Grosse Kunst für kleines Geld

Thirty years ago Erling Kagge bought his first art. A signed and numbered litograph that looked a bit like Edvard Munch. The black-haired woman portrayed reminded him of his first girlfriend. And because he didn't have much money with him, he traded the artwork for two bottles of Bordeaux. "We emptied the bottles the same night. I still have the print." Its value hasn't gone up in all these years - unlike American painter Richard Prince's "Surfing Nurse," a painting Kagge spotted in a New York gallery and bought for $50,000. He would have liked to keep it, but then he saw that "all the rich Russians, Chinese, and Africans really wanted Richard Prince, too," so four years later he sold the painting for a hundred times that amount. Yes, you can spend a lot of money on the art market and reap rewards, but you don't have to, says Kagge. If you remain curious, trust your judgement, have a good dose of taste, resist trends and have a bit of luck, you can become a successful collector even as a beginner. Just like Erling Kagge. This amusing and anecdotal guide provides illuminating insights into the art business. He shows that it is not the small talk at the next party, but the long and sometimes adventurous path through the world of art that shapes one's own understanding of art - and leads to a very personal and exquisite collection.