Biddington's

Corporate Collectors' Frequently Asked Questions

Who buys art at Biddington's?

Our art buyers include experienced fine art collectors, corporations, decorators, fledgling art collectors and people who simply want something interesting to fill a space. Our clients come from all over the world: down the block in New York City, in the heartland of America and abroad including Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia.

Can you provide fine art that is appropriate for corporate environments?

Biddington's understands that businesses and corporations--especially in public venues--have suitability criteria that may be different from that of a private collector. Since we offer many visual styles, we are able to provide a selection of quality work customized to corporate needs and sensitive to a business environment.

Does "suitable" and "appropriate" mean that the artwork is merely decorative?

Biddington's sells fine art--not decor. All works we provide are original works by artists who bring freshness and innovation to their preferred style of expression. We do not sell reproductions.

Can you provide art that relates to our business and that our clients and employees will enjoy?

"Suitable" also means that the art meets your own business goals. Biddington's will tailor-make your proposal to whatever your needs are in terms of themes, imagery or stylistic preferences. Conveying your specific corporate vision through quality art is our goal.

How does Biddington's choose its artists?

Initially, we select our artists through peer review. We find that talented artists with solid exhibition histories tend to send us other fine artists whose work they respect for its quality and invention. Once introduced, we visit the artists in their studios to make a further assessment of their suitability for Biddington's.

What other criteria do you use in selecting artists?

Our artists typically have solid exhibition histories with established art galleries, works in significant corporate collections and/or works in major museum collections. Some of our artists have price histories with key auction houses. Please review the artists' biography pages included in this catalogue.

Does this mean you sell only one type of art?

On the contrary, we follow many veins of art: Realism (including still life, landscape, figuration and portraiture), Pop art, Abstraction (traditional and new), Conceptual art, Digital art, and sculpture (wood, stone, metal, mixed-media, stabile and kinetic). We travel all over the world seeking artists who represent a broad range of aesthetic approaches and visual styles.

Doesn't contemporary art have to look "new" and "trendy" to be important?

Important, innovative contemporary art is being created in diverse expressive modes. We offer works in an array of presentation styles so that our clients can choose an approach that is meaningful and engaging for them. Biddington's goal is to edit work for quality--not to impose any specific taste on a client.

Our business owns a collection of objects related to our industry. Can you help us in displaying it?

Biddington's can integrate your pre-existing collection (objects or art) into our proposal and offer advice and fulfillment on presenting it effectively.

Our region is noted for its fine craftspeople and artisans. Can you include some of those works in your proposal?

Biddington's welcomes the opportunity to include the work of respected local artists and artisans in your art program.

Can Biddington's arrange for corporate portraits?

We have relationships with artists who are noted for the quality of their portraiture.

How do we get started on this entire corporate art project?

Either via telephone or, preferably, in person, Biddington's meets with your corporate representatives to focus on your art needs and goals. If you are uncertain of those requirements, this meeting will help to clarify them. From that meeting, we should be able to proceed in designing a program fitted to your needs.

Can Biddington's make our program proposal in-person to our art committee and key decision makers?

Depending on your wishes, we can present your art program proposal in a slideshow at your offices, in print materials and/or on the Internet.

Who takes care of expenses and logistics of framing, transporting and installing our corporate art?

Biddington's will handle all these services. Unless you request otherwise, these services are included in our overall budget proposal to your business.

Our building is under construction. When can we proceed with the art portion of the project?

We can begin making proposals from architects' and designers' plans so that art can be installed as soon as construction allows. Biddington's is familiar with protocols for installing art at union jobsites.

Can you present proposals for large-scale and site-specific corporate art?

We have access to artwork, artists, sculptors, fabricators and other resources well beyond the works we present in this catalogue or on our website. Biddington's is pleased to offer site-specific designs.

Does Biddington's make a bid or does our business provide the budget?

We will work however you prefer; of course, a general idea of your budget parameters is necessary in helping us to present a suitable proposal on a timely basis.

Who is accountable for the progress of our corporate art project?

Biddington's oversees every aspect of a corporate art program: from presentations, contracts and regular budget reports, to the installation and documentation of each work purchased.

How will our art budget be allocated and who accounts for its expenditure?

Biddington's proposal will outline the various categories of expenses and apportion the budget so that you can anticipate how your art dollars will be spent. Categories will include art purchase costs, framing costs, transportation costs, installation costs, design costs, fabrication costs and our fees. As we proceed with the project, Biddington's will provide an ongoing accounting of actual expenditures.

How are Biddington's fees determined?

Our fees are based on a percentage of the total program budget. Biddington's negotiates prices directly with artists and studios; this procedure, which results in a nearly wholesale purchase price, saves our clients many thousands of dollars per project.

Will our corporate art go up in price?

By selecting artists who have substantial resumes and delivering the work at a near wholesale cost, Biddington's is increasing the chances that the art will appreciate in value. Since we sell only original art by serious professionals, we consider the art to be "investment grade". However, contemporary art is always at the more speculative end of the investment spectrum. For buyers interested primarily in investment, we can make specific recommendations and proposals.

Can you advise our business on acquiring work by other artists at auction or through dealers?

Biddington's can provide bidding assistance and art market advice on a fee basis. We can also provide ongoing acquisition advice and suggestions to enhance your core collection. Should you wish to sell or trade items from your collection, we can assist and advise in that process as well.

Contact us to schedule an appointment or for more information:
Email Link to Biddington's
webmaster@biddingtons.com

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