Local artists’ pieces of art are often preferred by individuals over works from other countries that are exhibited in museums and galleries. This preference is certainly understandable, as showcasing the art of local artists can help popularize their country’s culture. However, I believe that displaying pieces of art from other countries can be more beneficial, as it attracts tourists and foreigners and increases the value of galleries.
On the one hand, providing works only from local artists can make them feel special, as there will be less comparison between them. The more varied the artists who participate, the higher the chance of comparison among them. For example, if there are two types of “surrealism” art – one by Pablo Picasso and the other by someone “unknown” (due to their minor popularity) – then among these two works, Picasso’s will be more prominently displayed to clients, even if the unknown artist’s work is artistically better. Hence, this can create jealousy in the lesser-known painter.
On the other hand, providing more pieces of art from a variety of international artists can attract significant attention from tourists. If a gallery contains works from well-known artists, everyone will be eager to visit. For instance, the Louvre Museum is one of the most popular museums in the world, and the main reason is that the famous “Mona Lisa” painting is housed there. As a result, it is crucial for local galleries to have works from different artists across the world. Moreover, exhibiting multiple paintings or different applied arts can increase the value of museums, as it is a form of investment. For example, as mentioned earlier, the Louvre Museum is extremely valuable because it contains very rare pieces of art. Therefore, having rare paintings can rapidly increase the return on investment.
To sum up, even though exhibiting works only from local artists can be patriotic and reduce comparison, in my opinion, it is extremely important for our society to also display international art, as it attracts tourists and foreigners and increases the profit from these rare pieces of art.