste 4/23/97