You never experience art the same way as when you first encounter it in the gallery. When you step inside the space where art is displayed prominently, lit professionally and sur-rounded by accompanying works, you enter the narrative of the event. Every piece tells a part of a story written by gallery curators. Studies confirm that engaging with art in this manner has a physiological component, too. Visiting a gallery improves your thought processes and deepens empathy, and it can mimic the same feel-ings of falling in love. It can also sharpen your memory, help your brain create meaning, alleviate negative feelings and boost your mood as well, while you introduce your mind to the artistic story before you. We in the art world could have told you all of that ourselves. We spend a great deal of time exact-ing consideration for gallery layout and experience. See it and experience it for yourself at The Nolan Gallery.

Lebron James counts among his art collection a Hebru Brantley painting that was purchased for $20,000. In 2018, the Carters filmed inside The Louvre with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of artwork as their backdrop — the couple are avid art collectors with an estimated collection worth $70 million, and they infuse fine art into the multifaceted levels of their own craft. They are at home in this space. Russell Simmons co-founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation to expose young people to artists of color — in fact, my own work has been exhibited multiple times in the foundation’s Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series. Black artists today are in the spotlight of the contemporary art world, occupying a space buoyed up by the million- and billionaire Black celebrities who patronize their craft. The collection and cu-ration of original art — created by Black artists telling their own narratives — is growing in popu-larity and visibility. From fine arts to performance, to music, to photography, like the work I myself create and feature in The Nolan Gallery, Black art is in high demand in today’s economy. When we create art, we preserve our stories and our identities. We preserve our own visions.

Black art is more than just an image; it is an expression of culture and tradition. In the past, black art was overlooked and significantly undervalued. However, today, black art is more widely appreciated for its artistic and economic value. Those who collect black art are custodians of black history and culture globally. Collecting black art comes with several benefits, including diversifying your cultural awareness, contributing to the black economy, and providing you with the opportunity to educate those who come in contact with each art piece you collect. Collecting black art is growing in popularity, especially among celebrities including Alicia Keys, LeBron James, Jay-Z, and Russell Simmons. Jay-Z consistently makes reference to his collection of black art throughout his music career. In fact, he purchased a 1982 painting entitled ‘Mecca’ for approximately US$4.5 million which was created by the late Manhattan artist, Jean Michel Basquiat. Additionally, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, al-so known as P.Diddy, spent over US$21 million on a painting entitled ‘Past Times’ created by an African American Artist, Kerry James Marshall. Nolan W. McCants is a black artist who is passionate and focused on global fine art photography. He has travelled widely and has immersed himself in diverse cultures globally. His images are emotionally charged and authentic to the cultures they represent and are collected by new and experienced collectors. He is collected by a broad spectrum of collectors.

Fine art photography is a relatively new art form, appearing after photography was first invented in the 19th century. Since then, photography has become accessible to the average consumer, and fine art photography separated from representational and commercial photography to become a true fine art media. Since fine art photography was championed in the early 20th century by Modernist artists, it has grown into a multi-million dollar industry. Experts estimated the total market share of fine art pho-tography to be around $400 million in 2013. The most expensive photograph ever sold at auction brought in over $4 million in 2011. Photography has appealed to art collectors of all levels as a way of applying imagination to reality to create a meaningful, emotional work of art. Through photography, artists can reflect a true vi-sion of the world with only what is visible to the naked eye and create breathtaking pieces of art. Nolan’s work is a prime example of this as his work combines color, texture and clarity, bringing the stunning global photography into the spaces of his collectors.

Starting an art collection is about embracing the creativity in your life. The beginnings of a collection is the opportunity to curate a personalized expression of yourself. Your experiences, dreams, and values are what make you unique. Your art collection is your way of sharing those aspects of you with your world. You can carefully curate a collection to be anything you want it to be. Here are some reasons to begin thoughtfully collecting art. As Memory - Your collection can be as simple as unique souvenirs displayed, representing memorable places, commemorating special moments or remembering a certain time in your life. As Vision - Art can represent everything you want to be, and your collection is an opportunity to craft that vision for yourself. If you have a dream, surround yourself with art that speaks to that dream and as that dream comes true, you can turn that art into memories, sharing stories with family and friends who too are moved by your collection. Sharing - Your personality is unique and sharing your personality through art is a creative way to let people get to know you. Show off your interests, tastes, and passions to everyone entering your space through your personally curated collection.

The more defined an art collection is, the more coherent it is and therefore the more interesting it is. Large collectors tend to focus on specific themes, such as an era (say, the Italian Renaissance) or style, or on more elaborate concepts such as "Latin American women of the second half of the 18th century." However, this advice is subjective since, although it is true that it is always more powerful at the level of discourse, having a collection with a very defined criterion, pigeon-holing yourself in an era or discourse can make you lose some motivation when evolving and learning from more current or cultural times. Take into account not only the visual but also the speech What will make you take the leap to be a true collector will be the discovery of artists and works that, apart from attracting your attention due to their visual power, do so due to the power of the discourse or the research process.

The economic dimension of culture is highly visible. Of all the information available about the art market, it is often the news related to the purchase and sale of works of art that mostly manage to cross the line of the specialized sector and reach the general public. Consequently, there is a tendency to think that art collections are started with the intention of investing. Collecting art is in fact a constant and assured source of wealth. Throughout the 20th century and into this century there is a surprising correlation between economic debacles and the artistic boom; at this time, many collectors would rather expand their collection than invest in volatile stocks. Buying art finds the opportunity to make a profitable investment in a context of economic uncertainty. The collector is the one with the upper hand today, the ones who manage the market to their likings, unlike just 20 years ago, when critics, historians and even gallery owners decided an artist’s worth and what would be their market prices.

Collecting art can be about many different things. Whether to be a part of an exclusive society, to accumulate wealth, or the simple preservation of cultural heritage and history. Some do it for their mere love and passion for arts, some others for the fact that it gives them the opportunity to have unique and unrepeatable pieces. There are literally many factors that motivate art collectors. Art has immense value to global society, and that is something that the most dedicated collectors have come to understand. They feel responsible for strengthening and supporting the arts. The collector's journey always follows different paths, depending on the character of each person and their personal way of projecting themselves in art. The American collector Norton Simon, for example, in 1970 bought the Pasadena Museum of Art in California and turned it into the Norton Simon Museum. The collection that he formed over the years was thus directly linked to his name; thus preserving history and culture. Get in touch with your journey and your path as a collector.

The events of 2020 revealed many insights, but perhaps the most universal lesson imparted was this: There’s truly no place like home. It’s where we shelter to weather the storm, and art must always be a part of it. Our surroundings have a profound psychological impact on us that our instinctive selves cannot fight. A calming photograph of a beautiful landscape can soothe your nerves. Contrasting images can make you feel energized, and harmonious images can slow your thoughts. An abstract visual can shape-shift in your mind, offering a new perspective or anchoring yourself inside a mantra. When I see this place, I feel peace. When I’m in this room with powerful art, I’m alive. When I view this image, I tell myself to have hope. Our space needs to offer us many things. Escape. Permission to feel. Permission to heal. A window to a different place, and to our own imagination. This is why art must always be with us, especially in the home. It’s where we go when the soul needs comfort.