Something Old, Something New
Is it possible to reinvent a product that’s remained unchanged since the nineteenth century? The team behind Artistic.ly, a new online community for artists and illustrators, believe so.
They want to change the way people consume limited edition prints. Their approach is radical in a number of ways; for a start, you won’t actually be able to buy a print.
As James Old, the founder, explains: “Everyone buying fine art prints is guilty of the same thing. We purchase works we love but we never get around to having them framed. They remain in tubes, under our beds or stuffed at the back of wardrobes. We want to remove this barrier, ensuring everything we sell actually gets consumed.”
The result? Artistic.ly’s limited edition prints will only be available pre-framed and ready to hang.
As Old explains, “Financially it’s more profitable to sell unframed prints because the material, production and fulfilment costs are that much lower. But we believe there is a gap in the market for people who want exclusive, ready-framed art that costs less than most galleries sell their unframed editions for.”
Each order will be hand numbered, debossed with the Artistic.ly seal and limited to editions of just 50. The content and product spec is identical to that found in high end galleries where the works might sell for anywhere between £500 - £1,000. All Artistic.ly framed limited editions will cost £125 with free delivery to anywhere in the world. The only choice consumers have is whether they want a black or a white frame.
The project, based in Shoreditch and backed by £100,000 investment from the Technology Strategy Board, is launching with an invitation-only website 17th November. As well as the website, the Artistic.ly team will also be hosting a Private View at The Old Truman Brewery featuring a diverse selection of work from 50 foundation artists.
Among those taking part in the launch show are Patrick Thomas, Ian Stevenson, Oliver Wiegner (Ice Cream for Free), Anthony Peters, Andy Rementer, Miles Donovan, Spencer Wilson, Andrew Rae, Michelle Thompson and Heather Landis.
The work will range from collage and the hand-drawn, to stencil art and typography, the exhibition brings together some of the most exciting illustrators working today, while providing the perfect opportunity to buy affordable, collectable art at a price designed to rapidly sell-out each edition.
The exhibition opens 17th November 2011 at The Loading Bay Gallery, Unit 4- 5, Dray Walk, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL. Opening times: Friday 18th November, 1000 – 18.00. To find out more visit http://artistic.ly/.
