Fractional ownership is a percentage ownership of a specific asset (资产）. It has often been used to share the ownership of expensive assets such as expensive boats, private planes and so on. When the value of the asset increases, the ownership shares do as well. Co-owners also share equally the costs carried by the asset. Most recently, the same concept of fractional ownership was applied to art as well. The logic is the same. Multiple people own one artwork and share the benefits and the costs of the asset. Galleries and artists, instead of selling one artwork to one person, they can sell it to more than 1000 art lovers.
Co-ownership of art gives the possibility to everyone to participate in the art market. The potential market for artworks is suddenly way bigger. Only a few people can afford artworks that cost more than £100,000. But everyone can afford to buy some shares priced at £10 each. On top of this, all co-owners share the costs involved with the acquisition of an artwork. For art lovers that are just starting to collect art for investment (投资） reasons, co-ownership of art can be a great tool to start learning and understanding the market without risking too much capital. For big collectors instead, sharing the ownership of an artwork is an easy way to diversify their portfolio (投资组合） without having the burden of managing the asset.
For many years only wealthy people could afford to buy expensive artworks. Because of this, most artworks are hidden in private collections and dark storages since decades where the public has no access to. And, if we think that art is supposed to deliver important messages and topics and is the representation of our past and present, it seems incredible that art has become something that few people can fully enjoy. Fractional ownership of art, by giving everyone the possibility to co-own art, has the power to greatly change this. Suddenly, art becomes an asset available to everyone and, by being more accessible, it starts to attract way more people.
【小题1】Which of the following is a kind of fractional ownership?| A．A wealthy businessman owns a private ship. |
| B．A museum event is attended by 1000 art lovers. |
| C．Galleries and artists sold one artwork to one person. |
| D．10 friends bought a house priced at S10,000 together. |
| A．The potential market for artworks. |
| B．The source of capital for investment. |
| C．The benefit of fractional ownership. |
| D．The development of fractional ownership. |
| A．Art contributes greatly to social economy. |
| B．Co-ownership of art benefits the general public. |
| C．Only wealthy people could afford expensive artworks. |
| D．Fractional ownership is a way to invest without risk. |
