Live data from Hacker News

Amazon launches Amazon Art marketplace

amazon.com

41–50 of 108 posts

Re: Amazon launches Amazon Art marketplace

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're too poor to own art whose primary defining characteristic as art is that it's too expensive for poor people to own.

Link to poor people art please? (And please don't let it be Homer Simpson art---i.e. garbage smashed together. And I don't count digital prints as art.)

Check ebay, check etsy, search google for specific types of art if you know what kind of stuff you're looking for. Art in other (poorer) countries is also far cheaper than art in first world nations.

Of course, well known artists will command serious prices, but for every well known artist, there dozens of other lesser-known artists with comparable quality and styles that you can get a lot cheaper.

Or commission your own art if there's something specific you're looking for. Once again, if you're looking for something down by a specific person, you're going to pay for that brand, but if there's a styler you're looking for, you should be able to find someone to do it for a lot less.

Re: Amazon launches Amazon Art marketplace

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're too poor to own art whose primary defining characteristic as art is that it's too expensive for poor people to own.

Link to poor people art please? (And please don't let it be Homer Simpson art---i.e. garbage smashed together. And I don't count digital prints as art.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portraits_by_Vincent_van_Gogh#D...

Some of them he couldn't even give away!

Seriously though, if you want cheap art then visit some art student graduation shows or visit the cinema. Amazon has probably moved into this area because it is high margin and they'll get a big cut and compete with eBay, not through any desire to democratize fine art, so I doubt they'd want the prices low.

Re: Amazon launches Amazon Art marketplace

#44

The only thing I discovered after browsing through that site is that I am too poor to own art.

There are price selectors on the left to filter by under $100, up to $250, etc. If you're looking for originals at that pricepoint, you might be limited to abstract pieces that are quicker to produce.

Outside of this site, there are studios in China which will replicate pictures or paintings quite affordably - I have a 2000x1000mm copy that cost more to stretch than commission (The original: http://luxxurylivving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Francoi...).

Another option is to hit up student exhibitions at high school or college level and find rough gems.

Re: Amazon launches Amazon Art marketplace

#45
I've only looked over their painting selection, but I have seen far nicer works go for far less at Skinner's and Sotheby's auctions (in and near Boston).

If this site jives your interest at all, I highly recommend looking through an art auction catalog. You can find GORGEOUS 18th and 19th century pieces for excellent prices (Less than $2000) at many auctions.

Here's a Skinner's online catalog:

http://issuu.com/skinnerinc/docs/2655b_paintings/1

(It's worth noting that everyone likes different things, and its entirely possible I am unimpressed with Amazon's offering because its different than most of my aesthetic expectations, and not because the art Amazon is offering is unimpressive.)

Re: Amazon launches Amazon Art marketplace

#49

I just don't get it, 20k for pieces like this: http://www.amazon.com/Firecracker/dp/B00E70BZ3K/ref=sr_1_22?... I wonder if people would appraise it quite as highly without context, and the painter's life story.

Relatively famous artist (in his circle), and dead almost 20 years. With a work like that it's at least as much of an investment.
Post reply on HN