Is big art better?

The importance of the size of an artwork is sometimes underestimated. It's not just a matter of the space available, i.e. it has to fit on the wall (or on the floor, if it's a sculpture), but it's a question of effect and impact sought after. Many of us are used to art being bought to fit a space here and there, in between the family portrait and the bookshelf, or over the chest next to the antique map, but art is so much more than a wall filler.

Large artworks can transform rooms, they add energy, they can set the mood. In fact, size has to be considered an artistic decision, a large artwork is fundamentally different than a small artwork, and because of the size and impact, it should be considered integral part of the room, not an afterthought. Sometimes it's even makes sense to first place the artwork, then fit the room around it. The effect can be dramatic.

Cloud I by artist Nando Alvarez is the biggest artwork currently for sale on Artfinder. You might need a garden!

Interestingly, more and more Artfinder customers seem to have come to the same conclusion. In 2016, sales of art larger than 6,400 cm2 (1,000 sq. inches) is up a huge 43% relative to 2015. Maybe because people have come to realise that you can get very good value for your money when you spend a bit more (average item value in this segment is £560 ($740) in the UK, and £680 ($900) in the US).

The charts above and below show that although our biggest category of art (1,000 sq. inches and above) accounts for only 11% of our orders, it provides a whopping 37% of our revenues (so bigger is better for the artists too!)

So let's take a moment to celebrate BIG. Big artworks can transform rooms, they add energy and the wow-factor. Big is about drama. But buying big is no drama, it's all conveniently accessible right here in your browser. So take a minute, consider the fact that big is no longer exclusively for galleries and museums.

Header image: 'The Agonizing Anxiety to Find Someone to Worship' by Vladimir Nazarov