Limited-edition art by yearly subscription

Regular Springwise readers may recall The Thing, the unconventional magazine we covered back in 2007 in which each issue is literally a different work of art. Operating on much the same premise, California-based Alula offers a yearly subscription service that buys quarterly pieces of limited-edition textile art. Launched this summer with support from Southern Exposure, Alula Editions has already sent out its first work of art, which was a handkerchief and reversible tie created by artist Jason Jägel. Hand silkscreening and sewing were done by Alula Editions in the Bay Area using sustainable fabrics and water-based inks. Alula’s Fall edition will feature a creation from the Headlands Center for the Arts, while Allison Smith and Sara Magenheimer are slated for its Winter and Spring 2011 editions, respectively. All pieces are signed and numbered; pricing for a yearly subscription is USD 200. Curated subscription models are becoming increasingly common, for everything from luxury women’s panties to handmade greeting cards, but curation’s appeal is particularly strong for products like art, where consumers will likely value expert guidance even more. Artists, of course, gain from the increased exposure and revenue. Let all those in the art world take note! 😉 (Related: High-end beauty samples by curated subscription — Sustainable baked goods by weekly subscription — Handpicked shoes by monthly subscription.) Spotted by: NOTCOT