Posted by Lydia Kutko on April 07, 2010 02:36 p.m.
Part by part, A.R.T. has figured out the structural flaws of what may be to many would-be collectors the oft-mysterious marketing practices of the art world. In fact, via their first e-store and month-long pop-up shop in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood, husband and wife proprietors Gaby and Donald Rattner have gone ahead and sent the old model, based upon scarcity and inaccessibility, to the wrecking ball. With the March 19th launch of their inaugural portfolio, ModulA.R.T, a collection of scalable contemporary art pieces designed by the twosome, the Rattners have erected an emporium devoted to a new way of collecting, one in which the patron commissions (modules are produced on demand) and/or co-creates the final work.
For those familiar with the blue chip gallery or auction scene, it may be welcome news that A.R.T. has taken the guesswork out of pricing. Pre-assembled works designed by the original artist as well as modules are priced the same for all collectors, avid or novice, and involve no negotiation or bidding. The ModulA.R.T. portfolio offers work in three media: Wall A.R.T. (hanging modular art pieces that come in square, reticular and rhombus modules), Mural A.R.T.(artists’ wallpapers designed to be used in conjunction with Wall A.R.T. modules), and Shelf A.R.T. (known as ModuLibris, modular artist’s books that combine to create customizable words and geometric patterns). The average price of one module ranges from $38/unit to $65/unit with a minimum order of two or three units, depending on what category is selected. Mural art runs from $8 to $10 a square foot, in line with most paper wall coverings made to order. It’s anticipated that the majority of compositions will begin at $800. However, if the inner artist/collector in you is seduced by the option to create a one-of-a-kind monumental work, tailored to the sizes, shapes, textures, dimensions, and colors of your choice, the cost could inch to $2500.
Though A.R.T.'s aim is to make accessible customized, original works, the modules which compose the whole are intentionally created uniform. In addition to the Rattners’ novel vision of making and marketing unique contemporary artworks in a recession-wrought economy, it has been their basic belief that the mode of production should be aligned with dominant industries. A.R.T., in following, uses advanced digital technology to transmit files to robotically controlled machinery in remote studios, a pragmatic and modern solution to mass-customized art on the scale they envision.
Fortunately, A.R.T.has nurtured a niche that frequently remains neglected – that of the young collector. With limited budgets and evolving aesthetic inclinations, the uninitiated can take greater financial, logistical, emotional, and intellectual risks than the more established collector. The option to collect on a continuum, to grow with your art and have it grow with you, is one solution to the age-old question: Who has the right to collect? With A.R.T.'s debut portfolio, it could be you. Whether today is the day you start a collection, the Rattners will be growing alongside you with the future launch of portfolios that pull from artistic talent across the entire spectrum.