Digital BW, The Print

mantinieri wrote:
> But if you are a fine-art collector willing to invest hundred of thousand of dollars in a print, would you put your investment in an inkjet print?
>   

Ah. Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) as a marketing technique. Quaint.

I reject your premise. Very few photographs of any kind are selling in 
the $100,000+ USD range. Those that are, are bought for their unique 
qualities, from beauty, to historical importance, to rarity. Prints in 
this range don't sell because of the printing techniques. They don't. 
Any of the AIPAD dealers (some of whom sell photography in this price 
range) will confirm this.

Personally, I've bought a number of prints, from silver gelatin to dye 
transfer to inkjet. One of my favorites is a beautiful IRIS print that I 
bought for $225 CA. I was this Toronto artist's first ever print sale. 
This was at least 15 years ago and the print still looks like it was 
printed yesterday. Everything I've read about the early IRIS dye prints 
indicates that the print should have faded into oblivion years ago. It 
would have been a bargain at twice the price even if it had.

At my level people don't "invest" in art. They buy art because it brings 
them pleasure. Sometimes just the pleasure of creating a collection. 
Mostly just to enjoy art on their walls. Even at this level people 
rarely ask about the printing technique.

People buy art for all kinds of reasons. But FUD isn't one of them.
--
Bruce Watson