Affordable Art: Papier 12

Montreal’s contemporary art fair Papier 12 pleasantly surprised me.

Affordable art fairs, such as, Papier 12 introduce future collectors and collectors with limited funds and enthusiasts to the pleasures of collecting quality contemporary art in a funky, inspiring and informative environment, offering hundreds of works to choose from.

Works on paper are usually far more affordable than paintings or sculpture, but no less compelling. I think works on paper are a great place to start when you are new to collecting, since you don’t need to be an art expert or a millionaire to enjoy and buy art. Art works start around $100.00 and moving all the way up to $80,000 (kind of only affordable if you are a Hedge Fund Advisor). With the price tag for buying art, at times cheaper than a trip to IKEA aspiring collectors can easily buy an original work of art for their home.

The majority of artists presented at Papier 12 are regional artists, who have not yet entered the international art scene, thus not carrying a premium for their reputation, these galleries are able to offer works at somewhat reasonable prices. If these new collectors hang on to these works, it is possible that their value will double or triple in few years time.

In an effort to education aspiring collectors, Papier 12 also offered a round table discussion on Saturday afternoon dedicated to the practice of art collecting and the integration of art into the home.

Papier 12 ends Sunday April 15^th at 6 p.m. entry is free

All photographs © Juan Madrigal