Buying Original Art in Berlin (and From a Berlin Artist Online)

You can buy original paintings directly from a working Berlin studio — online, shipped anywhere in Germany, across the EU, and to the US — with provenance that runs straight from the artist's hand to your wall. No gallery commission, no intermediary, no uncertainty about what you are getting. The work is documented from the studio, priced without markup, and shipped with professional art packaging and insurance.

Berlin's place in the European art scene

Berlin has been one of Europe's significant centers for contemporary art since reunification — driven by studio density, affordable (by comparison to London or Paris) space, and a culture of art production that sits outside institutional frameworks. The city's galleries, fairs, and open-studio events represent a genuine working art ecosystem, not a commercial district designed around tourism.

Buying from a Berlin-based artist connects you to that ecosystem: the work is made in a city with an active contemporary art conversation, exhibited in international contexts, and held in collections that extend across continents.

Buying from a studio vs. a gallery

Berlin has significant commercial galleries, several of which represent international artists. Buying through a gallery gives you curation — someone else has done the work of selecting and positioning the artist — and sometimes additional services (installation, insurance, framing).

Buying directly from the artist gives you:

• Clearer provenance. The ownership chain starts directly with you and the maker, documented by the artist's signature and certificate of authenticity.

• Lower price for equivalent quality. Galleries charge 40–50% commission. Direct purchase passes those savings to the buyer.

• Direct communication. You can ask specific questions about the work — process, materials, exhibition history, the specific canvas — that a gallery listing rarely answers.

• Commission access. If you want a work made to specific dimensions or for a specific space, working directly with the artist from the start is both easier and less expensive.

What you get buying direct

Each work sold through this studio comes with:

• A certificate of authenticity, signed by the artist, with title, date, medium, and dimensions recorded

• The work's provenance from this studio — the first and only previous owner is the artist

• Professional packaging (rolled canvas or flat, reinforced, insured)

• The ability to ask follow-up questions about care, hanging, and the work itself

Shipping within Germany, the EU, and to the US

All works ship from the studio. Standard destinations and estimated transit:

• Within Germany: 3–5 business days. Tracked and insured.

• Within the EU: 5–10 business days. No customs duties between EU member states.

• To the US: 7–14 business days depending on carrier and customs. Import duties may apply — confirm before purchase. All shipments are documented for customs with accurate declared value.

• Other international destinations: Contact before purchasing to confirm shipping availability and cost.

Larger works (canvas over 100 cm) are shipped rolled and require re-stretching on arrival. A stretcher bar set can be ordered with the work if needed. Instructions for re-stretching are included.

About the studio

The studio is run by DarYa GerDa Gerasimova — a contemporary painter known for seascapes, figurative compositions, and works on unprimed linen. More than 400 paintings have been made since 2019; works are held in private collections in Russia, the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

International exhibitions include New York, Paris, Madrid, and Moscow. In 2023, the painting Summer With My Friend appeared on the cover of Judy Blume's bestseller Summer Sisters (Bantam Books / Penguin Random House). In 2025, the artist was featured in You Can Become Anyone You Choose (Be Art New York).

Browse available originals — all works include pricing and dimensions. For commission enquiries, visit the commissions page or read about the artist. For the full guide to buying art online, see How to Buy Original Art Online (Safely).

Discover original works by Gerda