Frequently Asked Questions
A. About the artwork
1. Are all editions that Subject Matter sell limited?
If you are buying a photograph or a print, it will be a limited edition. If you are buying a painting or collage then it is a unique piece.
2. What is a limited edition?
A limited edition is a series of art prints that are limited in number. Our edition sizes vary depending on the artwork. Once the edition is sold out, we destroy the file and new prints will not be produced in those sizes ever again. Small editions make work more exclusive and are often more expensive.
3. Are limited editions signed?
Yes - a certificate of authenticity is signed by the artist. It is printed on sticker paper so you can affix it to the back of the work.
4. What is the certificate of authenticity?
The certificate includes the signature of the artist with the date and edition details of your purchased work. This protects the artist’s work and provides assurance of the work's authenticity and value.
B. Shipping, Delivery, Returns and Payment
1. Do you accept international orders?
Yes. We ship worldwide.
2. What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Paypal. Simply go to check out and choose your preferred method of payment.
3. Returns
Buying art online can be challenging, so if you decide the artwork is not quite right for your space, please get in touch with us within 14 days and we will accept your return. You will be refunded for the full cost of the artwork but return shipping costs will need to be covered by you.
Please note: This does not apply to custom commissions which are printed to order - unfortunately they are not eligible for a refund.
4. Damaged Artwork
If the work is faulty or damaged, please email hello@subjectmatterart.com with photos of the problem and we will advise you of next steps.
C. Ordering
1. I made an error when I submitted the order, what do I do?
Don’t worry if you made an error with a delivery address or contact number. Simply reply to the order confirmation form that you received after you placed your order, or email us at hello@subjectmatterart.com. However, all changes need to be made within 48 hours of the order being placed, otherwise there is a risk we may have shipped it already.
2. I changed my mind and no longer want the piece. Now what?
If you want to cancel your order within 48 hours, simply email us at hello@subjectmatterart.com. We will send you a refund immediately. If it is after two days your order might already be shipped but email us anyway to let us know and we’ll see what we can do!
D. About Subject Matter Art
1. What is your business model?
We deduct all direct costs from the sale price and then split the remainder 50/50 with the artist. This means that we share costs with the artist too - so artists don't have to cover all their fabrication costs out of their share. We also offer artists the opportunity to set their prices, if they prefer, in which case we add a commission on top, negotiated with the artist.
2. How did the business start?
The business started in May 2011, with the desire to make art buying easy and accessible. Initially, we had a gallery in Tokyo, before building our online presence. Our business is registered in the UK.
3. Where are you currently based?
Kitty lives in London and Liezel in Cape Town! We work with clients and artists from across the world.
4. Artists' submissions
We are always on the lookout for new talent. Please send your artwork (small files only) to hello@subjectmatterart.com. We always respond to each and every submission, but we are busy people and it may not be immediate so please don’t chase us!
E. Collaborations and Partnerships
We love collaborating and we are always on the lookout for new partners. We have worked with partners in Japan, US, Korea, Canada and the UK.
They include:
Springtime Delight : With our Korean partners Artemios and CCOC, we co-curated eighty artworks for Teresa Freitas’ first solo show, in Seoul
Holding Space : Featuring 9 female artists in Subject Matter co-curator Kitty's home, this exhibition brought a post-lockdown smile to our faces
We See You, We Hear You : The Hospital Club in London asked us to curate an exhibition in their gallery, we obliged with 15 women artists! Our first, but certainly not last, all-female show
Unfold : We curated 17 artists for this art festival during Frieze Week in London
Africa Calling : An exhibition in the Southbank centre showcasing artists from the African continent
Royal College of Art : Annual student training program and exhibition in the Dyson Gallery in London
Ultra Super New : Pop up gallery in USN creative agency in Tokyo
Le Meridien : Pop up exhibition in the international hotel group in Montreal
Edit Twenty : An art series developed for a concept store in Singapore
NORR11: Pop up gallery in their South Molton Street showroom in London
F. Giving back
When you buy a One Euro Sculpture artwork, all profits are donated to charity. Subject Matter and the artist make no profit at all from these works
We started a fundraising initiative called My Japan, raising funds for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. We have raised and donated more than $30 000 to the Japan Emergency Network (JEN NPO). More details here.