By William Li • Photographs by Stephanie Zollshan
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting to follow the art scene in the Berkshires, William Li has advice for you. After decades of leading brands for Condé Nast and Ralph Lauren, he started a business called Armature Projects, which aims to make the art-buying process easy, turnkey, and fun. (Oh, he’s also a Columbia County resident and a contributing editor to The B.)
Li works with collectors, architects, and designers in curating art from a diverse group of emerging and mid-career artists, many of them based in the area. We asked him to share some of his wisdom.
What makes the Berkshires a boon for collectors?
So many amazing artists live in the area and are inspired by their surroundings—a lot of them paint landscapes. I can usually help clients find that right piece locally. It helps that the galleries in our area are the furthest thing from intimidating.
How should someone get started?
It’s a lot of discovery at the beginning. Are you looking for a painting? A sculpture? Ceramics? Art is so paralyzing to many people, so my goal is to get them comfortable with liking what they like. I encourage my clients to go to galleries and check out exhibits—they change every month or so—and start training their eye. You don’t have to buy something—just go in and look around. Our area is also so rich with museums. There’s The Clark and MASS MoCA, of course. A little farther afield are wonderful museums at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson and at Smith College in Northampton.
I encourage people to take notes and make mood boards. If you look at something and you’re like, “Wow, I really respond to that,” or it makes you feel happy or moves you, you’re on the right course. It doesn’t have to be this intense, fully thought-out historical academic relationship with a piece. There are two types of collectors: people who buy spontaneously and people who really shape collections. Both approaches are good. I wish I had been more intentional about my collecting, but on the other hand, I live in a home filled with everything I love.
One of the artists Li works with is Dai Ban, an abstract sculptor with a studio in Great Barrington, and he told us what drew him to Ban’s work. “Dai’s sculptures are incredibly elegant. And when you look at them, you can’t tell what they were made of. Often they look like stone or metal. But what he does is apply Venetian plaster to foam board and create these really worked-up patinas. They have a lush vibrancy to them, but they’re also super lightweight. He has started working in porcelain and cement as well. Dai is Japanese, and there is this incredible sense of simplicity to the work, but like all things that are Japanese and simple, they’re not simple at all.”
daibanstudio.com
What’s the biggest challenge when buying art?
People can get caught up in doubt, wondering, Is this piece right for me? Who’s the artist? Is it going to increase in value? None of that really matters. When most people start to buy art, they tend to choose pieces that are very personal. When they ask if a piece is worth buying, my answer is, “Do you love it?” It’s not unlike spending money on jewelry, furniture, a car, or travel—art should bring you joy. You don’t need to overthink it.
What about budget?
Once you sort out what you’re interested in, the next step is to define your budget so you can plan accordingly. Galleries here tend to be super transparent about pricing. They’re not trying to play games, so that makes it more comfortable. If a price isn’t on the wall, it’s on a price list at the reception desk.
There is something at every price point. You can get a beautiful drawing for not a lot of money, for example, and young or emerging artists usually have inexpensive works for sale. It’s all about knowing yourself.
To learn more and see a complete list of the artists Li works with, visit armatureprojects.com.
