The field guide to the contemporary art world
Practical knowledge for artists and collectors.
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Pricing, galleries, contracts, taxes. The business of a practice, written plainly for emerging and mid-career artists.
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How art is priced, how to verify before you buy, and how to spend your first budget well. Without the mystique.
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A curated index of contemporary artists for 2026. Emerging, abstract, Ukrainian, and new-media practitioners.
Open Artist Directory →From the glossary
Provenance
The documented ownership history of a work of art from its creation to the present. Strong provenance, continuous ownership records, exhibition history, published references, increases a work's authenticity confidence, insurance value, and resale potential. Gaps in provenance, particularly for work produced in the 20th century, raise flags related to wartime displacement and illegal trade.
Read definitionEdition
A defined set of identical or near-identical works, typically prints, photographs, or casts, produced in a fixed and declared quantity. Each piece is numbered (e.g. 3/10), indicating its position in the run and the total edition size. Limiting editions creates scarcity, which directly affects pricing and collector confidence in resale value.
Read definitionConsignment
An arrangement under which an artist places work with a gallery or dealer for sale while retaining ownership until the work sells. The gallery earns a commission, typically 40 - 60% of the retail price, only upon sale. Unsold work is returned at the end of the consignment period. A written consignment agreement is essential.
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