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Questioning the Art Market – artmarketblog.com

admin — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:04:07 +0000

Questioning the Art Market – artmarketblog.com

Mugrabi family

I was recently asked some questions about the art market for a magazine article and thought I would share my answers. Hope you enjoy !!!

1. Last year there was a trend for portrait pieces, why do you think this is?

Although portraiture fell out of fashion, as it has done on several occasions, the fact that there is so much scholarly, academic and art historical support for the genre means that there will always be a market for portraits – a market that can only continue to get stronger each time the genre comes back into fashion. The long term value of a work of art is linked to a certain degree to the extent to which one can disassociate the work of art from the artist, and the extent to which one can assign value to the actual characteristics of the art object as an independent entity. Because portraits require a high level of technical skill to get right, and because the face is universally recognisable and has universal characteristics, the portrait is able to be more easily assessed using a more objective approach. This makes the portrait a more attractive option to art investors and collectors during times of financial crisis, such as we experienced last year, when long term safety and justifiability become important factors.

The value that can be placed on portraits because of their status as historical documents is the sort of future proof intrinsic value that will always remain with the portrait and cannot be disassociated from the portrait. Regardless of what happens to the art market or to the reputation of the artist in question, classical figurative works of art (portraits in particular) will always have significant technical, historical and documentary value. The fact that the physical characteristics of figurative portraits are so comparable across the whole genre, and so easy to rank, also means that they are also easier to value when compared to other genres.

2. Can auction houses or art market analysts predict trends in the market?

Predicting art market trends is becoming more and more difficult as fine art becomes a more globally recognised and accessible status symbol, and a more widely accepted alternative investment. As a much wider range of people from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds become active in the art market, a situation has arisen where there are so many different groups of art market participants with different agendas, that trying to foretell the buying behaviour of each group is extremely hard. To predict trends these days requires a very deep knowledge and understanding of the behaviour of art buyers as well as an extremely well developed trend sensing radar.

3. Do social, political or cultural issues affect market trends?

Social, political and cultural issues all have a profound effect on art market trends. Fine art is often used as a tool for making statements regarding social, political and cultural issues. A consequence of this is that people’s perception of such works can often be altered by their own beliefs or by important events of the day.

4. Do you think that the sale of a piece of art is just at the end of the day due to personal preference? Can buyers be strategic?

Buyers can definitely be strategic when it comes to purchasing fine art and are doing so at an ever increasing rate due to the greater level of acceptance of the benefits of approaching art as an investment. However, because everyone has a personal taste when it comes to fine art, a strategic approach is best undertaken with the guidance of an unbiased art advisor or via an art investment fund where the works that are invested in are chosen by a group of experts.

5. What may / may not determine the end sale price at an auction?

There are a myriad of different factors that can determine the final sale price of a work of art being sold at auction. A few, however, are much more influential than others. One of the most important factors to consider when buying or selling a work of art at auction is how many people are likely to be competing for that particular work of art. All it takes is two determined bidders for the auction estimate to fly out the window and the final price to skyrocket beyond all expectations. The energy of an auction sale can become all consuming and cause even the most timid of individuals to become super competitive. Another important factor that can affect the final sale price is the estimate given to a work of art. An estimate that is too high can discourage people from bidding for a work and an estimate that is too low can cause people to become suspicious about that work of art.

6. Do you think the artist’s name behind the art itself has a large factor into how much a piece would sell for? Can this limit the art in any way?

The commercialisation of the contemporary art market has evoked a scenario where artists are often looked upon as celebrities and performers who are expected to act in a certain way. Art buyers who view art as a status symbol will often view the artist’s social reputation and level of fame as being crucial factors when it comes to deciding whether or not to purchase a work or art. A result of this is that artists often have to conform to the desires of rich art buyers, and produce works that they will like, which can severely limit the work that the artists can produce.

7. What is the significance of branding and the correct marketing for pieces of art?

In theory, a work of art should really sell itself. However, the reality of the situation is that the conceptual nature of a large amount of the contemporary art being produced, combined with the increasing commercialisation of the contemporary art world, has created a situation where artists need to be marketed correctly in order for their work to be properly appreciated and stand out from the rest of the crowd. Without correct branding and marketing, an artist is likely to find it difficult to sell their work and differentiate themselves from the already saturated contemporary art market.

8. The Mugrabi family are said to own a monopoly on the Warhol catalogue. Do you feel that a collector can be excessive? Can a person own too much art?

The problem with collectors who monopolise the market for a particular artist is that those collectors can then manipulate the rate of supply and demand and consequently manipulate the price of that artist’s work. This sort of situation can have a seriously negative impact on people’s perception of an artist’s work and, as such, I would never such behaviour by collectors.

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications

Joan Miro Lithographs at Images-Art – artmarketblog.com

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:16:59 +0000

Joan Miro Lithographs at Images-Art – artmarketblog.com

Niall Fairhead, art dealer and owner of images-art.co.uk, was kind enough to inform me that he has acquired a number of sets of original Joan Miro lithographs that he is now offering for sale. Niall has a great reputation in the industry and always has great stock which made my decision to post this offer very easy. Each set of prints consists of 7 original lithographs that were printed by Poligrafa in 1974 to commemorate an exhibition of Miro’s sculptures.

Details:

Joan Miro (1893 – 1983)

A complete set of 7 original lithographs, printed by Poligrafa in 1974, fully described in the two catalogues raisonee’s of the artists’ works.

Provenance: Investors’ collection, purchased from publisher c.1980

Price for the set: £2200.00

For more information or to purchase a set email Niall Fairhead at sales@Images-Art.co.uk

• Miro Sculptor – Iran
Medium: Original lithograph in colours, 1974, On
heavy cream wove Guarro paper, signed in the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 – 1975) -
Maeght Editeur (Catalogue Raisonee) – No 934
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books” Number
191
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea, Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona, Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered edition of
135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate an
exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the catalogue
was in Portuguese.
Size: 200 x 393 mms

• Miro Sculptor – England
Medium: Original lithograph in colours,
1974, On heavy cream wove Guarro
paper, signed in the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 -
1975) – Maeght Editeur (Catalogue
Raisonee) – No 940
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books”
Number 225
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea,
Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona,
Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered
edition of 135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate
an exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the
catalogue was in English.
Size: 200 x 393 mms

• Miro Sculptor -Denmark
Medium: Original lithograph in colours,
1974, On heavy cream wove Guarro
paper, signed in the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 -
1975) – Maeght Editeur (Catalogue
Raisonee) – No 939
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books”
Number 210
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea,
Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona,
Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered
edition of 135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate
an exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the
catalogue was in Danish
Size: 200 x 393 mms

• Miro Sculptor – Sweden
Medium: Original lithograph in colours,
1974, On heavy cream wove Guarro paper,
signed in the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 -
1975) – Maeght Editeur (Catalogue
Raisonee) – No 938
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books”
Number 209
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea,
Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona,
Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered
edition of 135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate an
exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the
catalogue was in Swedish
Size: 200 x 393 mms

• Miro Sculptor – Japan
Medium: Original lithograph in colours, 1974,
On heavy cream wove Guarro paper, signed in
the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 – 1975) -
Maeght Editeur (Catalogue Raisonee) – No
937
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books” Number
194
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea, Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona, Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered edition
of 135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate an
exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the
catalogue was in Italian
Size: 200 x 393 mms

• Miro Sculptor – Italy
Medium: Original lithograph in colours, 1974,
On heavy cream wove Guarro paper, signed in
the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 – 1975) -
Maeght Editeur (Catalogue Raisonee) – No 936
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books” Number
193
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea, Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona, Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered edition
of 135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate an
exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the
catalogue was in Italian
Size: 200 x 393 mms

• Miro Sculptor – Portugal
Medium: Original lithograph in colours,
1974, On heavy cream wove Guarro paper,
signed in the stone
Reference: Miro Lithographie V (1972 -
1975) – Maeght Editeur (Catalogue
Raisonee) – No 935
Patrick Cramer “The Illustrated Books”
Number 191
Published by: Grafica Contemporanea,
Milan
Printed by: La Poligrafa, S A Barcelona,
Spain
Edition: 1500
There was also a signed and numbered
edition of 135 proofs
Note: This was created to commemorate
an exhibition of Miroʼs sculptures and the
catalogue was in Portuguese.
Size: 200 x 393 mms
•

Network of Arts and Culture Websites Creates New Model for Online Publishing – artmarketblog.com

artforprofits — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:43:44 +0000

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brigid Brown, Publicist

Cell) 551.358.1058

brigidbrown13@yahoo.com

Network of Arts and Culture Websites Creates New Model for Online Publishing

“Life in the arts has taught (Kathryn) Born that you can’t have a life in the arts unless you’re ‘able to work for free or almost nothing.’ She thinks that’s wrong … “

—Chicago Reader, January 2010

The network of websites that comprise Chicago Art Map and Chicago Art Magazine are not simply local websites but a case study for a new model of online publishing.

See: http://chicagoartmagazine.com/transparency-pages/

“Print media is in a mindset that online publishing is simply posting on a screen rather than printing on paper,” says Kathryn Born, founder of the CAM. “It’s rarely utilizing the internet’s capabilities to connecting the story ancillary data and deeper pools of information. It doesn’t harness the power of online distributions, which can categorize and deliver content to the audience — in the exact moment and form they wish to receive it.”

What does that have to do with Chicago Art Map? The network stands as a proof-of-concept of new publishing through several scenarios. The key example is that Chicago has 300 art venues and countless events every week. Comprehensive lists are ideal, but unwieldy.

The answer? Put all the information into a database instead of a list. Put a Google Map layer on top, add images, and code additional software tools so the events can be sorted and filtered.

The result? Search an art map by geographical range or exhibit type (a museum vs. a gallery or alternative art space) or type of art or type of event. Sort alphabetically or by neighborhood, location, specialty and filtered by date and geography.

For Chicago Art Magazine, footnotes are back in style using “hovering” tools, paragraphs of extra information expand with a click to instantly reveals more information (without refreshing the page). And images! Since ink is no longer a cost factor, they’re abundant, and expand to full size when clicked upon.

Chicago Art Magazine doesn’t publish monthly, it publishes twice a day. Each piece is pushed out to over 5,000 Facebook and Twitter followers.

It’s operational budget, for what would-be a 200 page magazine, is only $1,700 a month. Every dime goes to writers, editors and staff. No rent, no paper, no trucks. Suddenly, an advertising-based model that only requires $2000 per month to support freelancers and stay in the black, is attainable, often with sole-sponsorship deals that provide a blast of coverage for only a few sponsors each month.

“‘Advertorial; content is permissible, but only if it’s fully disclosed in every instance,” is the policy of the magazine, as they are supported with “sponsored posts” along with graphic advertisements.

Most unusual, yet still in accordance with the Open source (software) background that prepared Kathryn Born for the task, is the idea of freely sharing ideas so that others can build upon what was learned. A tab called “transparency” reveals everything from tech tricks, to philosophy and budgets. A weekly blog gets into even smaller details about editorial and survival

-MORE-

The site speaks to all tiers of art fans whether a seasoned collector or a newbie looking to go out on a Friday evening. This breadth of reviews is credited to the aptly named “Friday Night Army” which is a team of critics, released onto the city, with the mission to report back on what is seen and heard in their own voice. “The editorial goal is to write about art in a simple, lively way, using pictures, video and audio,” says Born. “Our belief is that writing about art can be a literary style that’s as colorful as the art we describe.”

Chicago Art Magazine ~ Reviews & Features

Chicago Art Map ~ One-Stop-Shop Gallery Finder

The Chicago Art Machine speaks to all tiers of art fans whether it is a collector on the prowl for the latest discovery or a newbie looking to branch out. This breadth can be credited to the aptly named “Friday Night Army” which is a team of critics, released onto the city, with the mission to report back on what is seen and heard in their own voice.

Some features are more mainstream like, “The Bath Haus of Gaga” and others more niche-y but still accessible such as, “A Crash of Critters at Fill in the Blank”. No matter what genre, each article is informative and as a whole the network feels like a mini-course in art history. After a short time of perusing the sites, visitors will walk away knowing way more than when they started.

“The editorial goal is to write about art in a simple, lively way with a whole bunch of pictures, video and audio,” says Born. “The belief is that writing about art can be a literary style that’s as colorful as the art we describe.”

Kathryn Born is the Editor-in-Chief of the online Chicago Art Magazine and oversees ChicagoArtMap.com. Born breaking off to start her own network of sites, Born had created the blog Art Talk Chicago for the Chicago Tribune-sponsored network of blogs called ChicagoNow.com.

If you plan to run a review and/or would like to set up an interview with Kathryn Born, please contact: Brigid Brown @ 551.358.1058 or brigidbrown13@yahoo.com

Visit us online at: www.chicagoartmagazine.com

-END-

Susan Graham at Compound Editions – artmarketblog.com

artforprofits — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:28:44 +0000

Susan Graham at Compound Editions – artmarketblog.com

Susan Graham Vessel for Safekeeping (Survivalism) 2009 Porcelain Edtion of 50, plus 10 APs $250.00 each

It is good to see that there are people willing to make a stand against the global economic crisis and start new ventures to promote the work of emerging artists even though many would shy away from making such commitments. Two such people are the owners of Schroeder Romero and Winkleman Gallery who launched Compound Editions, a collaborative fine art multiples publishing venture, in November last year. The latest offering from Compound Editions is by New York based artist Susan Graham who has created a fantastically witty work that is very much a memento of our times. “Vessel for Safekeeping (Survivalism)” is a sort of “alternative” mantel piece ornament that consists of a hand sculptured and hand glazed porcelain lacy box which contains a porcelain credit card and porcelain scissors.

We all like to think that we have complete control over our financial status but Graham’s use of a very fragile and rigid material in the construction of the box, card, and in particular the scissors, suggests that we do not have as much control as we may think. Although a pair of scissors is provided to cut up the credit card the porcelain scissors are completely useless as though mocking the helplessness of the viewer. Even though we can’t cut the credit card with the scissors the fragility of the porcelain credit card makes it very vulnerable to damage, just like our financial status, if not properly taken care of. Graham also appears to be suggesting that our identities are very much defined by our financial status and that people judge others according to their financial means in much the same way as the sort of ornaments that a person has on their mantel piece can say a lot about them and and their family.

“Vessel for Safekeeping (Survivalism)” is an edition of 50 plus 10 APs and can be purchased for $250 from Schroeder Romero and Winkleman Gallery or by emailing compoundeditions[at]gmail.com

Further information and other editions can be found here:
http://compound-editions.blogspot.com/

Susan Graham has been included in numerous exhibitions in the United States and Europe including recent shows at the Tucson Museum Of Art, John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Michigan; the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, the Sherman Gallery at Boston University, Hunter College Leubsdorf Gallery, New York; the Musee d’art et d’industrie de Saint-Etienne, and the Musee International des Arts Modestes, Sete, France.

More info on Susan Graham and her work can be found here:

http://www.susangrahamart.com/

Selling High-End Art Online – artmarketblog.com

artforprofits — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:27:14 +0000

Selling High-End Art Online – artmarketblog.com

There are many different websites where one can buy and sell art but most of those websites are for artists to sell their work directly to the public. What if you want to sell a valuable and prized work from your collection?. Are there websites that cater to the secondary market?. The answer to both questions is definitely, yes. When selling a valuable work of art on the secondary market the first thing that would pop into most people’s heads would be one of the major art auction houses. Of course, the big art auction houses are extremely good at what they do but if you feel that the work of art you want to sell would benefit from being exposed to a much wider audience, or you would like a more flexible selling option, then there are several online alternatives. The sites that I have chosen represent the very best of the secondary market online art brokers. There are several less prestigious alternatives but when it comes to selling a valuable work of art you will want to make sure you have the right people for the job. It might not seem like a big deal but displaying your work of art for sale through an online broker with a bad reputation could not only result in your work not selling but could also mean that your work will continue to be associated with that dodgy dealer for years to come. Therefore, if you are wanting to sell a valuable work of art on the secondary market I suggest you use one of the sites that I have listed below or do plenty of research before using another site.

http://www.artcycle.com

ArtCycle is a new online art broker that not only provide a place to sell you art but act as the agent for the whole transaction. One of the great things about ArtCycle is that there is no cost to you if ArtCycle do not sell the artwork. According to their website:

“As a consignment service, we offer a unique environment for art collectors to buy and sell work in a way that is personally and financially rewarding. We are not an auction house nor are we a traditional gallery. We are collectors, like you, who bring years of expertise coupled with a fresh take on how art should be purchased.”

ArtCycle is a very attractive option for those wishing to sell higher end works of art but don’t want to take the traditional art auction house route.

http://www.artnet.com

Artnet are one of the world’s top online destinations for pretty much anything to do with buying and selling fine art. As well as a price database, online magazine, videos, event listings and more, Artnet also conduct online auctions. Artnet online auctions are only for serious collectors as you have to apply to become a seller on artnet. After your application is reviewed by artnet, you will, if approved, be offered the opportunity to sell via artnet Online Auctions. The vetting process ensures that the quality of work auctioned via artnet remains high and that the sellers are reputable.

http://www.artquid.com

Artquid are another relative newcomer to the online art broking world who have proven themselves to be worthy of inclusion in this list. According to their website:

“ArtQuid is a global marketplace for Art and Antiques, where professionals (Art dealers, Art galleries, Artists) and individuals (Collectors) from around the world can create their own online Private Gallery so that interested buyers can browse and purchase any items they want directly from any location.”

A very professional site combined with very low fees starting at 9.95 euro makes artquid well worth considering. Because the site is relatively new I would suggest using artquid in conjunction with another more established site such as artprice.com.

http://www.artprice.com

If you have anything to do with fine art you will undoubtedly have heard of artprice, the world’s most popular database of art auction results. As well as the price database, artprice.com also has an online classified section where you can advertise works of art, antiques and design that you want to sale. The great thing about the artprice.com classifieds is that when you search the price database for a particular artist you also a list of the works by that artist which are advertised for sale in the classified section. This means that every time someone searches for information on the artist who created the work you are selling, the item you have for sale will

http://www.askart.com

AskART are a very well known and well established site that is primarily an online database that contains information and price data on over 155,000 artists. As well as providing information on artists, askart.com also provide a marketplace section where anyone can advertise a work of art that they want to sell.

According to their website, the benefits of using AskART are:

• Your ads go live on AskART immediately, giving you exposure to our over 70,000 daily visitors.

• Ad notification is automatically sent to all collectors in our database who have registered an interest in your artist.

• They offer low fees and easy administration

• Buyers contact you directly – AskART collects no other fees or commissions.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post there are many more websites that allow people to sell art online but many of them are far from adequate for those looking for a secure and reputable broker with a proven track record. The sites I have listed above are by far the best of the online art brokers and offer superior service plus a greater chance of a successful sale.

Art Market Blog - artmarketblog.com » art galleries

Questioning the Art Market – artmarketblog.com

Related Posts:

Joan Miro Lithographs at Images-Art – artmarketblog.com

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Network of Arts and Culture Websites Creates New Model for Online Publishing – artmarketblog.com

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Susan Graham at Compound Editions – artmarketblog.com

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Selling High-End Art Online – artmarketblog.com

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