From China, with Love

Dutchman Bert-Jan van Egteren was having a drink with his neighbour when they stumbled on an idea that challenges the traditional art world – affordable art. Karin Engelbrecht takes a peek behind the scenes.

What is “De Kunstfabriek”?

“De Kunstfabriek” simply means “The Art Factory”. We produce and sell original arft at low prices.

Do you have an art background?

I studied art history and later became a contemporary art expert at Christie’s Amsterdam.

Where did the idea come from?

It occurred to my current business partner (a former marketing specialist) and me that you can’t find photorealistic paintings for an appealing price. So, we set out to change that.

How?

We create the concept here with a team of photographers and designers and then we send it to highly skilled artisans in China who do excellent work for reasonable salaries. Dutch artists typically want to give their own interpretation, while the Chinese follow directions – they’re happy just to follow instructions. We probably couldn’t find such high-quality craftmanship here in the Netherlands anyway.

Would you call yourself the Ikea of the art world?

Not quite. We believe in the democratization of art – doing away with the smoke and mirrors – and making art available to the masses. However, unlike Ikea we don’t mass-produce. We design a series, but you’re still buying a one-off oil-on-canvas. We’re just taking the expensive artist brand name away.

Describe your customer.

We’re reaching new people. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 40% of our customers have never set foot in a gallery before. They’re typically young DINK couples (Double Income No Kids) who’ve just bought their first home, but have limited budgets for the decor.

What’s a typical “kunstfabriek” painting?

Subject matter tends to be unthreatening and ranges from quirky interpretations of old masters, to flowers, to cars and we’ll even do specially commissioned pieces – of a beloved pet for example. The client simply brings in a photo and we’ll offer advice and stylize Fluffy’s picture before sending it away to get painted.

How much does an average painting cost?

From € 720 for our best-selling size, which measures 80 centimetres by 1.20 metres.

Is it art?

People should decide that for themselves. Actually, we’ve just published a book that poses this question to prominent names in the Dutch art world.

What’s next?

We’re participating in an exhibition in New York this year and hope to introduce the concept globally.

De Gelderlander, 12 november 2005.