Art For Sale, USA
Where to find Art for Sale, USA
There are lots of places to buy art for sale in the USA, but below are six of the main places.
Chelsea and SoHo are the most famous art districts within the city, but not the only options. New York City has well over 500 galleries, ranging from boutique studios to famous commercial and not-for-profit organizations. If you are planning a trip to buy art, it is therefore definitely worth planning ahead.
Birthplace of Georgia O’Keefe, Santa Fe is the second largest art market in the USA - after New York. The main place to buy art is Canyon Road, which attracts collectors from around the world with its diverse range of art.
Los Angeles has an Art District, which earned its cultural status when the Southern California Institute of Architecture moved-in 1972. However, this is not the only place to buy art in Los Angeles: Silver Lake and Los Feliz host numerous galleries, representing local artists; Gallery Row has a wide mix of galleries, including public museums, commercial galleries, and artist-run businesses.
Miami offers a trendy setting for buying art, so it should be no surprise that Art Basel has quickly developed such a strong world profile. Galleries located in the three key art districts - Wynwood Art District, the Design District, and the Coral Gables District - combine to offer something for art buyers of all interests.
River North has the highest concentration of art galleries in the USA outside of Manhattan, and is therefore highly recommended. West Fulton Street, and West Lake Street also host a number of galleries.
South of Market area (SoMa) has many galleries, many of which are highly fashionable and turn into bars or clubs at night. San Francisco's Chicano and Latino community centres around The Mission District, with the art for sale in this area strongly reflecting the communities identity. Downtown San Francisco hosts most of the institutional galleries are located.
Famous Art Galleries in the United States
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. MoMa holds a massive amount of art and curatorial information, and is one of the most influential museums of modern, contemporary art in the world.
The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (‘The Met’), New York. The Met's ultimate goal is highly ambitious: to bring art to everyone. Its collection reflects this ambition by featuring works from nearly every age and discipline.
National Gallery of Art, Washington. The National Gallery's collection spans from the middle ages right-up to the present, many of which are from America and Europe.
The Guggenheim museum, New York. The Guggenheim is best known for its impressive collection of famous Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and Contemporary art.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA), LA. MoCA consists of three sites, each with its own focus:
- The Geffen Contemporary hosts large installation pieces, often by lesser known artists.
- MOCA Downtown hosts multiple contemporary masterpieces from the likes of Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
- MOCA also has a space at the Pacific Design Center, which it uses to present work by emerging and established artists, and host public education programs.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art runs over 20 exhibits and over 300 art programs. It focuses solely on art from the 20th and 21st century, and you will find work from the likes of Jackson Pollock, Paul Lee, and Ansel Adams.
The P.S 1 Contemporary Art Center, Long Island City, New York. Named after a former public house, P.S 1 is the second largest not-for-profit contemporary arts center in the U.S. It embraces innovative art for its exhibitions that attract a large crowd all year round.
Significant Artists from the United States
Viewed as the leader of the pop art movement, Andy Warhol 1928 – 1987 was also a record producer, author and socialite. His earlier pieces were of iconic American products such as Campbell’s Soup and Coca Cola. He also painted portraits of stars like Marilyn Monroe, Muhammed Ali, and Elizabeth Taylor. His last series revolved around his Catholic beliefs, and perhaps his most famous work, The Last Supper cycle is perceived by many as his greatest.
A lot of Ansel Adams (1902 – 1984) work has been printed thousands of times over for households around the world. He was responsible for the ‘Zone System’ in which high clarity in photos can be achieved.
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887 – 1986) is best known for her portrayal of flowers, rocks, shells, animal bones, and landscapes, combining abstraction with realism. She was one of the few artists to deliver an American influence to the European art scene at the time.
Although he rejected the classification, Mark Rothko (1903-1970) is considered by most as an abstract expressionist.
Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) shared the same dealer as Rothko - a man called Sidney Janis. Pollock was an abstract expressionist – his work has appeared in galleries including MoMA and the Tate in London.
A Short History of the United States Art Scene
In the 18th century, many United States artists painted portraits of well-known figures of the time, such as the Presidents of the United States. There were also many paintings depicting historical events like famous battles and mass-celebrations.
As people started to travel more during the 19th Century, there was a surge of stunning scenery paintings. The great U.S scenery still inspires many United States artists today. The cultures of the American natives also became a popular subject.
From the start of the 20th century, many United States artists started to push back against the traditions of the rest of art world. They developed Cubism and Modernism. After the Second World War, Abstract Expressionism became a key movement. At this point, the world started to see the USA as the epicenter of the art - rather than Europe, and in particular, Paris. With a few short exceptions, New York has been the most important, innovative art scene in the world.
Buying art for sale in the USA today is an enjoyable experience, with the sheer amount of choice meaning that trips are best planned in advance.