How (and Why) To Buy a Work of Art

Sixteen Colgate students, one professor, and one museum director travel to New York City with a budget of $8,000. Their mission? To acquire a work of art for Colgate's Picker Art Gallery collection. Which one will they choose?

These particular students are taking Professor Elizabeth Marlowe's ARTH/MUSE 254: How (and Why) To Buy a Work of Art, a new class that introduces students to the many considerations - from the aesthetic and ethical to the pedagogical and financial - that shape museum decisions about which works of art to acquire.

"This is a brand new and highly unusual class with a strong experiential learning/authentic assessment component," says Marlowe. "Thanks to the generosity of the Hilda and Oscar Lasdon Art Acquisition Endowment, established by Elizabeth S. Lasdon '76, our students are learning by doing, and the end result will become a part of Picker Art Gallery's collection."

The students spent the first eight weeks of the spring 2026 semester preparing for the trip to New York City. They visited printmaking classes and met art dealers and artists via Zoom during class. They also worked closely with Nicholas West, co-director of University Museums and curator of the Picker Art Gallery, to understand the strategies and vision behind the museum's collection.

"We learned that a key priority is selecting work that can engage a broad and diverse audience across campus," says Norah Hendrickson '27. "Many students aren't familiar with the Picker, so choosing pieces that can resonate beyond art-focused audiences, like those in STEM fields, can help demonstrate how relevant and accessible art can be."

On the weekend of April 11-12, they traveled to Manhattan and Brooklyn to attend the International Fine Prints and Drawings Association (IFPDA) Print Fair, the largest art fair in the world dedicated to prints and drawings, and the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair.

The students thought carefully about Picker's collecting priorities during this process, and each of the final four artworks are a great reflection of the good work they've done over the semester.

At the IFPDA Print Fair, held in Manhattan's Park Avenue Armory, Marlowe advised the students to seek out the booths of the gallerists and dealers they had researched during the semester, then expand their search to other booths or artists that were new to them. Marlowe and West offered tips and advice for talking with art dealers and artists. West noted that it's typical for museums to get a discount and coached the students to ask if dealers would be willing to hold works of art for the class.

Working in pairs, the students dispersed into the swirl of vendors, artists, and customers inside the armory.

"We took so much time in class to learn about each of the vendors at the fair," says Oscar Brown '26. "At first, I was definitely nervous talking to the vendors, but then after talking to one and realizing just how excited they were about our interest and knowledge, I never wanted to stop."

Brown says the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair was more low-key, with many artists at the beginning of their careers representing themselves. "I was able to chat directly with the creators of the prints and learn each nuance about what the work meant for them, their creative process, and personal inspirations."

The students compiled a shared wishlist of around 40 of their favorite pieces, and they have spent the final weeks of the semester narrowing the list down to four. They will work in teams to prepare acquisition proposals for each of the final four artworks. On April 30, each team will pitch its proposed artwork to an audience of Colgate community members in a public event the students have named Art Tank. The event will conclude with a vote, and the winning artwork will be acquired by the Picker Art Gallery.

"The weekend at the print fairs was one of the best moments for me as a professor," says Marlowe. "The students were engaged, present, and totally game. Nick West and I talked to many of the exhibitors, and they were really impressed with the class. No matter what happens next week, that was a really special moment for me."