Art Business News: Fall 2015 Issue

HEADING WEST CALIFORNIA’S TOP ART EVENTS OF AUTUMN

The Recovery of

STOLEN ART

»AUCTION UPDATE

+

DECOR

Post-Recession Framing

Conservation Conversation Emphasize Quality

Angelo T. Robinson

“Undeniable� | 48x30 acrylic on aluminum

www.atrfineart.com | atrfineart@gmail.com | (858) 232-9872

Sócrates Márquez

“Too Bubbly to be Blue” – Mixed Media, Latex, Spray paint on canvas - 84” x 54” - 2015

Limited Editions available exclusively through The Greenwich Workshop

www.greenwichworkshop.com / ushersc@greenwichworkshop.com

@socratesmarquez Facebook: socratesmarquezny Top Emerging Artist 2014 – Art Business News

info@socratesmarquez.com www.socratesmarquez.com

“The image does not emerge mechanically from the camera, It happens stylistically from the mind of the artist”

AN EXTRAORDIN ARY VIEW OF THE ORDIN ARY 954-817-8870 | www.michaeljoseph.com | mj@michaeljoseph.com

A R T F A I R S

M A G A Z I N E

B O O K S

G A L L E R Y

www.artblend.com

|

954-817-4893

|

info@artblend.com

CONTENTS 36

FEATURES

24

S TOLEN ART

Government agencies and independent databases seek to locate stolen art

BY MELISSA HART

28

AUCTION UPDATE Do record sales at auction indicate a recovered art market?

COLUMNS & DEPTS. 6

BY ERIC SMITH

8

CONTRIBUTORS

11

INSIDE THE FRAME

14

BY L A N C E E VA N S

32

MATTSON’S FINE ART

Delving into the secrets of this successful business

H EADING WEST Must-see fall California shows

16

BY JACK HAMANN On the Cover: “Windy Light,” Erin Hanson.

This page: “Maples – Leona,” William S. Rice.

ART BEAT

Use Kickstarter to fund your next project 15 MINUTES

Do-good entrepreneur Christina Eldridge of Red Dirt Shop

BY NICKI PORTER

22

B UILDING A SPACE FOR ART

Artspace turns abandon buildings into lofts and studios for artists in need

News and notes from the art world

B Y R I C H A R D K AY

BY LINDA MARIANO

36 44

PERSPECTIVES

CANVASSING THE LAW

Put your art to work with licensing

BY AL A N E . K AT Z

71

ADVERTISER INDEX

72

PARTING SHOT

Check out the DECOR section on p. 53.

4

“Wave,” César Vásquez

PERSPECTIVES IN PURSUIT OF PASSION

O

ne thing you may know about me from past “Perspectives” letters is that I travel a lot. Beyond the usual flurry of business travel, I also make sure to take time for fun trips and to share my joy of exploration with my daughters and fiancée as often as I can.

Just this summer, I went to five national parks.

From taking in the breathtaking vistas of the Grand Canyon’s North Rim to waking up at 3:30 a.m. to catch the Haleakalā sunrise, I got a hearty dose of what I love best: hiking and being outdoors with those I care about most.

While traveling, whether I’m visiting a tiny town or a bustling city, I love to check out area galleries. Meeting local gallerists and discovering amazing artwork in unexpected corners of the country always gives me a thrill and reminds me that at the heart of what we do in this industry is a pure passion for art. And we’re not the only ones; the last few years have brought a huge increase in art investments by those in the “passion sector,” an ever-growing group of people who collect fine art, vintage wines, and classic cars and are willing to travel great lengths to seek out these valuable finds. One famous passion-sector event, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, had its 65th anniversary in August. The event is a celebration of the world’s rarest and most exquisite cars, to which automobile lovers from around the globe flocked, ready to mingle with fellow collectors and make multimillion-dollar bids.

Our very own passion-sector projects are also coming up. Art San Diego in November will be a part of Balboa Park’s dazzling centennial celebration, and Spectrum Miami, a five-day art extravaganza, takes place during Miami Art Week in the first week of December. This show takes place among more than 20 other fabulous art shows, including the renowned Art Basel Miami Beach, giving people who are truly passionate about art a chance to be fully immersed in it. The city is teeming with art aficionados during Miami Art Week, creating a palpable vibrancy in the air, thanks in part to all the parties, live entertainment, and special events that go along with the art shows. We hope to see you in San Diego and Miami!

Just a last thought: We are quite lucky to be in this industry as part of the passion sector. It allows us to play a part in the lives of people who are driven by inspiration and who are always on the lookout for what makes them feel alive, and art is one of those things. That passion for art connects us all, whether we’re Art Business News readers, collectors, gallery owners, artists, or some combination thereof. We hope this issue of ABN quenches your thirst for news on the latest and greatest in the art world.

Enjoy the fall!

ERIC SMITH 6

Fall 2015 Phone: 888-881-5861 Email: letters@artbusinessnews.com Web: artbusinessnews.com CEO/Publisher Eric Smith Editor-in-Chief Megan Kaplon Managing Editor Linda Mariano Copy Editors Nina Benjamin, Fran Granville Contributors Lance Evans, Jack Hamann, Melissa Hart, Alan E. Katz, Meredith Quinn Editorial inquiries: letters@artbusinessnews.com Art Director Mike O’Leary Graphic Designer Lizz Anderson Advertising Rick Barnett Managing Director, Exhibitions & Media Sales Email: rick.barnett@redwoodmg.com Phone: 831-747-0112 Ashley Tedesco Director of Media Marketing Sales Email: ashley.tedesco@redwoodmg.com Phone: 831-970-5611 Rosana Rader Director of Sales & Exhibitions Email: rosana.rader@redwoodmg.com Phone: 831-840-4444 Operations and Finance Finance Director Geoff Fox Email: geoff.fox@redwoodmg.com Sales Administration Laura Finamore Email: lfinamore@madavor.com Subscriptions Subscriptions to Art Business News are available to U.S. subscribers for $20 for one year (4 issues). Call 855-881-5861 or visit us online at artbusinessnews.com.

Art Business News is published four times per year by Madavor Media. The name “Art Business News” is a registered trademark of Redwood Media Group. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without express written consent of publisher.

FALL 2015

Copyright © 2015

CUI JINGZHE (ERIC JZC) Cui Jingzhe (Eric JZC) is an artistic director of Eureka Global Art (EGA) and also a member of the Canadian delegation of artists. He has been invited to participate in “Art Capital grace exhibition” 2015 Salon Historiques historic Grand Palais des Champs-Elysees, Paris, France. And conducting an “Art Gallery of Ontario” (AGO) art seminar in Canada.

Mr. Cui is a member of Chinese Artists’ Association. Several works of his have been sold at 2013 Poly International Auction Co. including ‘THE CHINESE BRIDE’. He is considered China’s young contemporary artist with most potential that brings his own “China Red” style to the world!

WWW.CUIJINGZHE.ARTRON.NET

EUREK A GLOBAL ART + 1 416 879 6068 www.eurekaglobalart.com

CONTRIBUTORS Jack Hamann is a

Alan E. Katz is a part-

writer and documen-

ner in the New York

tary producer. He is the

City law firm Greenfield

author of On American

Stein & Senior, LLP,

Soil and a frequent

where he specializes in

contributor to The

art law, real estate law,

Writer magazine.

and software licensing.

Lance Evans' art world

Eugene writer and

Nicki Porter is a

life began as a New

teacher Melissa Hart

Boston-based writer,

York art student. He

is the author of Wild

editor, and former

has written reviews for

Within: How Rescuing

preschool teacher.

the New York Times,

Owls Inspired a Family

She believes in

NBC, and other media

(Lyons, 2014).

good art and good

outlets and been a

biscuits.

master printer for artists like Erté and McKnight.

Courtesy Swann Auction Galleries

“Kumasi Market,” John Biggers.

8

FALL 2015

Angelo T. Robinson

ART SAN DIEGO BOOTH 500

“Red” | 48x30 mixed media on canvas

Diana Rosa, “The Rhythm of Spring”, 40”x30”, Acrylic

www.atrfineart.com atrfineart@gmail.com | (858) 232-9872 ARTBUSINESSNEWS.COM

Featuring: Mario Angel, Carl Karni Bain, Diana Rosa, Laurie Skantzos, Marcelo Suaznabar 416.795.2787 spencegallery@sympatico.ca SPENCEGALLERY.COM 9

PROMOTE YOUR ARTWORK

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Put the pros at CrumlicMedia to work on your video, website and social media!

CrumlicMedia has a full service creative team specializing in working with artists and galleries to create innovative videos, websites, books and social media campaigns.

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See our work at crumlicmedia.com - Call us anytime 646-596-6652

Official Video Producer for Spectrum Miami 2015

15 MINUTES

BY NICKI PORTER

GOODS FOR GOOD

CHRISTINA ELDRIDGE, CO-FOUNDER OF RED DIRT SHOP, SUCCESSFULLY COMBINES BUSINESS, ART, AND CHARITY

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ucts that support a worthy cause.

It was a smart bet. Red Dirt Shop has been a remarkable—and profitable— success. In 2014, the shop began selling products made by artisans in Guatemala and Kenya, offering job creation and fair wages in addition to clean-water access.

Eldridge recently discussed how the two entrepreneurs successfully combined art and social change.

ART BUSINESS NEWS: How did you come up with the idea for Red Dirt Shop?

CHRISTINA ELDRIDGE: While working as a fundraiser for a major hospital system, I started volunteering as a director for medical mission trips to Mali, West Africa. While I’ve been lucky to travel internationally quite a bit, this was my first time to go into a country with a purpose, work alongside the local people, and step into their shoes. What I saw were people who were impoverished, uneducated, and unhealthy. I also saw [that] they were joyous, ingenious, clever, and resourceful, and had an enviable sense of family and community.

While poverty is incredibly complex and the reasons for it vary from region

Clockwise from top: Christina Eldridge, co-founder and CEO of Red Dirt Shop; Red Dirt’s leather messanger bag, handmade in Kenya; A Red Dirt logo T-shirt; A Kenyan leather craftsman hard at work creating products for Red Dirt Shop.

to region and person to person, I saw problems I felt I could partner with local people on and make a difference.

And it wasn’t about handouts or giving things away; it was [about] finding ways to help these people raise themselves out of poverty. The two areas I thought I could make a difference in were water access and job creation. Water is a basic human right, but nearly 750 million people don’t have access [to it]. If people aren’t healthy, they can’t take care of themselves. Second, it was made crystal clear to me that people want jobs and the dignity of taking care of their families themselves. No one wants

FALL 2015

Courtesy Red Dirt Shop

I

t’s one thing to create art with good intentions: to raise awareness for a cause, grant a voice to the oppressed, or just bring a little light into the world. But acting on those good intentions is another thing entirely.

For Kansas City natives Christina Eldridge and Dawn Taylor, it wasn’t enough to merely talk about bringing change to the world. Both women had journeyed to Africa and seen firsthand a basic human need that wasn’t being met: access to clean, safe drinking water.

So they co-founded Red Dirt Shop, an online marketplace that offers “goods for good.” All products for sale on the site— cellphone cases, water bottles, T-shirts— feature designs by working artists, and every sale provides an entire year of access to safe water for an individual in need, thanks to the store’s partnership with the nonprofit Water.org.

Red Dirt Shop built its business model on trust in a growing group of consumers who appreciate quality products and want to make a difference in the world. Eldridge and Taylor bet that these consumers would be willing to pay a higher price for premium prod-

to live off of handouts.

I wanted to start something that could scale and grow quickly, and that wasn’t charity; it’s commerce. So Red Dirt Shop is a lifestyle fashion-andaccessories company that donates a year of clean-water access for someone in need with each product sold. Additionally, half our products are now made by artisans in developing communities that are paid a fair wage and are working in safe, healthy conditions.

shirt. As I got closer, I saw [that] his face was drawn, his eyes were lifeless, and he had diarrhea running down his legs. It didn’t take us long to figure out he had a water-borne illness. The village was using an open-top well, in which … the water was a milky brown. Their handpump well had broken some time ago.

Can you imagine being this boy’s mother, and your options are to give him water that will almost surely make him ill or let him thirst? As a mother myself,

cided to support Water.org. It’s one of the most forward-thinking and respected nonprofits focused on water and sanitation in the world. And amazingly, it is located right here in Kansas City, and I knew a number of people working there. I love their solutions to the water crisis and am happy to financially support them.

ABN: Why did you choose providing access to clean drinking water as your cause?

CE: On my first trip to Mali, we traveled to a very small, remote village to have a day clinic. The first person brave enough to step outside the village wall was a little boy around [age] 5 or 6. We walked slowly toward each other, and I could see he was just wearing a ratty T-

it broke my heart. We found out it would take about $800 to fix their pump, and I was able to raise the money within a day back home. The next year, I went back to the same village, and the boy, Famoussa, ran out to hug me. He was healthy, with full cheeks and bright eyes. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life.

When I knew I wanted to support water access with Red Dirt Shop, I de-

CE: Well, it’s one thing to create a business idea, and it’s another to make one that is different and attractive to people.

We decided on cellphone covers as our first product: something that almost everyone buys for their smartphone, has a low price point, and is very visible to others. To make it distinctive, we decided to involve artists. Kansas City has an incredibly fertile arts community, and

ARTBUSINESSNEWS.COM

ABN: What made you decide to sell custom, artist-created designs? Why was artist involvement important to you?

17

From left: Products featuring designs of Red Dirt artist Casey Ligon of Kansas City; Two Guatemalan women weave fabric for Red Dirt products; A phone case designed

by Japanese artist HR - FM.

the artists are extremely collaborative with one another. When we started approaching artists—some we knew, some we didn’t—almost all of them said yes; they loved the idea of using their talents in a commercial product that could also help others. Additionally, we didn’t ask them to do it for free. We licensed their artwork for a period of time. Our artist partners have been incredible. They help share the product with their fan base, which is marketing for us, and vice versa.

Some have just been fun to work with; others have become good friends.

ABN: Talk about your decision to sell artisan-created products.

CE: It was always a goal to eventually add artisan-made products once the company got on its feet. It was adding another genre of art to our goods.

I sought groups that had the skills and resources that I could work with on designs. That took a lot of time and [led us down] a lot of dead-end trails. But the

18

“Consumers are ready to spend their money on quality products that aren’t harming people or the planet and support companies that use their power for good.” artisans I’ve found thus far have been incredible to work with. It’s incredibly gratifying to know who is making your products, see what having a job does for them and their families, and then be able to share that story with your customer.

ABN: How do these products get selected for inclusion in the shop?

CE: The artisan products have the same standards as [goods from] any other supplier: quality products, timely delivery, good communication. Right now, we’re carrying beautiful leather bags and other accessories from Kenya.

The quality is above reproach. We also just started working with a small village there that makes gorgeous blankets

from organic cotton they grow, spin, and weave. And there’s a women’s co-op in Guatemala that uses their skills in backstrap weaving and fabric sewing.

I work with the groups on creating contemporary designs with the skills and resources they have. I don’t want to be like Ten Thousand Villages, which sells the indigenous products you might find in a local market. The products we have are loved for their beauty and design, and the fact that they are made by artisans in developing communities is a delightful surprise.

ABN: What has reception been like for the shop, in terms of both artists and consumers?

CE: Incredible! The visual artists [enjoy

FALL 2015

Courtesy Red Dirt Shop

ABN: How do you balance making a profit with philanthropy? Can you have both?

CE: You have to have profit, or you can’t survive. We are an investor-backed business, so we had to sell the idea that doing good also does good for a business.

Nielsen has released three reports in the last five years surveying tens of thousands of people around the world. They show increasing demand for “do-good” companies and show that people are willing to pay more for such products.

With our products, we had to build the cost of doing good into the retail price. That [goal] may take some consumer education because most of the supply chains in the fashion industry are “dirty,” with people along the way being paid too little or the environment taking the cost. Consumers need to know the true cost of their fashion.

it for] different reasons: they like the interesting vehicles their art is placed on, such as phone cases, water bottles, and apparel; what their art is supporting; and that they are fairly paid for the licensing. I think the artisan groups like seeing what they make sold in America and [having it] be so well-received.

Consumers are ready to spend their money on quality products that aren’t harming people or the planet and support companies that use their power for good. They also love the story they can tell when someone compliments them.

ABN: Have you found marrying social impact and art to be a good match?

CE: I think that people who like our products love art, and when they choose artful products, they’re choosing to represent who they are. That [idea] ties in with the social impact as well; they buy products they can stand behind. Our customers buy our prod-

ARTBUSINESSNEWS.COM

ucts—and share them passionately— because they love the individual statements and the good they represent.

ABN: How do you market to the artappreciative philanthropist community?

CE: This has been a great partnership with our artists. It is part of our contract that we will market each other—crosspollinate, if you will—to our respective fan bases via social media and email.

They share the project they’ve worked on and what it means to them. We share their art and artist statements both through marketing and our website. It’s been an effective way to grow.

ABN: How do you work with artists to incorporate their designs into your products?

CE: For our visual artists who will have their work placed on products like phone cases, water bottles, and apparel, we have a pretty specific set of guidelines set up.

We have learned many of the guidelines through trial and error. Our main goal is to make sure the art is represented as closely to the original work as possible.

Mockups are made and shown to the artists before full production.

ABN: How can artists become involved with Red Dirt Shop?

CE: Right now, we find most of our artists through recommendations from other artists. We’re lucky to have such a great list of alumni. We also reach out to people we come across on the web. However, anyone can email us at info@reddirtshop.com.

ABN: Any advice for other socialminded art entrepreneurs out there?

CE: To be successful and accomplish your goals, remember to keep the discipline of your business first. When you do this, the intentions of your heart will come to fruition and grow. ABN

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susanschmidtart

Ginger Anne Sandell FORTITUDE

Dedicated to my son and his family where my son is serving in the US Air Force and is deployed.

HANGING TEN

www.susanschmidtart.com susan@susanschmidtart.com | +61 427 854 327

20

BRAVERY

www.gingerannesandell.com | sandellginger@gmail.com

FALL 2015

A DV E R T O R I A L

ENitsua Fine Art is a gallery of original fine artwork by artist Katherine Austin. The youngest of 12, Katherine Austin is a Midwestern girl of Cherokee and American decent. A child of the 70s, Katherine was highly influenced by the vibrant, bold prints and colors of the era. Her artwork is based on the use of vibrant, bold tonality as a way to create a sense of urgency and immediacy. She began seriously painting while still in elementary school at the encouragement of a neighbor. Never formally trained, Katherine went on to pursue an education in psychology, but never abandon her first love. Throughout the years her art has evolved with one consistent aspect—her love of color and spirituality.

Influenced by the works of Picasso and Chagall, her abstract realist style captures the viewer, leaving the works open to individual interpretation.

Katherine’s abstract realism and hidden objects in her paintings gives her the platform to express herself in a unique way, which links people from different backgrounds together. The link that her art creates gives her a sense of fulfillment to the path of bringing people together whether they come from a world of art, a world of faith, or various other backgrounds. Her creativity has allowed her to partner with various charities, such as Doctors Without Borders, Art With No Borders, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital to name a few.

For 2015-2016, Katherine will participate in a US national tour: Art San Diego, November 5-8 Spectrum Miami, December 2-5 Artexpo New York, April 14-17 2016 Katherine’s will also exhibit her works in an international tour this Fall to Nice and Mulhouse, France, and London, UK.

For more information on Katherine Austin, her artwork, events, and ENitsua Foundation for The Arts, please visit www.enitsuafineart.co Contact : inquiry@enitsuafineart.onmicrosoft.com

NEW TRENDS at Auction

AS THE ART WORLD CONTINUES TO MOVE OUT OF RECESSION, AUCTION HOUSES ZOOM B Y L A N C E E V A N S

A

This Henry Moore sculpture, “Standing Man and Woman,” was part of film star Lauren Bacall’s art collection and sold for $56,250 at her estate auction earlier this year.

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BEYOND THE SPECTACLE Beyond the great pomp and circumstance, an auction system plays many other important roles within the art world. One of the main reasons for the auction system’s importance is its public nature; sales within the gallery system remain more private.

Although some sellers and purchasers may prefer to operate with a degree of anonymity, the final auction prices become public knowledge.

For this reason, the buying and selling of fine art through auction has a large influence on the overall pricing and value of art. Gallery owners and perspective buyers use this collected data from all of the auction houses as something of a Blue Book for art. Thus, the auction system is valuable as a reference in charting artists’ value in the past, current selling prices, and future worth.

FALL 2015

Left: Bonhams; Right, clockwise from left: Swann Galleries, Christie’s, Christie’s

n auction, especially one with a high profile, is more than a sale of art; it’s an event. In contrast to the gallery system—which may hold little consequence to anyone but the individual buyer and seller—an auction draws in hundreds or even thousands of interested people.

An auction is like a horse race or a boxing match. Sometimes, it’s even like two gladiators fighting to their (financial) death. It has winners, and it has losers. It has upsets and can sometimes turn the art world on its head in just a few short minutes.

Clockwise from left: “Untitled” by Sam Gilliam sold on April 2, 2015, for $197,000, a record for the artist at auction; Christie’s sold “(Painting) Women, Moon, Birds,” by Joan Miró on February 4, 2015 for $23.5 million; “Farhat Al Nuba (The Happiness of Nubia)”

by Tahia Halim realized $749,000 at a Christie’s auction in March.

Such public valuing of items helps to steady an industry that could otherwise be a fickle beast. After all, the market is driven by the supply and demand of products whose values are determined largely by perception. Auctions play a major role in solidifying that perception. Scholarly work published in auction catalogs further establishes the value of art and the status of the auction houses themselves.

One auction can sell hundreds of items and rack up millions of dollars in sales in an afternoon. An auction can even change the direction of the art world.

AUCTIONS BEFORE AND AFTER THE RECESSION Even in the best of times, the art industry can be a chaotic place, and the recent recession had extreme consequences for sellers and buyers. However, most agree that the recession is largely a thing of the past now, so we are able to look back on it with a bit of perspective.

The ups and downs of the economy have tremendously affected auctions. Unlike gallery sales, which predictably follow economic swings, auction sales have experienced many interesting twists in recent years.

“Pre-recession, we found that buyers had more confidence to spend money,” says Laura King Pfaff, chairman of Bonhams Auctions, which has houses in London, New York,

ARTBUSINESSNEWS.COM

San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles and conducts about 400 auctions each year. “Post-recession buyers are typically more cautious with spending overall. Even the wellheeled are looking for good value, and we have seen an emergence of more art advisors to act as a client’s agent.”

Despite this climate, various sales records have recently been smashed. In May, Pablo Picasso’s “Les Femmes d’Alger (Version ‘O’)” sold for $179.4 million, breaking the record for the highest price ever paid for a piece of artwork at auction. At the same auction, Alberto Giacometti’s “L’homme au doigt” broke the record for the most paid for a piece of sculpture at auction, garnering $141.3 million.

“There are always exceptions to the rule,” explains Pfaff.

“Individuals who have money will spend money, but the overall mood is still somewhat cautionary. It also makes a difference with what is being offered. If a very rare piece of art comes to auction that has not been seen in the public for years, there will most likely be a bidding frenzy, causing the prices to soar.”

Although consignment of art has remained mostly consistent despite the varying economy, the reasons for such consignments have varied, she says. “Pre-recession consignors hoped to get higher than fair-market prices for their art. Post-recession consignors were hoping to liquidate for fast cash. This has reverted back since the return to a healthier economy.”

29

buyers are certainly more focused on quality,” says Lowry.

These statistics might lead one to wonder whether only the super-rich are buying and whether buyers are focusing on the safer blue-chip art and avoiding more speculative purchases.

“Auctions are now front-page news, and results read more like the GDPs of small countries rather than real-world auction prices,” says Lowry. “It is hard to imagine that buyers are trying to minimize their risk. It seems that buyers are trying to risk even more on the possibility of outrageous returns.”

“It is getting easier to argue the enormous sums fetched at auctions are not entirely based on artistic merit but rather on some speculative dream,” Lowry adds. “While these high-profile auctions are the most visible aspect of our market, they actually represent a mere fraction of a percent of the auction market as a whole.”

Adam Hutter, founder of Hutter Auction Galleries, comes to the auction industry with his own unique perspective.

“After years in the industry, I started my own auction house in the heart of the recession. This forced me to adapt to a new way of doing business. More aggressive marketing and personal services have become much more important.”

Hutter focuses on affordable art that everyone can buy.

“In my market, there’s no longer a bread-and-butter area with sure-to-sell sectors. I do find people are willing to take more risks—dealers and privates alike. They’re taking chances on design styles and unknown artists, too, but mostly just on mid-century items.”

As one might expect, the larger houses have different priorities. At Bonhams, Pfaff says, Asian, American, and California art is consistently strong, whereas contemporary and Impressionist art manages to attract some big-time buyers.

From left: “Christie’s Auction Room,” J. Bluck, 1808, from Rudolph Ackermann’s Microcosm of London; Christie’s auctioneer Jussi Pylkkanen.

30

FALL 2015

Courtesy Christie’s

Jennifer Ferguson is the director of corporate affairs with Christie’s, the world leader in art sales across many auction categories, with houses all over the globe. “Looking at our annual global sales figures from 2005 forward, you can see that the global recession led to a brief slowdown in auction sales in 2008 and 2009 [a low of $3.3 billion, after a previous high of $6.3 billion], followed by a dramatic recovery and growth trajectory,” she says.

Earlier this year, Christie’s issued a press release stating that the company reached a record $8.4 billion in sales, an increase of 17 percent, in 2014. That year-end tally was the highest total for Christie’s or any art company in the history of the market. A further breakdown of that number states that auction sales accounted for $6.8 billion.

“In general, the growth we’re seeing in recent years is a result of more buyers entering the market [globally] and creating greater demand, which leads to increasing prices,” says Ferguson. This year, Christie’s sales to buyers from Europe and the Middle East are up 20 percent.

Nicholas Lowry, the president and principal auctioneer of Swann Auction Galleries in Manhattan, has a different take on the effect of the recession. “What the recession did was shake the tree loose of all buyers who were in it primarily for fun. The market now is much more focused on prime pieces and marquee names that are in superb condition,” he says.

Due to this mindset in the auction marketplace, Lowry says, it is now easier to sell a $10,000 piece of art than a $1,000 piece.

The sales numbers published by Christie’s—a whopping 48 percent increase in works that sold for more than $10 million and a 19 percent increase in lots sold for more than $1 million—give credence to Lowry’s comments. “Today’s

“AUCTIONS ARE NOW FRONT-PAGE NEWS, AND RESULTS READ MORE LIKE THE GDPS OF SMALL COUNTRIES RATHER THAN REAL-WORLD AUCTION PRICES.” Big names and works in good condition are always popular and safe choices. “We just sold the estate of Lauren Bacall in New York on March 31 and April 1, 2015. It was a ‘whiteglove’ sale, which means it was 100 percent sold,” Pfaff says.

“The category that has seen the most dramatic growth, especially since 2010, is postwar and contemporary art,” says Ferguson of Christie’s. “That said, we are seeing masterpieces of all categories increasing in price, as more buyers compete for the best and most rare examples. Collectors in the top tier of the market tend to gravitate to well-known artists.”

Ferguson mentions recent world-record-breaking auctions at Christie’s on the sales of many postwar and contemporary artists, including Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko, and living contemporary artists Gerhard Richter, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Cindy Sherman, Christopher Wool, and Peter Doig.

“Masterpieces in any category are the most sought after.

We advise clients to collect those artists and categories they love and want to live with. There are more and more statistical analyses out there that track various artists’ resale value, but nothing is guaranteed,” says Ferguson.

Digital tools and online auctions are also swiftly changing the art auction industry.

“As the auction world grows and changes, we’re seeing an increase in the diversity of our clients,” says Swann Galleries’ Lowry. “The availability of online tools for buying means that younger collectors operate more independently now, discovering and researching on their own. However, at Swann, we’re finding that, while more clients first discover their passions online, there is still a real desire on the part of collectors to connect with our specialists.”

Bonhams is increasing awareness outside its salesrooms through regional representatives, onsite and offsite appraisal events, event sponsorships, trust and estate appraisals, and conferences. “Relationships with museums are also important, as they are constantly looking to deaccession artwork to either raise money or tweak their collections,” says Lowry.

“The auction market has evolved over the past few decades from a dealer focus to a consumer focus, so we now see just as many private individuals in the salesroom as dealers,” says Ferguson. “Further, we are seeing steady growth in online participants in our live auctions, as well as new bidders in our online-only auctions.

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“Technology advances have made it possible for collectors to browse and bid online and via mobile device—at any time, from any place,” Ferguson continues. “The broad geographical brand presence and technology offerings [of Christie’s] make it possible for collectors who live far away from our galleries to feel engaged with the art and objects we sell.”

Online sales for Christie’s reached $35.1 million in 2014, up 60 percent from the year before. The company’s digital access and geographic activities helped increase their audience, as well: New buyers were up 30 percent in 2014.

Hutter has also been reaching out for new customers. “We now have an international audience that we did not have before,” he says. “The Internet has placed us in line with everyone else as far as exposure. So when we have an important piece, it doesn’t go undiscovered. It used to be easy to buy at a mid-range auction like ours and flip it at the major houses, but no more.

The savvy dealers and collectors scour the net for places like ours to find diamonds in the rough. But so does everyone else.”

WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE? There is little question that the auction market is on a strong upward path. This is certainly true with the large established juggernauts of the industry, such as Christie’s and Bonhams.

But even the smaller houses are finding their way.

What is more of a question, perhaps, is what the modern auction house will be like in the next generation. With the addition of online tools and even online-only auctions, will tomorrow’s events take place with a million flat screens and Skype connections?

And what of the items for sale? What markets will rise, and which of the former staple sectors will disappear? Swann Galleries’ Lowry says, “With more auctions taking place now— brick-and-mortar, online, and combinations [thereof]—more items are coming to market. With that comes the inevitable scarcity of quality items. Although it hasn’t obviously happened just yet, it seems natural that, at some point, items will begin appearing at auction which no one would have ever considered as collectable or even auctionable.

Lowry even suggested that perhaps sneakers could become an auctionable item in the future, along with other items we consider to be ordinary. “The people at Kohler would have us believe that, one day, their faucets might be considered works of art.” ABN

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WEST COAST WONDERS HEADED TO THE GOLDEN STATE THIS FALL? No matter

where in California you find yourself—from the Oregon border to San Diego—you will discover art. California has a full calendar of must-see museum exhibits, exclusive gallery shows, and one-of-a-kind festivals this fall. Make sure to consult our curated list before planning your trip.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: “Mariposa Grove 171,” Clyde Butcher, The G2 Gallery; “Pockets of Snow,” Boyd Gavin, John Natsoulas Gallery; “Untitled,” Brittany Segal, Art San Diego; “Disconnect,” Hsin-Yao Tseng, Waterhouse Gallery; “Gray,” Nathan Sawaya, Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts; “Spring Fling,” Erin Hanson, Studios on the Park.

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FROM ABOVE: “The Muse Erato at Her Lyre,” John William Godward, San Diego Museum of Art; Mahiole, De Young Museum; “Painting Burdens,” Madison Ortega, Museum of Photographic Arts; “Water Cycle,” Margaret Lazzari, Fresno Art Museum; Drinking bowl, Soila Aranda, Crocker Art Museum.

Royal Hawaiian Featherwork: N Hulu Ali‘i Aug. 29, 2015 – Feb. 28, 2016 De Young Museum, San Francisco The mainland’s first exhibition of Hawaiian featherwork—presented in San Francisco, the gateway to the Pacific—will showcase capes, cloaks, royal staffs, and feather leis, as well as related paintings and works on paper. deyoung.famsf.org Rain Forest Visions: Amazonian Ceramics from Ecuador, the Melza and Ted Barr Collection Sept. 19, 2015 – Feb. 14, 2016 Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Melza and Ted Barr acquired this collection of Amazonian vessels and sculpture while living in Quito, Ecuador, in the late 1980s and on subsequent trips to the region in the early ’90s. crockerartmuseum.org

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Fresno Art Museum Council of 100—Distinguished Woman Artist 2015: Margaret Lazzari Sept. 25, 2015 – Jan. 3, 2016 Fresno Art Museum, Fresno A professor at the University of Southern California’s Roski School of Fine Arts since 1986, Lazzari gains her inspiration from the natural world, and her work has often appeared in public locations, such as parks and train stations. fresnoartmuseum.org The Art of Music Sept. 26, 2015 – Jan. 5, 2016 San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego This exhibit combines work from the San Diego Museum of Art’s permanent collection and loans from other museums and private collections to explore the dynamic intersection between art and music. sdmart.org

FALL 2015

Off the Beaten Path: Views from Yosemite Sept. 29 – Nov. 15 The G2 Gallery, Venice This open-submission exhibition features more than a dozen artists, each seeking to represent and celebrate the magnificence of Yosemite National Park during its 125th anniversary. theg2gallery.com Art of the Brick Sept. 29 – Dec. 20 Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek This exhibit features large LEGO® sculptures by artist Nathan Sawaya, as well as photography by Dean West.

On Oct. 23, the museum will host a LEGO-themed Halloween party for children. bedfordgallery.org

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California Wine Country: Impressions in Oil by Erin Hanson Oct. 1–25 Studios on the Park, Paso Robles Hanson, a University of California, Berkeley grad with a degree in biochemistry, finds inspiration in the landscapes of the West. This exhibit showcases her wine-country paintings, which she assembles with dramatic colors and a knack for capturing natural beauty. studiosonthepark.org Self Reflection: 10th Annual Juried Youth Exhibition Oct. 3, 2015 – Jan. 24, 2016 Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego Kindergarten through 12th-grade students from San Diego and Tijuana explore self-identity through their photographs. mopa.org

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FROM LEFT: “Oystercatchers at High Tide,” Floy Zittin, Viewpoints Gallery; “Perspectiva,” David Ligare, Laguna Art Museum; “Thinking Above the Water,” Robert Kinmont, Di Rosa; “Ceramics Studio,” Michael Harnish, Beverly Hills artSHOW; “A Couple’s Prayer,” Pat Lasch, Palm Springs Art Museum; “Proposal for a Triumphal Arch and Garden,” Sandow Birk, Catherine Clark Gallery.

Boyd Gavin Oct. 7–31 John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis Gavin’s paintings capture the unique character of California and construct landscapes and objects in a palette of bold colors. natsoulas.com Hsin-Yao Tseng Exhibition Starts Oct. 10 Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara Though only 28, Taiwan native Hsin-Yao Tseng has created a prolific portfolio of landscapes, portraits, cityscapes, still lifes, and drawings, each rendered in his unique style. waterhousegallery.com

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Seeing the Light: Illuminating Objects Oct. 10, 2015 – Jan. 3, 2016 Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs The creators of the art in this show ponder how light affects art in all media—from pottery to mirrored surfaces. psmuseum.org Beverly Hills artSHOW Oct. 17–18 Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills Encompassing four blocks of Beverly Hills, this twice-annual, free-to-the-public, outdoor show features 240 artists working in a variety of media. beverlyhills.org David Ligare: California Classicist Oct. 18, 2015 – Jan. 17, 2016 Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach Ligare reaches a poetic level of perfection in his paint-

FALL 2015

ings, which take inspiration from the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers and artists and often feature elements of Central California’s coastal landscape. lagunaartmuseum.org Sandow Birk Oct. 24 – Dec. 23 Catharine Clark Gallery, San Francisco This exhibition includes art from Birk’s “Imaginary Monuments” series, including unique large-scale ink drawings on paper and the debut of a new etching. cclarkgallery.com Robert Kinmont Oct. 31, 2015 – Jan. 24, 2016 Di Rosa, Napa Kinmont’s conceptual sculptures examine the connection between man and nature. This exhibition features some of his early work from the ’60s and ’70s, as well as

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some of his more recent creations. dirosaart.org Art San Diego Nov. 2–5 Balboa Park Activity Center, San Diego Taking place in San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park during the park’s event-filled centennial celebration, this exhibition features 80 international exhibitors, art talks, panel discussions, parties, and more. art-sandiego.com Floy Zittin Nov. 3–28 Viewpoints Gallery, Los Altos Zittin’s watercolors capture the varied beauty and personality of birds with the hope that her work will introduce people to the underappreciated avian world. viewpointsgallery.com

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FROM LEFT: “The Wooden Derrick,” Herb Kornfield, FM Fine Art Gallery; “Guardian of the Timberline,” William S. Rice, Pasadena Museum of Art; Still from D Hill’s show T R A N S, Culver Center of the Arts.

Herb Kornfeld Nov. 4–18 FM Fine Art Gallery, Los Angeles Herb Kornfeld, who died in 2001, began painting when he was young. His work spanned eight decades, and his oil paintings best communicate his rare talent and skill. This exhibit, in the year he would have turned 100, showcases some pieces never before exhibited publicly. fmfineartgallery.com

The Nature of William S. Rice: Arts and Crafts Painter and Printmaker Nov. 15, 2015 – April 3, 2016 Pasadena Museum of California Art, Pasadena Inspired by Japanese block prints, Rice (1873–1963) presents California scenery as you’ve never seen it before. The exhibit also features some of the artist’s watercolors and sketches. pmcaonline.org

D Hill: T R A N S Nov. 14 – Dec. 28 Culver Center of the Arts, Riverside Artist D Hill explores the influence of the hypersexualized media of the 1980s on performance, masculinity, and femininity, with an emphasis on female trans sexuality. sweeney.ucr.edu

23rd Annual Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour Nov. 22, 2015 Neighborhoods of Northeast Los Angeles The best of Northeast Los Angeles’ art community is on display in this tour of artists’ homes and studios, as well as local museums and galleries. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on the exhibition day. arroyoartscollective.org

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FALL 2015

Deborah Ann Haines Spectrum Miami 2015 Booth S1101 www.dhfineart.com deborah@dhfineart.com

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