New Auckland art gallery opens

New Auckland art gallery opens – in line with growing demand for affordable art

A new art gallery – Art for Less – opens in Auckland on May 1 to meet the growing demand for affordable art.

Art for Less, at 375 Parnell Road, is an exciting new addition to the growing New Zealand art industry.

It has been created as a member of the Ferner Galleries Group to offer new art collectors an introduction to the art market, Art for Less director Helene Phillips said today.

`` Art investment in New Zealand is flourishing. It is one of the best long term investments. The art market doubled in value last year and many new entrants, although keen to become involved, find buying art for investment should be a carefully planned strategy with well established criteria.’’

With 20 years experience in the resale of high quality original New Zealand art behind it, Art for Less will attract collectors who wish to invest at a modest level while they increase their knowledge and take advantage of the expertise offered by one of New Zealand’s leading art dealers.

The gallery will offer about 100 paintings, prints and sculptured works all valued under $5000 each, with a further 300 artworks available for purchase on their website. Artworks by some of New Zealand’s most well known artists will be shown at the gallery. Art for Less will feature works by prominent established artists such as Kura Te Waru Rewiri, Bill Sutton (whose works have sold for up to $90,000), E Mervyn Taylor and Juliet Peter (up to 50,000) to name a few. Ms Phillips said she saw a need for new collectors to feel secure in entering the market by buying art at the lower level.

``There’s a growing level of publicity for the sale of art particularly the sale of major works over $100,000,’’ she said.

``That publicity has increased the number of buyers in the art world. These people may not be comfortable entering at the higher level but they are keen to buy into the affordable art market. So buyers at Art for Less will be able to purchase good quality works by major artists, with confidence.’’

National art finance company Index Group said there was an opening in the market for an art gallery with lower priced works like Art for Less.

``Over the last couple of years there have been a huge number of new entrants attracted to the art market,’’ Index Group director Adam Parore said today. ``The price point for a lot of these people is below $5000. New entrants historically bought prints and lithographs but they are now turning to originals. They can secure lesser works by major artists or works by unknown artists now that in 10-15 years time may become major artists.’’ Art for Less opens its doors for the first time at 10am on Saturday May 1.

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