Before the launch of the first ever Editions fair, we sat down with Plan X founder Marcello Polito to talk prints, young collectors and the big question on everyone's mind 'Why Editions'.

More and more international galleries, like yourselves, are setting up editions’ specific entities, why do you think that is? 

I’m a big fan of all the editions and collectibles. I started my journey in the art world collecting posters, little editions of artists and small works on paper. I strongly believe that this is very important for all the galleries and for the art industry to keep focusing on this segment to get closer to the young generation of collectors. I believe that there is no better way to talk to young collectors than through editions. 

Have you seen any other movements in the editions market in recent years to note?

The interest in editions is changing a bit, it’s shifting. There is still a strong focus on the ‘classic’ mediums such as prints or little sculptures, but I believe that there is also a shift in the types of objects to collect and design, moving towards everything made by an artist, their different shapes and forms.

"I believe that there is no better way to talk to young collectors than through editions."

The upcoming Editions fair is focusing on both art and design, across photography, prints, works on paper, and ceramics and contemporary design. Why do you think those mediums are interesting for collectors and potential collectors?

I believe that editions are now part of our everyday life. Young collectors and also established collectors like to surround themselves with objects or small things made by an artist. People want to collect cool and beautiful things to have in their home, or to give to friends. We strongly believe as a gallery that this is an important focus and direction for artists, to create dope products and beautiful stuff. 

In your opinion, what does a fair that focuses on editions add to the art fair model? For visitors, businesses, and creatives alike?

An editions’ focused fair is very important to get the younger audiences closer to the artworks. People are sometimes a bit scared or concerned about attending an art fair because they don’t know what they are seeing, they feel they don’t have enough culture to understand what is happening. A fair that focuses on editions or collectibles can be more, you know, easy to understand. It is a kind of hook for the system.

Let’s talk through some of the artists you represent. The self-taught artist CB Hoyo gained popularity with his colourful and humour filled pieces, what about him and his work makes him so appealing? 

CB Hoyo is an artist that we have been working with since day 1. He became famous worldwide because he’s able to perfectly describe the society in which we live, with his humour and the way he expresses his concept, he can get really close to people. People feel close to him, he speaks the language of people, and that’s why people love him. His art is super recognisable and with just a few colours and his writing he came super popular all over the world. Funny thing, he’s dyslexic and he became so popular for his writing, so that’s fun. 

Do you think that means it’s easy to translate his work into editions? 

Absolutely, CB is a pure example of an artist whose art can be translated on all the different kinds of mediums. We did several releases with him of prints, silkscreen, and recently for the first time we released a limited edition of ceramic plates, it was a 48 hour release and it was a huge success. We sold over 1,000 units and people loved it. It highlights the fact that people want to have these cool beautiful things at their place, to share moments of daily life with friends and the people they love.

Any other artists entering the editions market that you’re excited about? 

Yes! I’m really excited about Josh Smith. I’m actually a big collector of his works myself. And he’s releasing a small sculpture, a little edition of 25 pieces and I'm super excited to add this to my own collection.

How would you explain the value of prints? What's the importance of the studio that is involved in creating the prints?

In general, the value of the print can be determined by different things. Firstly, it comes from the type of print - for example whether it's a lithograph (a printing process that uses a flat stone or metal plate, working with a greasy substance to create the image, and an ink-repellent marker for the non-image areas). Secondly, is of course the value of the artist, the career of the artist as the prints will follow the kind of valuation that the artists receives generally in the market. Lastly, it’s important to consider the size of the edition (the total number of impressions produced within an edition run). Usually with prints, we do small edition runs to give more value to the pieces that you’re collecting, but we have done some prints in large numbers that are released over a short amount of time, so this can be another approach to give more people the opportunity to collect a piece from that artist. 

When making good quality prints, it’s important that the producer (for example the print studio) understands the artist’s language and the sale of colours of an artwork. Silkscreen prints, in particular, have a different process because silkscreen is based on layers, it’s essentially a painting printed in layers. 

With regards to the prints we did with CB Hoyo, we had the privilege to work with Alberto Serighelli, one of the masters in Italy and probably all over the world in silkscreen and lithographies. He became super popular in Italy during the 70s because he was working with all the most famous artists like Raushenberg and Andy Warhol, and he’s still now the only one that produces Michelangelo Pistoletto’s artworks. We wanted to work with him because we wanted to ensure the quality of the products. He has a human touch that’s important to the value of the work.

"People want to collect cool and beautiful things to have in their home"