Jeremy Larner: The Real Capital Behind Your Art Investments

Photo Credit: Radiant Child

Written in partnership with Thomas Herd 

Warhol was undoubtedly ahead of his time when he said, “Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.”

These words, now proven to be true in the world of investing, appear also to be the literal blueprint business model of one of the country’s most disruptive art dealers, Jeremy Larner.

As the gap tightens between the wealth management industry and the professional art business, Larner has emerged as a dominating player in this new hybrid niche.

As the president of New York-based JKL Worldwide, he helps clients build art portfolios with an eye toward investment, spearheading an emergent global trend.

In the past year, Google searches for “investing in art” have peaked, introducing an upsurge of investors infiltrating the art market. What these newcomers lack is insider access and information, an important determinant of returns in this unregulated market.

Photo Credit: Radiant Child

That’s where Larner comes in. Originally gaining his success in the entertainment hub of Los Angeles, Larner knows very well the importance of networking. This skill set has translated to his art business as he travels worldwide to gallery openings, art fairs, private collections and auction houses to ensure that he is controlling this high stakes game of arbitrage.

In an arena where there are no reliable art market price indexes for measuring risk and return, Larner seems to have mastered the formula. As the rules and security laws of real estate and financial markets go out the door, knowledgeable insiders are the real capital. Market-moving information is free reign for personal gain in the art industry, and who better to have on your team than art investment professional, Jeremy Larner.

Of late, Larner has conducted major transactions with many high-profile, ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Over the past five years, he has bought 159 pieces of art, with an average return of 196% and an 81% annual return on investment. He prides himself on providing his clients with artworks that meet their taste and simultaneously offer sound investments.

Verification of Larner’s skill set can be found directly in the numbers. For example, in March 2018 he purchased an important 1998 artwork by Kerry James Marshall for $1,800,000. Just five days later he sold the piece for $2,500,000; profiting $700,000.