Artist 1PENEMY
Investing in art is not as ‘tricky’ as investing in the stock exchange, but there is also reason Hedge Fund Managers and Now Reddit Bloggers profiting off the Stock Market invest heavily in art. How do you choose what to buy and when to buy it? We look at 1Penemy, street artist, as an investment option.
Art as an investment channel has long been a valid option for those operating in that stratosphere. The market has driven finance houses to include it in their investment advice portfolios. Knight Frank, established in 1896 in London, publishes a luxury investment index annually, which shows that while art values have slowed to 5% increase year on year in the current economic climate, they have demonstrated a 146% growth over a decade. The work of living artists is showing more frequent record prices than the dwindling supply of old masters.
A very useful piece of investment advice is proffered by urban artist Charles Uzzell-Edwards (pseudonym: Pure Evil). I quote: “Looking at an artist is similar to picking out a racehorse. You’ve got to study the form.” The other valuable piece of advice is repeated by multiple art houses globally: “Like the work you are investing in, it will be with you for many years.”
Let’s look at a living street artist that’s on the rise, like 1Penemy, and evaluate the investment potential.
Investment Factor # 1:
Street Art is a genre of art that is growing rapidly in art collections around the world. Diana Hubbell, of the Washington Post, tells us in her article dated August 30, 2018: “In 2009, property tycoon Tony Goldman sent the real estate values in an economically depressed neighborhood of Miami skyrocketing with a collection of murals known as the Wynwood Walls. The model was an instant social media smash and has inspired imitations from Crystal City to the Las Vegas Arts District.”
So leave the oversubscribed, dusty masters and bring a cool currency to your art collection with street art.
Investment Factor # 2:
The infamous shredded Banksy that sold for over $1.3 million is a unique example of an oversubscribed artist. Banksy-hype happens to some artists, without quantifiable reasons, making their pricing unattractively bullish.
There are other artists to get you into the street art market who are respected but have value related pricing. 1Penemy is an excellent example of this, and now is a good time to be investing in this artist.
Investment Factor #3:
Street art predominantly gives an immediate view on issues within a society or aspirations of that society. The emotion, the hope, and the commentary is raw, tangible, and relevant. A collection of it will give an authentic historical overview, free of gallery political correctness.
Kate DeCiccio, an Oakland, California based artist who has worked on multiple projects with MuralsDC, tells us: “Murals provide you with this special intensive nugget of time to just lean into local narratives”.
ISupportStreetArt.com has excellent articles on the “many communities globally using street art to voice their opinion and transform the thinking of entire communities.” Owning a slice of this will add depth and relevance to an art collection.
Investment Factor #4:
If we take Charles Uzzell-Edwards advice and use the “study the form of the racehorse” method with 1Penemy we can see that he has an affluent following. His brand equity is being boosted by purchases by celebrities, and his subject matter is very current and highly ethical.
Celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Helena Christensen, Christine Quinn, Sean O Pry, Bella Hadid all own and are buzzing about his art work and the list goes on. The significant social media coverage of his work at a celebrity level will continue to accumulate traction. Given that, it is sure motivation to start acquiring these works sooner rather than later.
Investment Factor #5:
The current societal revolution, which is for full gender equality and against the degradation and subversion of the female image, is captured succinctly and loudly by the subject, setting, and palette of 1Penemy’s works.
We are living in historic times, a more global, systemic effort for the realization of feminism is toppling literal and figurative icons. Having artworks that document this in a contemporary manner is definitely a horse you should be backing.
Investment Factor #6:
Another growing, global trend is ethical purchases. This can be seen to be difficult in the world of art which has for decades carried the label of luxury and frivolousness. With Street Art mostly bringing raw social issues into commentary it is a genre that meets the ethical need very easily.
Whilst works demanding ‘more green parks’ may be parochial social challenges, works that demand human rights equality globally are certainly an ethical dialogue to invest in. Sharing this view with your visitors viewing the work will ensure the conversation is heard to a wider audience. And there is your ethical purchase whilst supporting the future of artists such as 1Penemy.
Investment Factor #7:
On a more visual note, the aesthetics of an artwork should appeal to you, as mentioned in the introduction. The emotional response garnered merely the by colors are unique per viewer. People are moved, revolted, inspired, or numbed by colors that are neurologically specific to their life experience.
The monochromatic palettes as well as the pop art palettes used by 1Penemy are reminiscent of the likes of Roy Lichtenstein, another pioneer of his time. Art investors took time to warm to Lichtenstein and his peers like Warhol. Their naïve approach, their simplification, their desire to get the message across without the combobulation of intensely complex artistic methodologies were not seen as serious art pieces. The art market has since begged to differ, by $100-million or so.
1Penemy’s work is a graphic language in the typography of image. They have the immediacy of thought, scrawled as notes from the women in the images. What is the viewer’s emotional response to these messages? You have seen, you have read. Now what action will you as the viewer take? You are continually drawn in to interact with these works. All who view these are affected. You realise you are being asked to take up the gauntlet into society.
These artworks will drive conversations, drive philosophical debates and, ultimately, drive interest in auctions exactly due to this.
Investment Factor #8:
The most superficial factor yet, but one that has a practical slant, is that the artworks of 1Penemy work in a multitude of interiors. The limited palette, the ethical and social message, and the way the message is delivered means these artworks will sit easily in an office, a home of any style, or a hospitality environment.
The content is not vulgar, inciting, or politically slanted.
They are simple, strong, and heavily sentimental with the handwritten ‘notes from the model’. They also, very importantly, have a hint of ‘tongue in cheek’ with the current ironic utilization of the mug shot format. The unforgiving camera, the societal constraints, the unspoken work protocols, and the judgment of motherhood all arresting the power of his subjects: the women of the world.
The ease with which these artworks will fit into most environments definitely adds to their winning qualities before they are even out of the starting blocks.
Who Is 1Penemy?
The alias 1Penemy stands for "Number 1 public enemy" – reflecting the underground nature of his craft. For a long time, 1Penemy actually kept his true identity a secret in an effort to build his artistic reputation separately from his real-life status.
Today, we know the man behind the pseudonym as celebrity dentist Dr Nicholas Toscano, who treats over 100 artists in NYC, Miami, and LA, including such famous artists as Bradley Theodore, Jeremy Penn, Layer Cake, Tripp Derrick Barnes, BY Flore, Producer BDB, Jason Ackerman, Alan Jeffery, and many others.
He is also currently the official dentist for roughly 20 modeling agencies in New York City, including Lions, Wilhelmina, One Model Management, Marilyn, Storm, Major models, Fusion, and others. His clients include the glamorous Victoria's Secret models, such as Candice Swanepoel, Helena Christensen, Jasmine Tookes, Romee Strijd, Josephine Skriver, Georgia Fowler, Frida Aasen, Vittoria Ceretti, Megan Williams, Lais Ribeiro, Daniela Braga, and Blanca Padilla.
It may seem unconventional for a dentist to engage in such a defiant art movement, but he's been inspired by his star-studded clientele. He also has a natural passion for art that serves him as much in his dentistry as it does on the streets. He explains that successfully tailoring smile reconstructions is a form of science that relies on his natural artistic ability.
Demand for his work is starting to grow significantly, and the artist currently has over 30 active commissions. Several galleries are also actively pursuing him to represent his artwork exclusively, making this an excellent time to buy investment art from him.
To start your investment of this fascinating artist 1Penemy, find his work on his instagram @1Penemy
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