The current arrival of the Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong may have inspired you to invest in a masterpiece without draining a fortune, but what if you have A-list taste – specifically in the vein of Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami?
The living legend’s work is some of the world’s most sought after, with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Kim and Kanye, Leonardo DiCaprio and Paris Hilton splashing millions to connect his ‘Superflat’ style and ‘otaku’ themes with their home interiors.
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The good news is you can too: via limited edition prints. Chris Belmont of art dealership Kumi Contemporary explains, “Andy Warhol was one of the pioneers of the limited edition movement, whereby a short run of high quality signed and numbered prints are produced by the artist. Collecting limited edition prints has opened up the market to newer and younger collectors and prints by modern masters have become as collectible as original works. The demand to own a Takashi Murakami in particular has exploded in recent years and this has inevitably meant that prices are increasing drastically.”
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Murakami’s Flower Balls series are among the most popular prints for 2019, and you’re looking at just HK$12,000 for one, as opposed to millions for the originals. “Hong Kong is traditionally one of the biggest markets for Japanese contemporary art, but the rest of the world is playing catch up fast and Hongkongers are seeing competition closing in from the UAE and the States. I’d advise to get in there early, and use a well-connected and reputable dealer, one that can verify the authenticity of the artwork,” adds Mr. Belmont.
Editor
James Wong