The art world is heating up. Not only are auctions enjoying record-breaking sales at the high end, but a new crop of art hobbyists are creating a mass market for original art.
Much of the growth is facilitated by ecommerce, with buyers choosing the open access of the Web to purchase art. As a side benefit to migrating online, we now have more data about art than ever before. We know what sells. We know what people search for. We can start to unlock an industry that historically was largely mysterious.
At my online art company, UGallery, we collected data to understand how consumers shop for art. Here are top trends of 2015 based on search statistics.
1. Everyone Wants a Nudie Pic
Nude art ranks the top searched subject matter, with western art and sports art trailing in last place.
2. Artful Dudes are Hotter
Bachelor pad is the most popular decor type searched, followed by mid-century modern and vintage.
3. Turquoise is Trendy
Clients search for turquoise art more than any other color.
4. Out With the Old, In With Abstract
Abstract art outnumbers classical art six to one.
5. Oil Still Reigns King
Oil paintings, acrylic paintings, and watercolor paintings are the three most popular mediums.
6. Work Hard, Play Harder?
Art for the living room outnumbers art for the office almost seven to one.
7. A Day at the Beach. On a horse.
Beach and horse are the top searched terms, with dog, nude, and abstract close behind.
What's the bottom line? Art is no longer a black box industry. We know more than we ever have, and very distinct shopping patterns are emerging. While art will always be personal and intuitive, one could make a strong case that a turquoise nude for a bachelor's living room would sell quite well.