For those blessed with deep pockets, the art market is a hugely exciting cultural forum, which gives them direct access to artists and the thrilling act of creation. For those a little harder up, it is a ridiculously bloated, commodity-driven asset class that confuses luxury with aesthetic appreciation.
BAAM offers a chance to dip your feet into art ownership without breaking the bank
Of course, it is not so clear-cut, but there does appear to be a dearth of more reasonably-priced options. The Berlin Affordable Art Market attempts to address that imbalance, taking a collaborative approach that gives lesser-known artists the chance to sell their work directly to the public rather than mediated through the gallery system.
Taking place twice a year, BAAM exhibits more than 2,000 artworks from around 200 artists at prices ranging from €50 to €5,000. There are definitely a few nuggets to be found here, maybe even the chance to discover an emerging Berlin-based artist.
A word of caution: the lively atmosphere, fueled by alcohol and pulsating music, may tempt regrettable purchases. Ultimately, however, that’s all part of the fun; buying art is always a risk, but at these prices you’ve got little to lose.
This is the seventh edition of the market and takes place at Monopol, a former distillery in the north of Berlin. We cannot speak for the selection of work on offer – that’s down to your taste – but some good local artists are participating, and the city has more than its fair share of those.
- Jun 7-9, Monopol, Provinzstraße 40-44, Reinickendorf, details.
