I don't know what the average person would be willing to spend on art these days. If that Banksy thing the other day can be used as any indication (and I don't think that NYC is a good indicator of an average) then not very much. However, people buy art they like for lots of reasons. One could be pure enjoyment, another could be because they think that others would enjoy it, or it goes with the decor of a particular room, or it's of something significant to them in the symbology of their own lives or whatever. If I saw a piece I really liked with my current finances, I would pass on it because my finances are not great. However, if I saw a piece I really loved? I'd find a way to make it work. If my finances were ideal, it would still have to be something that I really loved because I have the unfortunate predilection of buying one thing that turns into a collection of things.