Not sure this has been discussed before but what's the story with getting prints through customs back in the UK. Stick them in your suitcase and hope they don't check and if they do say they are worth 20 quid? Tubes are too big to take on planes so I guess you have no choice.

is everyone who's going out there assuming they will get all 4 prints?
knowing laz's attitude to the print madness, its v likely that sales will be restricted to one per person.

I cant see buying four prints for $8000 if you can get a original for $2000 more. I heard there might be a few small originals (probably charcoal) for $10,000. Wouldnt that be the smarter move (for two reasons)?

reason one: If you were a flipper (which im NOT), wouldnt you have a better chance at profit with an original?
reason two: who has enough wall space for four prints. I know I dont!

Thoughts please...

Surely it depends what you like best, or doesn't that matter anymore?

I would strongly advise anyone buying this type of art not to buy just as an investment. Who knows what the future holds but I wouldn't be putting my money into art as in investment.

There is a world of difference between buying something because you like it and then, purely by accident or luck it increases in price, and buying something for an investment.

I just don't see that the way that you look at it makes any difference whatsoever. This market is increasingly devoted towards greed and it cannot continue. Nothing personal crazyjake but I really hope everyone flying out to LA isn't doing so for the wrong reasons.

I think most people who are heading to LA are doing it because they truly want AM's artwork. Thats why Im going. Plus, as a bonus, Im taking the wife. I only hope her shop excursion is less costly than mine. I hear Rodeo drive is pretty pricey!

OK... I can't take all this anymore....

I think people are paying a very dangerous game here and in the end a lot of people are going to get burned (many of whom can't afford to get burned). Markets are quite shakey - as evidenced by the crazy stock market ride over the past 2 weeks and the housing/mortgage/sub-prime is also not in good shape. The art market has historically & consistently followed these markets - so you lovely educated people should be able to deduce at some point there is going to be a large correction.

People who 'invest' in art should be extremely liquid individuals who can afford to lose it all. They buy 'what they like' and if in years time it is worth exactly what they paid they are also happy. If you don't see the rampant speculation/PR going on (and has been going on for the past year and half) you are retarded.

Let the record show, I'm not going to the AM show. I think he is a talented artist and it is a smart move by Laz to give him some US exposure. Willing to bet however that LA will see a massive influx of our cousins from the UK coming over for the show and taking advantage of the weak dollar. I think it is very dangerous to expect him/this show to be the next Banksy/Barely Legal. Sure there will be celebrities there & everything will probably sell out on preview night - but don't forget the massive corporate PR machine working behind the scenes. Laz has proven himself to be an incedible businessman, but at the end of the day realize this is a for-profit business with huge money involved. I'd be willing to bet many gallerists don't necessarily look as the 'print madness' as a bad thing. If someone buys a print for $2K and sells it for $4k it brings marketing/PR and adds to the hype and value of original work by the artist. Please remember that same gallerist just sold an original for $75-100K! I'm sure the gallerist would admit flippers are not ideal & annoying - but I think you are crazy if believe this isn't serving their overall best interest, despite alienating some customers/true fans of a particular artist.

So onto my questions:
- Who else is tired with the scene? I use to look at those Obey fans who bought every release as robots - but in my estimation that is what so many of us have become.
- Who else thinks the art suffers a little? Think how ridiculous flying from another city or even another country to line up to buy a print sounds. I went to Barely Legal to see an amazing art exhibition - and if I got some prints that was an added bonus. Think the whole mentality for many has unforutnately changed.
- Who else is bored of all the stuff out there? I hope you people truly are buying what you like for your walls - because most of the work being produced now doesn't do anything for me and will be forgotten in years time.
- How f*cking incredible was the Adam Neate show??? From all the pictures I've seen his work is quite simply on another level. I'm talking he has blown both Banksy and AM out of the water (yeah I said it)!

In summary, I hope all you going to LA for the AM show get all the original/prints you desire. But please question yourself as to why you are buying X, Y or Z. Look forward to hearing what you all have to say.

well said. i cant believe i'm givin ya a +1

I could have had an invite for the preview. I have business to attend to - and Banksy & Neate excite me more anyways.

I don't really think I'm 'moaning' - actually just concerned that a bunch of young(ish) people are going to lose a lot of money that they don't have to lose. Why don't you answer some of the questions I posed in my post motor?

Hey R great post. I pretty much think and say the same thing but never put the time in for a lengthy well though out post. Kudos! I usually get negged for 1 liners like "How absurd is it that people are frantic to fly halfway around the world for a 2000 GBP PRINT, YES PRINT LOL"

Interesting posts Rk and Jay. I agree with an awful lot of what you say. And Jay it is a shame you aren't around to post as much as you used to. Your posts and thoughtful and insightful and I hope you stick around.

There is still a lot of good art being produced, perhaps you need to look a little harder to find it but it is still there.

Oh yes and the Adam Neate show was f*cking incredible.

Back to my remarks on Neate. The one part of his art I think is great is his use of recycled material for canvases. I also admire his past technique of leaving artwork out for collection. Damn great stuff there!

unfortunately with the rapid growth of this 'scene' in main caused by the media jumpiing on everything Banksy related...combined with Ebay prices flying (although not so much recently) there will be a growth in speculators - simple as. With a few exceptions recent months seem to have seen a lull in great pieces - but all this has done is emphasise how great Neate's recent show was. For the record i don't understand how you (crazyjake) can see more in AM's works than Neates but hey each to his own...

Well, on the one hand that's true but it's also kind of crappy advice too.

Words of warning aren't a bad idea but also consider the words of warning might make you miss out on an opportunity. And there is also the possibility that the people giving warnings are also upset about the huge price increases that have priced them out of the market too. So there's alterior motives too. The huge prices annoy me too and even if I could afford it I honestly wouldn't spend these prices. So take that into account with what I have to say. But everyone should make their own decision.

And I wouldn't call myself an expert or veteran but I'm probably a little older than many here and have seen some of the fluctuations and crashes myself. Advice isn't bad and rklimek has a point although maybe a little too strong in his delivery? And honestly most people need to learn the hard way. (if a crash does happen) which I kind of think will. I know things are all relative and 5k for a Micallef print seems like small change when billions of dollars change hands in the art world every year. And maybe there's a difference between the british and us markets too? But as I've said before the prices for micallef, banksy and some of the other favorite artists around here are historically pretty out of whack with normal prices ranges for these edition sizes and artists stature. Banksy's mysteriousness makes him a wildcard but still...

That said buy what you want to buy...