While eBay has long been the reseller marketplace for most goods, StockX was one of the first dedicated platforms that kicked the door down for sneakers and streetwear collectibles when it opened in 2016. The world of art, as it pertains to that undefined threshold between high and low, still is without a StockX-like marketplace to provide buyers and sellers a trusted platform to acquire sought-after editions, prints and collectibles.
FairArt was established to fill this gap. Exclusive to the UK, but soon to be available in Asia, Europe and the US, the platform features work from established and emerging artists, including Damien Hirst, Ai Weiwei and Nina Chanel Abney, along with Michael Reeder, Banksy, Cleon Peterson and Felipe Pantone.
Co-founder Nicholas Kidd was inspired to start the venture for two reasons: first, it seemed like a pipe-dream for any 20-something to collect art that often seem unattainable due to the exorbitant sums they sell for. Second, Kidd recalled a quote by Nina Chanel Abney, where she said, “If my work resells for a ton of money, it would be great to have some of it . . . all artists talk about it. No one is happy with how it goes . . . it’s just all about supporting the artists . . . who wouldn’t want to participate in that?”
In addition to developing non-profit and charitable partnerships, FairArt will ensure a quarter of its platform fees back to artists, in an attempt to change “the way things are done on the secondary art market,” according to release by the e-commerce site. Learn more about the upstart company here.
