Although art is universal, discovering and purchasing work you both connect with and can afford is a challenge.
“When you think about finding art today, typically you’re going to a gallery which is quite intimidating, or you’re on a product marketplace online which is very cold and transactional, or maybe you’re on Instagram and you find something cool but you don’t know how to buy it or if it’s the right amount to spend,” says Kendall Warson, cofounder and CEO of the San Francisco-based art app Cohart.
Artists, too, have limited options for finding new audiences. Only around 15 percent of artists have art gallery representation but, with galleries typically keeping between half to 70 percent of sales, even those who do aren’t benefiting from the system the way they should.
The SF-based Cohart app.(Courtesy of Cohart)
That ineffective status quo has not only left the majority of artists without a reliable way to sell their work, it's prevented art lovers from finding pieces that they both appreciate and have the ability to purchase. Cohart fills that cavernous gap between mass-produced Wayfair and Ikea art and the often extremely expensive pieces sold in galleries, creating a platform in which both artist and buyers come together organically.
The result is a new era of inclusivity and accessibility for the art world, a chance to redefine the art collector.
“If you already own art, you are a collector,” says Warson, who previously worked as a designer with fashion magnates Diane von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs, and as a global immersive art curator.
Since launching in 2022, Cohart has brought more than 6,000 artists to the platform, including painters, sculptors, photographers, and ceramicists that hail from all over the world. The site’s art-curious users, too, are a global audience, one that’s multiplied from 500 monthly users in December 2023 to 8,000 users today.
Potential buyers can find artist storefronts directly or use the app’s curation tools to discover pieces that evoke the vibes they seek including “joyful,” “minimalist,” and “dreamy.” If you’re looking for something specific, personal art advisors can help you find it.
Cohart cofounder and CEO Kendall Warson.(Courtesy of Cohart)
“The first thing that we always emphasize is that everyone’s art collection is their own,” says Warson. “If you are really attracted to poppy colors and bright aesthetics, and that’s what you want your art to feel like, you should embrace that. Or if you want something more moody or melancholic—there’s no such thing as someone’s taste being better than another’s.”
This spring, Cohart will also be rolling out new ways to interface with artists and their work like live stream studio visits—including some from the Bay Area—celebrity cohosted drops, and high profile events like the recent Prabal Gurung Fall 2024 show at New York Fashion Week. New search tools will allow users to seek out artists in specific locations and to build individual social networks.
“Art is a financial investment, but it’s also an emotional investment,” says Warson. “For people beginning their art collection journey, Cohart is a great place to start.”
// Download the Cohart app from Apple or Google Play; cohart.com.
