ART INVESTING with JAMES HEDGES, a Top 100 Collector

James R. ("Jim") Hedges, IV has been an active art collector and patron for over 25 years. His activities in the art world led Art and Antiques magazine to name Mr. Hedges as one of "The Top 100 Collectors in America.” With a specialized focus on photography by Andy Warhol, Jim has acquired and placed more Warhol photography than any other collector, private dealer or gallery in the world. 

In this session, Jim shares his thoughts and insights about:

- How big is the art world in financial terms?

- Who are the participants in the art market?

- What parts of the world are transparent and/or regulated?

- What is the art world investment grade universe?

- How do you invest in contemporary art?  With how much money?

- Where are the best opportunities?

- How do you value artwork?

- What sort of returns can be expected by investing in the artworld?

- Art and  Blockchain:

Blockchains, Smart Contracts, DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organization ) and ICOs have interesting use cases for artists and the art industry alike. 

For example, Blockchain could revolutionize art markets by solving questions of provenance, transparency, copyright and ownership issues. Art start-ups are already building real-world applications on blockchain.

Blockchain and smart contracts can also be used by artists to fund their project through token sales, creating their own artist coin or using it as a crowdfunding or crowd-investing tool.

Jim explains his take on those initiatives and what impact they are likely to make in the artworld.

Jim has served on The Drawings Acquisition Committee at the Museum of Modern Art, as a National Council Chair for the Aspen Art Museum, a member of the National Committee of The Anderson Ranch, a Director of The Aspen Institute’s Arts Panel, as a Trustee for The Drawing Center, a Founder of The American Friends of the Tate Gallery, a Founder of The Aspen Conversations, a Trustee of The DIA Foundation, a Trustee of ArtPace, and member of the National Committee for the Whitney Museum of American Art. He is also a former Director of The National Public Radio Foundation (NPR).

In 2016, Hedges made a gift to The Archive of American Art at The Smithsonian of “The Jimmy Hedges Papers on Outsider Art,” the largest collection of curatorial research materials on Outsider Artists. Hedges has also assisted in the publishing of artist monographs including Sigmar Polke, Robert Mangold, Sol LeWitt, Ed Ruscha and numerous others. Hedges has supported artist’s retrospectives including Roni Horn at The Whitney Museum of American Art and Sol Lewitt, at the same venue. Support has also been provided to Carl Andre and Sol Lewitt exhibits at The Aspen Institute. Hedges has also made donations of numerous artworks to major institutions such as The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art, The Menil Collection, The Dia Foundation, The Tate Modern, The Newport Art Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Hunter Museum of American Art, The Baylor School, and Girls Preparatory School.