LONDON, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- When Artplode CEO Maureen McCarthy received an email from a London gallery advising they had sold Meskel Flowers, a painting by Ethiopian artist Abraham Abebe, to a collector in Oregon, she was ecstatic. The collector had seen it for sale on Artplode, the high end art sales platform she launched 12 months ago, where everyone can offer fine art for sale with no commission charged to buyers or sellers.
"In my wildest dreams I never envisaged that the work of an unknown artist from Ethiopia, a country with one of the lowest GDP per capita in the world, would be listed for sale, and sell via Artplode," she said. "It was one of the most satisfying moments in my 20 year career as an international art dealer."
McCarthy created Artplode principally for art collectors to resell works by established artists without paying any commission. The platform meets a gap in the art market where there are few options for collectors to resell art except through auction houses charging rates of commission of 40% or even higher.
Artplode's "no commission" business model challenges the traditional way art is traded. The website has attracted millions of dollars in listings of artworks from sellers in more than 40 countries who pay a one-off listing fee of $60 and then keep 100% of the price when their artwork sells. Prices range from $1,000 to well into six figures for works by Andy Warhol.
According to McCarthy one of most exciting aspects of creating a start-up is seeing it grow and develop in ways that don't strictly conform to the business plan. While Artplode welcomes listings of artworks from artists and established galleries, McCarthy didn't anticipate the Blue Nile Gallery, a London gallery representing a number of Ethiopian artists, would see Artplode as a tool to bring their vibrant artworks to a global audience.
"Historically, art collecting tends to be parochial and as a general rule collectors favour art produced by artists in their own country," says McCarthy.
That is not a bad thing, according to McCarthy, although she says this is changing. "Globalization and technology make browsing and purchasing the work of artists in countries all over the world simple and fun to do via online galleries like Artplode."
Buyers and sellers deal direct on Artplode. Notwithstanding the logistics involving a buyer in the USA, an artist in Ethiopia and Gallery in London, McCarthy says the transaction to purchase the painting was a quick and easy. "After the buyer saw the painting for sale on Artplode they clicked a link to email the London gallery, who had listed the painting for sale, and wired payment the next day."
The painting was then shipped to the buyer in Oregon. Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, artist Abraham Abebe is celebrating and hoping for more international sales.
Enquiries:
Maureen McCarthy
Telephone (44) 2071 220912
http://www.artplode.com
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150921/269082
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150921/269083
SOURCE Artplode
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