20 x 200: The Economy of Art

Though I consider myself an art appreciator, I have a difficult time investing money in art. I’ve been known to plunk down a chunk of change for a great chair or sideboard, but I always find myself stopping just short of sealing the deal when it comes to a piece of art (not so encouraging coming from a graphic designer, I know). As a result, the walls of my apartment have largely been left undecorated. A few months ago, though, I found out about 20 x 200, a site dedicated to bringing limited edition pieces of art to the masses at a variety of price levels. After some hemming and hawing, I bought my first print from the site this weekend. 20 x 200 is the brainchild of New York City gallery owner, Jen Bekman. The idea is to introduce a series of limited edition prints at a variety of sizes. The smallest size is reproduced in the largest quantity and sold at the cheapest price (200 are produced for $20 each), while the largest size is reproduced in the smallest quantity and is most expensive (2 are produced and sold for $2000 each.). Thus, every art lover is provided with the opportunity to purchase a piece of art that fits her budget. I finally settled on a Kate Bingaman-Burt illustration. Sheri introduced me to Kate’s work over a year ago, and I fell in love with her quirky illustrations and commentary on consumption. This particular illustration reminded me of a couple weeks ago when I was trying to find my checkbook in a handbag and pulled out three pairs of sunglasses (two of which were broken). So, while the Vik Muniz might have to remain on hold for awhile, 20 x 200 seems to be the perfect fit to help me finish decorating the apartment without breaking the bank. Let’s just hope my affair with this site doesn’t become the next subject for a Bingaman-Burt illustration…