Vita Sarenas’ 10 tips in buying art

One of the most respected and trusted names in the Philippine art scene is Finale Art File’s Vita Sarenas.

After graduating with a Fine Arts degree from the College of the Holy Spirit, Vita found herself restless after every three years trying various jobs — from teaching Humanities and Art appreciation at the University of Mindanao,  working in an advertising agency,  to designing textiles then as a gallery assistant. In 1983, together with her friends, she decided to take the  plunge by putting up an art gallery.

Vita, who has been an active figure in the art scene for more than three decades, has probably become restless once again because of her upcoming Finale Auctions on Oct. 13 and 14.

At these auctions, which will be held together with Vita’s partners watch specialist Paolo Martel and art collector Jayson Ong, one will see hard-to-find works of masters, fine jewelry and one-of-a-kind watches.

I visited Vita and asked about her thoughts on art. She said, “Art collecting is a challenge.  It’s exciting. It can be addicting. It’s best to build your own collection yourself.  Your choices speak of you!  Nobody can tell you what to buy or what direction you go to in collecting. Appreciating art is personal. What can be beautiful to some can be ugly to you or vice versa.”

She added, “One’s taste changes, though, through the years. Most collectors I know started from somewhere — from mother-and-child theme,  landscapes, or still lifes —  buying only what they can relate to.  From print to drawing, watercolor to oil or acrylic to installation, photograph, from realist to impressionist, from expressionist to abstract. One’s level of appreciation changes depending on one’s exposure and education.”

(From left) Paolo and Cris Martel, Vita Sarenas, JJ Atencio and Jayson Ong during a preview of April 2018 collection.

Read on as Vita shares with us 10 tips in buying art.

1. Educate yourself.  Visit museums, art galleries, art fairs, pop-up shows and see a lot of art. Read! Art is in the newspapers, magazines and books and everything you want to know about art and artists is on the internet. Familiarize yourself with various styles — realist, impressionist, abstracts, etc. Know about mediums — watercolor, oil,  charcoal, on paper or on canvas, etc. Figure out the type of art you like.

2. Meet people. It is certain you will meet people in the art world when you frequent galleries and museums. Talk to gallery owners or operators who are better informed, have better selection and  have more accurate pricing. They also deal in higher quality art and more collectible artists. 

Talk to other collectors.  Good art collectors are people who truly appreciate and love what they acquire. Know what motivates them to buy what they collect. Meet the artist, too, as it will help you understand and appreciate the work of an artist better.

3. Attend art auctions. Whether live or online auctions, you will learn about the value of art from them. Auctions can be overwhelming but they are a good way to learn the various styles and value of art, and to know what you like.

4. Intrinsic value. Look at the artwork and see its intrinsic value. What attracts you to it? What does it say to you? What makes it beautiful? Can you live with it? 

Buy art for the art itself.  Not because it’s well framed. A frame can only enhance the artwork. The artwork must be able to stand on its own with or without a frame. 

Do not simply buy because of the brand, like everybody wants one and you would also like to join the caravan.

5. Authentication papers. A good collector does not need proof that his artworks are authentic. He knows that his collection is authentic because he is exposed and educated in art. He did his homework.

6. Set a budget. If you are confident and decided on what you like and know its value, set a budget and stick to it.

7. Buy from reputable galleries.

8. Art as an investment. You may buy what you like but if you are going to spend hard-earned money, it is best to buy an investment piece. Keep in mind, though, that investing in art, like any other investment, can be a good one or a bad one.

9. Provenance. Keep receipts, invoice and any documentation of the artwork you acquire as they can be used to authenticate and value the art piece in time.

10. The right artwork must be something  you really love and can live with. It’s something that you really want and you can afford to pay for it.

(To know more about Finale’s coming auction, visit www.finaleauctions.com, e-mail [email protected] or call 0917-7131610.)

Vita with artists and friends.

(We welcome your suggestions and comments. Please e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Instagram @monsromulo.)