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What questions should an architect ask before specifying original art for a project?

Before specifying an original painting, an architect should settle five things with the artist: the exact wall, light and viewing distance; what the price includes; how the lead time fits the install date; which documents go in the client file; and who handles shipping, duties and hanging. Anything left unasked becomes a change order later.

Amethyst Ground (100 x 100 cm), mixed media on canvas by Alyne Perfeito, shown in a room mockup above a wooden console — Perfeito Studio — Amethyst Ground (100 x 100 cm), shown in a room mockup.

Ask about the wall before you ask about the painting

The first questions are about the room, not the work. Which wall, and what does it have to do: sit above a console, close a corridor, anchor a seating group? At what distance will people actually see it, and from which direction do they approach? Where does the main light source sit, and does daylight cross the wall during the day? These answers decide the format and the scale before palette enters the conversation.

Then turn the same questions around and ask the artist what she needs from you. At Perfeito Studio the starting point is a floor plan, reference images of the space and the lighting context; the studio then proposes works that respond to scale, sightlines and atmosphere. The catalogue gives you real dimensions to test against the drawing, from 50 x 70 cm up to 120 x 200 cm, and a square work such as Amethyst Ground (100 x 100 cm) behaves very differently on an elevation than a vertical one.

Ask what the price includes, and what sits outside it

A quoted price only helps a budget if its edges are clear. Ask what is bundled with the work and what is billed separately. At Perfeito Studio, the works in the current catalogue are priced in Brazilian reais, from R$ 2,400 to R$ 8,800, and each acquisition is direct from the artist. It includes the original, a signed certificate of authenticity, a fiscal invoice or official receipt, an acquisition agreement covering transfer of ownership, copyright and image use, an artist dossier, care guidance and professional packaging.

Freight is separate: it is quoted per destination and paid by the buyer, and import duties and taxes in the destination country are by default the buyer's as well; confirm in writing whether the quote is delivered duty paid or not. Transit insurance is available. Commercial terms for architects and designers who bring repeat clients exist on request, so ask for them at the start of the project rather than after the first purchase. Payment terms, deposits and any reservation period are not something to assume: confirm them with the studio in writing.

Ask how the lead time meets your install date

Art is one of the last elements to arrive on site, which is exactly why its dates get forgotten. Ask three things in order: is the piece available now or in progress, how long does preparation and packing take, and how long does delivery take to your address. Domestic delivery from Brasília takes up to 15 business days depending on destination; international shipping is quoted on request, and customs clearance is a separate step that the schedule should not ignore.

Also ask what can be decided before the room exists. Perfeito Studio states that works can be reserved during an acquisition conversation, with reservation terms aligned individually, so a hold period, deposit or cancellation rule is something to confirm with the studio in writing for your project. Final confirmation is usually easier once the wall itself is finished and lit.

Ask which documents will reach the client file

Decide early what the client, the project archive and the insurer will need. For an original work the core set is a certificate of authenticity, an invoice, an agreement on ownership and image rights, and a dossier with the technical record. Ask whether the certificate is issued in a form that can be verified later: at Perfeito Studio it is signed by hand at the time of sale, carries the internal Archive ID and a QR code linking to the work's official page, and a digital PDF is available on request.

For the design team, ask separately for project-level material: a room mockup or render on your own reference photography, and installation guidance on hanging height, lighting angle and conservation, coordinated with the project team. Our companion guide on what an art specification package includes covers the submittal side in detail, and the page on direct acquisition and documentation explains how the certificate and paperwork work.

Ask who handles shipping, duties and hanging

Split the logistics into named responsibilities before the purchase order: who packs, who ships, who clears customs, who pays duties, who receives the crate, and who hangs the work. The studio provides packaging and quotes shipping per destination; duties and taxes in the destination country are by default the buyer's (confirm in writing whether the quote is delivered duty paid or not), and the rules differ by country, so a customs broker or the local customs authority is the right source for the number, not the artist.

Finally, ask about condition on arrival: who inspects the piece, within what window, and what happens if something is damaged. Confirm insurance, its cover and its claims process, in writing before the piece leaves Brazil. If the project is remote, ask for extra detail photographs or a short video of the specific work; the studio sends these on request.

From the studio

What a painter who trained as an architect wants to be asked

I trained as an architect, so I read a request the way I would read a brief. The questions I find most useful are the ones that arrive with a drawing: a plan, an elevation, a note on where the light comes from. With those I can say honestly whether a texture-heavy work will read well at the distance the room allows, or whether a quieter surface would serve the wall better. Every work in the catalogue is layered, and many carry raised texture, so the angle of light and the viewing distance change what a person sees.

The question I would most like to receive early is the one about the whole timeline, not only the painting. It lets us plan documentation, packing and delivery around the install, instead of racing the last week.

Frequently asked

What questions should an architect ask before specifying original art for a project?

Ask about five areas: the wall, its light and the viewing distance; what the price includes; how lead time meets the install date; which documents go into the client file; and who handles shipping, duties and hanging. Ask for the answers in writing, because original art is a single unique object and there is no substitute if a detail is missed. The studio is happy to work from a floor plan and reference photos.

What should a foreign buyer know before acting on this?

Shipping from Brazil is quoted per destination and paid by the buyer, and import duties and taxes in the destination country are the buyer's by default, unless the quote states otherwise. Packaging is included and transit insurance is available. International delivery is quoted on request, so ask for a date estimate that includes customs clearance. Confirm all payment and reservation terms with the studio directly before promising anything to the client.

Does this differ for a US buyer vs a European buyer?

The checklist is the same, but duties, taxes and customs procedures depend on the destination country, so the numbers will differ. This page states no rates because they change and vary by country. Ask a licensed customs broker or the customs authority of the destination for the current rules, and ask the studio to quote shipping to your exact address so the total cost is clear.

Who handles this in practice: the artist, a shipper, or the buyer?

In practice the work is shared. The studio prepares the work, its documents and its packaging and can quote shipping. A carrier or shipper moves the crate, a customs broker or the buyer handles clearance and duties in the destination country, and the project team receives and hangs the work. Write these roles into the purchase confirmation so nothing falls between them.

What could go wrong if this step is skipped?

The usual failures are practical. A work is too large or too textured for the wall and viewing distance, delivery lands after the install date, duties surprise the client, the certificate is missing from the project archive, or nobody knows who inspects the crate on arrival. Each is cheap to prevent with a question at the start and expensive to fix once finishes and schedules are fixed.

Sending a plan for a project?

Share the floor plan, reference photos and lighting context, and the studio will propose works for the wall.

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