and Dutch collector Bert Kreuk fought over contractual agreements in a famously bitter and highly public two-year legal battle;
has tried thrice over to sue German collector and former photographer
for restoring one of her works, a log cabin that had rotted, without consulting her.
Be thoughtful from the get-go
, who is represented by Malin Gallery. “Ask for the artist’s email and express how much you love the work. That way, the artist can have a say in the relationship. Just because someone buys something doesn’t mean they just bought a relationship. They have to build it.”
still remembers the conversation he had with his very first collector. “When he decided to buy the work, it felt that he was invested in it, saying ‘I believe in you so much,’” Osadebe said, adding that the exchange helped him set a framework for future interactions with buyers. “I want to feel like collectors are buying into a belief system, into my story, and are also just invested in my growth. Red flags are people who are more interested in just talking about their collection as opposed to why they connect to the work.”
Honor their work’s worth
Support beyond buying
remembers one collector who helped her with her letter of recommendation for graduate school. Recently, one of her closest collectors, Steven Abraham, has been sending her resources to help her draft stronger contracts as demand for her paintings rapidly grows.