Collecting and Protecting African-American Art with Dr. Halima Taha

As a direct offshoot of her best selling book, Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas (Crown,1999) and Verve Editions, 2005), Dr. Taha uses her ground breaking book as a case study for anyone interested in becoming a collector, expanding their collections or those who wish to optimize their investments.

All facets of collecting, protecting, buying and selling art are discussed, including how to protect yourself from forgeries and price gougers. Most importantly, Dr. Taha encourages prospective collectors to remain connected to the beauty of the work they acquire, as contrasted to merely viewing their pieces solely as property - to suggest that collecting can be both financially and personally rewarding.

LISTEN: Dr. Halima Taha on the African American Art Market since the 80’s and the impact of the best-selling book Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas. Interviewed by Najee Dorsey.

About Dr. Halima Taha

Halima Taha is best known for her groundbreaking book Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas (2008, 2005), the first book to validate collecting African American fine art and photography as an asset and commodity in the marketplace. It was the primary variable in conjunction with the National Black Fine Art Show (1997-2007) for Swann Galleries to establish the first African American auction category in the world. Featured as a PBS membership incentive, it earned three times the projected fundraising goal. The success of this publication also inspired the National Gallery to create a Collecting African American Art Symposium and was a catalyst for major museums worldwide to pursue collections of African American art to exhibit, catalogue and travel. In addition, it provided solid market criteria for publishers to print more monographs about African American artists and collections independent of museum shows, which had not previously been the norm.

Dr. Taha is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and New York University.