Arts and Collections Volume 2-2019

arts &

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COLLECTIONS

WINE • ART • INVESTMENT • LUXURY PROPERTY • COLLECTABLES • PHOTOGRAPHY

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CHAUMET IN MAJESTY Jewels of Sovereigns Since 1780

EXHIBITION FROM 12 JULY TO 28 AUGUST 2019 AT THE GRIMALDI FORUM, MONACO

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Contents FEATURES 16

PICTURE THIS: DEBBIE HARRY

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EATING IN STYLE

arts &

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COLLECTIONS

As the singer of ‘80s new wave band Blondie publishes her autobiography, we consider the impact her iconic image had on Andy Warhol, H. R. Giger and pop artists to the present day

We visit some of the most visually stunning restaurants in the world to find out whether food really does taste better if you’re underwater or on top of a mountain

WINE • ART • INVESTMENT • LUXURY PROPERTY • COLLECTABLES • PHOTOGRAPHY

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IMAGES © ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION; LOTUS; KUNSTMUSEUM; VOUTILAINEN; FOLIO SOCIETY

Cover: Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, 1980, silkscreen proof, © Andy Warhol Foundation/ ARS/DACS

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WATCH THIS SPACE

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WELLNESS IN THE ALPS

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DISCOVERING AFRICA

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ART WORLD DISRUPTORS

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ELECTRIC DREAMS

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LAPADA IS SET FAIR

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ART ON THE MOVE

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THE FOLIO SOCIETY: A BINDING COMMITMENT

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Some of the most amazing timepieces ever designed are up for auction by Only Watch, and it’s all in a good cause. We pick some of our favourites

In a luxury clinic by the shores of Lake Zurich, a unique course of treatment for high net worth individuals promises a holistic approach to psychological problems

Africa may be mysterious and imposing, but as we discover it can also be a place to find enlightenment, recovery and spiritual well-being

The young, innovative and iconoclastic art world innovators who are finding fresh ways to challenge the system and publicise young talent

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The forthcoming fleet of battery-powered supercars shaking up the stuffy image of electric driving

We talk to the Association of Art & Antique Dealers about the state of the market, the challenges of Brexit, the best pieces to buy and all the fun of the Fair

How do art logistics specialists cope with the challenging business of storing, moving and installing the most precious and delicate artefacts? We ask the experts in a special 12-page section

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Born of the independent publishing movement of the early 20th century, the Folio Society now produces the most exquisite and artfully conceived editions of the classics

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THE OTHER FACE OF MONDRIAN

As an exhibition of the artist’s less familiar representational work opens, we look at the early years of this Dutch painter and art theoretician

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BEYOND PAINTING: JOAN MIRÓ

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ART, LAW AND BREXIT

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WEALTH AND HEALTH

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THE POLISH SPIRIT

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LAND OF FIRE AND ICE

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ART ADVICE

As an exhibition of the Spanish master’s work celebrates his graphic style, we examine how collage came to exemplify 20th century art

Advice from the experts on how changes to law and politics can affect the art buyer, collector and dealer

Whether your valuables are locked up in a bank or hanging on your wall, where do you find advice on how to plan for a secure future?

From hard-hitting representations of war to the glamour of Tamara de Lempicka, the art of Poland is as challenging as the country itself

Iceland’s artistic tradition is as distinctive, creative and varied as the landscape of this sparsely populated but fiercely independent nation

The role of an art consultant is to guide the amateur through the business of choosing, acquiring and curating a collection—but where to start?

REGULARS 6

IT FIGURES

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EDITORIAL

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HAPPENINGS

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AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

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BOOK REVIEWS

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This issue’s most exciting arts and events summed up in handy facts and figures As we look forward to the challenges of 2020, our Editor wonders how the world of arts and collectables will look in the not-too-distant future

All the events, exhibitions and shows worth seeing this year and next from London’s Asian Art Week to modern art in Bilbao and Bresson in Paris From gilded furniture to fine paintings, Formula 1 to fantastic fiction and beautiful handbags to some rather grungy sneakers, the top lots to come under the hammer are all here IMAGES © CHRISTIE’S; TASCHEN; SAM HIDGE/RENEE PFISTER; SOTHEBY’S; ANCORA1919

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From a krazy kat to a lump of moon rock and some ancient Greeks, this issue’s collectable volumes are full of surprises

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WHERE TO SPEND IT

The finest, most delicate, beautifully designed and decorated items of personal adornment, decorative arts and automotive technology, all for your viewing and buying pleasure

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DAMSONMEDIA Publisher & CEO Kevin J. Harrington Editor Chris Jenkins Sub Editor Elika Roohi Design Jason Craig Features Writer John Renwick

Arts & Collections has partnered with over 120 of the world’s finest luxury and boutique hotels to provide the highest quality coverage of global art and cultural events, as well as auctions of interest and the latest developments in the global art market. It is this blend of interesting and informative editorial that is most appealing to guests at these premier hotels, who have a great interest in admiring and purchasing fine art and collectables.

It Figures...

1 25,000 20,000 The pound originally paid for a used copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which made £28,500 at auction

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Visitors expected at the LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair in September

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15,000

Editorial Assistant Anetha Sivananthan Production Director Joanna Harrington Production Coordinator Ava Keane Office Coordinator Adam Linard-Stevens EDITORIAL OFFICE Arts & Collections Suite 2 143 Caledonian Road London N1 0SL United Kingdom Telephone: 020 7870 9090 editorial@damsonmedia.com www.damsonmedia.com

IMAGES: © HANSON’S: WARHOL FOUNDATION: MTART: ONLYWATCH: LOTUS

CHICAGO OFFICE Arts & Collections 29 East Madison, Suite 809, Chicago, IL 60602, USA

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER OR EDITOR. THE PUBLISHER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ALL EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING MATTER. THE PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS OR ARTWORK. IMAGES ARE SENT AT THE OWNERS’ RISK AND THE PUBLISHER TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS.

© 2019 DAMSON MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART OF ANY TEXT, PHOTOGRAPH OR ILLUSTRATION WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. PRINTED IN THE UK.

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Arts & Collections’ dedicated website, artsandcollections.com, features detailed information on each of the 120 luxury hotels promoting the publication in their exclusive rooms and suites.

The dollar price of an Andy Warhol Polaroid portrait in the 70’s—plus $15,000 for each additional copy

Length in metres of the world’s biggest artwork, Saype’s Beyond Walls, painted on the Champ de Maris in Paris

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All of the exclusive previews, reviews and expert commentary pieces that appear in the pages of Arts & Collections are also available to view on artsandcollections.com. In addition, the website provides a directory of upcoming auctions by Sotheby’s and other top auction houses, plus exhibitions and popular cultural events, keeping visitors fully informed, as well as providing a comprehensive resource area for collectors and connoisseurs.

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Million dollars—the cost of the Lotus Evija electric supercar

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Arts & Collections is published quarterly and is available on subscription for €40 (Europe) or €45 (worldwide) per annum including post and packaging. Please email editorial@damsonmedia.com for further details regarding subscriptions.

Million Swiss francs raised

by Luc Pettavino’s charity Only Watch for research into Muscular Dystrophy

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Editorial

W

ith Sotheby’s’ Asian Art season coming up in September, and the 10-day Asian Art in London festival in October, it’s timely to remember that the Western world often neglects or ignores the rich, historical and deeply emotive resources of Eastern art and culture.

Asian Art in London presents a series of selling exhibitions, auctions, symposia and lectures where large numbers of visitors traditionally come to London from around the world to enjoy this fabulous celebration of culture and tradition.

The range of artefacts on show merely hint at the vast diversity of Asian culture. From Gregg Baker Asian Art comes post-war abstract paintings and sodeisha modernist ceramics from Japan; from Simon Ray, fine and court arts from the great Indian, Islamic and Southeast Asian empires. Hanga Ten, specialist in contemporary Japanese art, will show the extraordinary woodcut prints of Nana Shiomi, while Joost van der Bergh will show art from Bactria to Kashmir, and from India and South East Asia.

Jonathan Cooper Gallery will show the works of Shanghai-based contemporary artist He Xi, who paints in the traditional media of ink and Chinese pigments, which have been employed by Chinese artists for centuries. His works include motifs found in traditional Chinese painting, such as flowers, birds, and fish, but are firmly contemporary in tone and style, arising from his observation and contemplation of modern life. Bruun Rasmussen of Amsterdam will have an exquisite selection of Chinese and Himalayan works of art.

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Elsewhere, the opening of the Serpentine Summer Pavilion designed by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami could not go unmarked. Ishigami’s design, using Cumbrian slate to create a primitive, ancient-looking design which pushies the boundaries of what is possible in architecture, by challenging existing methodologies and proposing alternatives. Ishigami also teaches internationally, currently at Columbia University.

And let’s not forget the influence of the Eastern consumer on the luxury goods market, traditionally dominated by Western brands, but now finding itself increasingly reliant on the enthusiastic and affluent consumers of China and elsewhere. This year, New York Fashion Week is collaborating with Chinese retail website Tmall to present the China Cool event, featuring the designs of brands such as Particle Fever, Angel Chen and JNBY, and designers Leaf Xia and Shanghai’s Masha Ma. Chinese trendspotter website Jing Daily has its finger on the pulse of the Eastern luxury goods market, and reports that the country’s current work-hard-buy-harder culture has elevated luxury shopping to the level of a spiritual experience. When Chinese consumers look for new, transformative luxury products, aside from aesthetics and quality, they actively search for yù yì, the metaphor behind an object. Perhaps if the Western world embraced yù yì, it would achieve a deeper understanding both of itself, and of the limitless depths of the Eastern world.  Chris Jenkins

Images: © Junya Ishigami + Associates, Photography © 2019 Iwan Baan

Above: Junya Ishigami’s Serpentine Summer Pavilion

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collections // events

Happenings Bringing you a mix of artistic, cultural, historical and essential events as we look ahead through 2019 and 2020

The heart of Asia Spanning 4,000 years of history, over 1,200 works of art and paintings will be offered across seven sales this September at Sotheby’s New York, including Imperial and scholarly Chinese works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chinese art from the collection of Stephen Junkunc III, Buddhist devotional works from the Chang Foundation Collection, Chinese and Korean works of art from an important Japanese private collection, early ceramics from the Art Institute of Chicago, a handscroll by Ming dynasty painter Zhu Yunming, Chinese works of art from the collection of Henry Arnhold, and Qing dynasty Imperial monochromes. Also, the annual Asian Art in London (AAL) event takes place from 31 October to 9 November 2019. including selling exhibitions, auctions, symposia and lectures, featuring over 30 dealers and institutions including the British Museum, V&A and the Nehru Centre.  www.sothebys.com www.asianartinlondon.com Left: Windswept Meiping vase, Ming Dynasty, estimate $80,000-$120,000, Sotheby’s New York

Scottish-born, London-based Robert Montgomery’s lucent, poetic work comes to the JD Malat Gallery in October. Montgomery engages with the urban world through a direct approach to universal themes such as power and love, expressing his views on contemporary life and affirming his personal and philosophical beliefs. A selection of the artist’s light-artworks, created especially for the solo-show, will be on display alongside new works which celebrate Montgomery’s return to other mediums, such as paint and pencil illustration.

Loosely applying the principle of “concrete poetry” across an array of media, he brings words alive in watercolour, fire poems, solar powered light installations, woodcut panels, billboards and paintings. His work sits somewhere between a tradition of contemporary language art seen in artists like Tracey Emin, Jenny Holzer and Lawrence Weiner, and an older tradition of concrete poetry that goes back to Guillaume Apollinaire and in Britain to Ian Hamilton Finlay and Edward Lucie-Smith.

The solo show, titled Shiny Colourful Amusements for the Walls of the Bourgeoisie, is on from 1 October and coincides with Frieze London, the Regent’s Park art fair featuring more than 160 of the world’s leading galleries.  www.jdmalat.com

Images © daniel crouch rare books, RObert Montgomery/JD Malat

Shiny happy people

Above: Robert Montgomery, Whenever You See the Sun..., 2019, Oak, PVC and LED lights, 160 x 151 x 11 cm

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Events // collections

Into the fourth dimension The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in collaboration with the Atelier Soto in Paris presents Soto: The Fourth Dimension, a retrospective exhibition of the works of Jesús Rafael Soto (b. 1923). The show brings together over 60 works, including several of Soto’s large-scale participatory sculptures called Penetrables, some of his most iconic and important contributions to the recent history of art. In addition, the show includes a large number of historic paintings and mural works, which help to understand the fundamental role Soto played in the development of Kinetic Art from early 1950s to the end of the 1960s, and to appreciate the development of his artistic practice up to the first decade of the 21st century. Dates are 18th October 2019 to 9th February 2020.  www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus Left: Jesús Rafael Soto Penetrable Blanco y Amarillo, 1968 Plastic tube, wood, and silkscreen ink © Jesús Rafael Soto, ADAGP, Paris / VEGAP

Images © jesus rafael soto/guggenheim bilbao; Andy Warhol Foundation/ARS/DACS

A major exhibition presenting “the outsider at the heart of American art and culture”, the Tate Modern’s Andy Warhol exhibition runs from 12 March to 6 September 2020.

The son of immigrants who became an American icon, a shy observer who became the hub of New York’s social scene, and an artist who embraced consumerism, celebrity and counter culture—changing modern art in the process, he was born in 1928 as Andrew Warhola to working class parents from present day Slovakia. In 1949 Warhol moved from Pittsburgh to New York, where he was later joined by his mother. Initially working as a commercial illustrator, his skill at transforming the imagery of American culture soon found its unforgettable realisation in his groundbreaking pop art.

Visitors to this major retrospective will be able to see his iconic pop images of Marilyn Monroe, Coca-Cola and Campbell’s soup cans, play with his floating Silver Clouds and experience the psychedelic multimedia environment of the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. The exhibition will bring together rarely seen work from the 1970s that display his skill as a painter, as well as his experiments with different forms of mass media.

Popularly radical and radically popular,

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Warhol will emerge as an artist who reimagined what art could be in an age of immense social, political and technological change.

Organised by Tate Modern in collaboration with Museum Ludwig, Cologne, presented in the Eyal Ofer Galleries.  www.tate.org.uk Below: Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych, 1962. © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / ARS / DACS

“My idea of a good picture is one that’s in focus and of a famous person – Andy Warhol

“

His fifteen minutes

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collections // events

An Italian in Paris To coincide with the Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain and Paris Art Week, the architect Charles Zana and Tornabuoni Art of Paris will present Utopia, an exhibition exploring connections between post-war Italian art and design, from 18 October to 21 December 2019.

This exhibition, designed and conceived by the architect Charles Zana in collaboration with Tornabuoni Art, is based on the idea of dialogue, like previous exhibitions designed by the architect. This dialogue unfolds room by room in the exhibition, whose name is inspired by the Utopia lamp created by the architect Nanda Vigo in 1970. This iconic lamp—shaped like a frame—transforms the empty space at its heart into a picture made of light.

Through around forty pairings of works of art and design, where furniture, painting and sculpture will be presented as though they were couples engaged in a conversation, Utopia offers an original exploration of the relationships between the greatest Italian artists and architects from the 1950s to the 1970s, including Gino Sarfatti and Paolo Scheggi, Carlo Scarpa and Dadamaino, Enrico Castellani and Nanda Vigo, Michele de Lucchi and Alberto Burri, to name a few.

Utopia is accompanied by an original publication with essays by Charles Zana and the art historian Dr Flavia Frigeri.  www.tornabuoniart.fr

earlier. A great many of these photos such as Gold Rush in Shanghai (above) remain among the most famous in photography.

The exhibition at 79 rue des Archives, 75003 Paris, is accompanied by the work Henri Cartier-Bresson: Chine 1948-1949 I 1958 by Michel Frizot and Ying Lung Su, published by Delpire.  www.henricartierbresson.org

“You just have to live

and life will give you pictures – Henri Cartier-Bresson

“

The Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson in Paris is presenting the exhibition Henri Cartier-Bresson: Chine 1948-1949/1958 from 15 October 2019 to 2 February 2020. Following photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson’s two remarkable trips around China, the exhibition represents an unprecedented account of two key moments in China’s history: the fall of Kuomintang and the establishment of the Communist regime (1948-1949) and Mao Zedong’s “Great Leap Forward” (1958).

The exhibition at the Fondation HCB brings together 114 original prints from 1948-1949, 40 prints from 1958 and many archive documents.

Commissioned by Life magazine in 1948 to shoot a story on the “last days of Peking” before the arrival of the Maoist troops, Cartier-Bresson witnessed the fall of Nanjing and was held in Shanghai under Communist control for four months.

This lengthy stay proved to be a seminal moment in the history of photojournalism, representing the early stages of the Magnum Photos agency which CartierBresson had co-founded eighteen months

Images © Tornabuoni Art; Fondation Heni Cartier-Bresson

The Birth of reportage

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A Finely Carved Large Spinach-Green Jade ‘Eight Immortals’ Brushpot Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period Estimate $500,000–700,000

AUCTION NEW YORK 1O SEPTEMBER

EXHIBITION FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 6–9 SEPTEMBER 1334 YORK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10021 ENQUIRIES +1 212 606 7332 ASIAWEEK@SOTHEBYS.COM SOTHEBYS.COM #SOTHEBYSASIANART SOTHEBY’S, INC. LICENSE NO. 1216058. © SOTHEBY’S, INC. 2019

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09/08/2019 16:37

collections // news

Auction

HIGHLIGHTS

By Chris Jenkins

The record-breaking, the eclectic and the unique; we bring you the latest from the world’s most renowned auction houses

Crocodile rocks Featured in Chiswick Auctions’ Luxury Promise sale, this Hermes Mais Yellow Crocodile Porosus Matte Birkin 35 bag, c. 2008, 35cm wide, 28cm high, with dust bag, rain jacket, padlock, keys and cloche, in grade B condition, sold for £26,875. A similar bag in Cacao sold for £23,750, while an Anemone Togo Swift Ghillies Birkin 35 reached a respectable £6,250. A Gucci Python Mini Dionysus Chain Bag in condition A, with hand-painted python skin and yellow leather lining and embellished hardware, reached a rather less stellar £937.50. 

Writing in style This Napoleon III porcelain and gilt bronze mounted satinwood and amaranth bonheur du jour by Maison Millet sold for £5,687 including premium at Bonhams’ Home & Interiors Auction in July.

Maison Millet were highly regarded and widely renowned cabinet makers of the 19th Century, described as producing ‘meuble et bronze d’art, genre ancien et moderne’. The firm specialised in Louis XV and XVI style furniture of the finest quality, and won several awards such as the Gold Medal in the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.

This item features Sevres-style plaques decorated with putti, birds and flowers, a superstructure with two hinged lidded tops and comprising six drawers and two doors, and one central frieze drawer flanked by two secret catch-activated drawers, on cabriole legs. 

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NEWS // COLLECTIONS

PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!

SLAVISHLY DEVOTED

POLE POSITION At Bonham’s Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale of Collector’s Motor Cars and Automobilia in July, this 1992 Williams-Renault FW14B Formula 1 Racing Single-Seater, Chassis no. FW14-08, sold for £2,703,000 including premium. ‘Red 5’ is an ex-works South African, Mexican, Brazilian, Spanish and San Marino Grand Prix-winning racer, driven by Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese.

Acclaimed as the finest-ever F1 Williams, designed by Adrian Newey, it was a record-breaking, dominant design of the early 1990s, and the most sophisticated and complex F1 car of its time, featuring computer-controlled active suspension and a transverse-shaft Williams 6-speed semi-automatic gearbox. 

IMAGES: © BONHAM’S; CHISWICK AUCTIONS; CHRISTIE’S; HANSONS

The sitter for Julio Romero de Torres’ The Slave was the actress Elena Pardo, a regular performer at the Romea Theatre in Madrid, and de Torre’s preferred model during the 1920s. Painted circa 1925-29, the study in oil and tempera on canvas shows Elena’s figure embodying to perfection the archetype promoted internationally by Coco Chanel—a modern woman with a greased bob hairstyle ‘comme les garcons’. The work was one of 27 selected by the artist for his retrospective exhibition celebrated in the Cordoba Pavilion at the Iberoamaricana fair in Seville in 1930 and sold for ten times its estimate at £299,000 in Christie’s British & European Art auction in July. 

A rare Harry Potter hardback book bought from a library for £1 has made £28,500 at auction. The 1997 first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, sold on Harry Potter and author JK Rowling’s birthday (July 31) by Hansons Auctioneers of Staffordshire, made a hammer price of £28,500. The total price paid for the book, with buyer’s premium and VAT, was £34,200.

Jim Spencer, head of books and works on paper at Hansons, said: “It’s a pretty impressive return for a book bought 20 years ago for £1. I’m delighted for the seller, and the buyer, a private UK collector. Three phone bidders battled it out to own this very special first edition in what was a tense battle.”

The classic first edition hard copy, distinctive for two misprints, was available in an edition of 500, sold mainly to schools and libraries. This copy is a former Staffordshire Library book stamped “withdrawn from stock”.

Another copy sold for £28,000 earlier this year, while one signed by author JK Rowling made £68,000 at auction. 

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COLLECTIONS 13

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Thinking about the future?

We start with a blank canvas.

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So, when we’re planning your financial future, we make it personal.

You stay you. We make certain of it.

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The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Members of the St. James’s Place Partnership in the UK represent St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc Registered Office: St. James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1FP, United Kingdom. Registered in England Number 4113955.

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09/08/2019 10:32

news // collections

To boldly go Christie’s The Moon and Beyond: Meteorites from the Stiffler Collection auction in July featured this stunning slice of meteorite complete with ‘space gems’. The ellipsoidal slice features a thick band of metal through the centre and olivine clusters on three sides. It’s typical of meteorites found in the Seymchan area Siberia, and probably originated from a shattered asteroid. As just the collectable to display for the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings, it sold for $12,500. 

Foot fetish

IMAGES: © Sotheby’s; Christie’s; the science museum

You may wonder how a seedy-looking pair of sneakers came to be auctioned for $437,000. The 1972 Nike Moon Shoes, handmade by Geoff Hollister in 1972, are the only unworn pair in existence, out of 12 pairs made. Though other pairs were worn in the Olympics by marathon runner Bruce Mortenson, this pair had never been worn, and were bought by collector Miles Nadal for display in his Dare to Dream Automobile Museum in Toronto. Nadal also purchased 99 pairs of rare sneakers from Sotheby’s in a private sale for $850,000.

Also featured in the Sotheby’s Stadium Goods: The Ultimate Sneaker Collection Online sale in July were two pairs of Nike Mag sneakers from 2011 and 2016, inspired by the Back to the Future films, featuring a subtle light-up strap and sole. 

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Our series highlights a single item of artistry or craftsmanship that is both rare and exquisite

Treasures

F

ollowing its global launch in Dubai, the world’s most expensive unisex perfume, valued at £1.015 million, is set to be showcased in a world tour. The Spirit of Dubai Parfums SHUMUKH, which in Arabic means ‘deserving the highest’, unites the art of jewellery and perfumery to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece telling the tale of the Emirate through seven core design elements.

The 1.97m tall bottle is set with 3,571 sparkling diamonds (totalling 38.55 carats), topaz, pearls, 2479.26 grams of 18 karat gold and 5892.88 grams of pure silver.

The design incorporates elements of pearl diving (Durra), falconry (Baz), Arabian horses (Abjar), roses (Narjesi), luxury (Haibah), Arabian hospitality (Diwan), and Dubai’s stature as a ‘city of the future’ (Aamal), all intricately modelled in gold and silver, and ornamented with the highest quality VVS diamonds and precious stones.

SHUMUKH’s hand-blown Italian Murano glass bottle infused with 24 KT real gold holds three litres of perfume dispensed via a revolutionary remote-controlled spray mechanism that adjusts to the user’s ideal height. The perfume itself, formulated by Nabeel Perfumes, took over three years and 494 trials to formulate, and is composed of the finest natural ingredients sourced from the furthest corners of the globe, culminating in a scent that is as unforgettable as it is mesmerising with notes of rare amber, sandalwood, musk, rare pure Indian agarwood, pure Turkish rose, patchouli, ylang-ylang and frankincense.

Find out more at www.thespiritofdubai.com. 

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ANTIQUES // MARKET

Above: Debbie Harry photographed in New York in 1979

by Andy Warhol L-R: At the Factory: Warhol Polaroid portrait; Interview cover; H.R. Giger album art for KooKoo

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ART // CELEBRITY

DEBBIE HARRY

Picture This

Singer Debbie Harry is 75 next year, and with the launch of her autobiography Face It comes a chance to assess the artistic iconography of the ultimate ‘80s rock chick

BY CHRIS JENKINS

F

CBGB, Blondie achieved real success in 1978 with the band’s third album Parallel Lines. Featuring a striking monochromatic cover with photography by Edo Bertoglio, the album boasted pop-tinged hits such as Picture This, Hanging on the Telephone and Heart of Glass.

If the band’s blend of rock, punk, pop and disco caught the attention of the music critics, the public and the art world were entranced by Harry herself, an ethereal yet somehow grounded figure with an angelic face surrounded by a halo of blonde hair, best displayed with massive backlighting and in a short skirt.

INTERVIEW Inevitably this meteoric rise to fame captured the attention of pop artist Andy Warhol, and in 1979, Debbie Harry graced his celebritycentred magazine Interview on a cover designed and painted by Richard Bernstein from a photograph by Barry McKinley.

Harry made frequent appearances on Warhol’s cable TV shows, once appearing in a head-to-toe Day-Glo camouflage outfit inspired by Warhol’s camouflage paintings, which she insisted he sign while on her body.

Of Warhol, she recalled in an interview with Sotheby’s’ Cheyenne Westphal: “We crossed paths. New York had an active street life—it

IMAGES © LAPADA

IMAGES: © WARHOL FOUNDATION: CHRISTIE’S: SOTHEBY’S: CHRYSALIS RECORDS

rom Andy Warhol to H.R. Giger, singer Debbie Harry’s punky look has been co-opted by the art world as iconic of the glossy, perhaps superficial 1980s.

Now nearing 75 years of age and still working as a singer and actress, Harry has produced her first volume of autobiography, Face It, and continues to feature in the neonlit fantasies of pop artists.

After working as a Playboy bunny, a go-go dancer and a waitress in New York club Max’s Kansas City, Debbie Harry emerged from the sleaze and sweat of the ‘70s punk scene as lead singer of New Wave band, Blondie.

Through playing at iconic clubs including

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ART // CELEBRITY

was a small community back then. You often ran into people. You knew them already or got introduced. I bumped into Andy on Broadway and 13th street and said hello and we chatted about everything. I suppose this is how we met, and our friendship grew from there. I got invited to the Factory and knew others that worked for Andy.

“He was the master of understatement.

He’d say ‘Try looking over here’. He was very softly spoken and used a funny Polaroid portrait camera. It was an easy environment and not really a pressured situation. He made it very easy. Andy was part of our legacy and our future.”

In the ‘70s, Warhol was charging clients $25,000 for a portrait, plus an extra $15,000 for every additional panel. He would shoot a portrait subject on Polaroid, print a cleanedup image onto canvas and deliver multiple screenprints of the work, hoping the client would buy every one.

POLAROID Debbie Harry recalls Warhol’s distinctive Polaroid camera, a Big Shot, which though difficult to focus produced flattering portrait photographs. “To focus you had to move closer or back off,” she remembers. “You really had to have a great eye. It shows you what a genius he was to use this silly camera for these incredible portraits.”

She didn’t respond well to the offer of a bulk purchase. “There were four and it was hard to choose,” she remembers. “They didn’t even try and offer me a discount. They knew I didn’t have that kind of money!”

Warhol also photographed Harry in blackand-white, and ‘painted’ her using an early graphics computer, the Commodore Amiga.

Selected as the cover image for the major survey of Warhol’s portraiture published by Phaidon in 2005, Debbie Harry, from 1980 (our cover image this issue), is one of Warhol’s most accomplished portraits of celebrity. One of only four such portraits of the Blondie star in this rare, 42-inch format, two of which are in the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, this pink version has become one of the best recognised images in Warhol’s oeuvre and the definitive portrait of the 1980s style icon.

Built up of no fewer than five silkscreened layers of ink over the coloured acrylic ground, Debbie Harry sits squarely in the lineage of great portraiture that links the artist’s images of the stellar trinity of Liz Taylor, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy in the 1960s with his final fright-wig self-portraits in the 1980s.

The originals of Warhol’s Polaroids came up for sale at Christie’s in New York in 2015, realising around $20,000 each, while a Warhol screen print of Debbie Harry reached £3.7m at Sotheby’s in 2011. It’s expected to be included in the major Warhol exhibition at the Tate Modern, London, in 2020.

clothed her in a bodysuit painted head-tofoot in the video for her single Backfired.

Blondie eventually reformed and toured, and Debbie Harry, now aged 74, continues with a solo career. The first 368-page volume of her biography, Face It, is published by HarperCollins in October, featuring a cover photo taken by her bandmate and boyfriend Chris Stein in New York in 1979, overlaid by punk-inspired black and gold hieroglyphics drawn by graffiti artist Jody Morlock.

In many ways a Day-Glo shadow of Marilyn Monroe, connected through Warhol to the glorious past of Hollywood, Debbie Harry’s image remains iconic of the ‘80s, and of an art world fascinated by celebrity, surface appearance and the fleeting nature of fame. 

Left: Debbie Harry (Rainbow), limited edition print by VeeBee

Below: Face It, biography published by HarperCollins

BACKFIRED Blondie struggled with problems of personality clashes, bad management, illness and substance abuse, but might have survived if not for the media’s obsession with Debbie Harry. Regarded almost as a modern Marilyn Monroe—vulnerable yet tough, glamorous yet accessible—her image overwhelmed that of the other band members, and when they were famously forced to declare “Blondie is a band”, it was clear their time was up. Blondie split after the sixth album The Hunter in 1982.

Debbie Harry went on to pursue a solo career as singer and actress, encountering another distinctive artist in the form of H. R Giger, the Austrian master of biomechanics and designer of the creatures in Ridley Scott’s movie Alien. Giger’s grotesque Gothic art graced the cover of Harry’s debut solo album KooKoo in 1981—he worked with an airbrush to enhance Harry’s photograph and

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09/08/2019 17:36

ART // CELEBRITY

IMAGES: © veebee: harpercollins; sotheby’s

DEBBIE HARRY Andy Warhol, c. 1980 Acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas, 42 by 42 in.

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09/08/2019 15:33

stunninG restaurants that are

An Artistic Banquet

By Elika Roohi

W

hen it comes to luxury, restaurants around the world are continually pushing the limits of what they offer gourmets—but for the seasoned world traveller, the surroundings have to be equally stunning.

Here we pick some of the most amazing restaurant venues around the world, where the architecture and art is as much part of the experience as the haute cuisine served on their exclusive tables

Snøhetta

Lindesnes, Norway Located at the southernmost point of the Norwegian coastline, where the sea storms from the north and south meet, Snøhetta provides a beautiful and unique dining experience. Marine species flourish in the brackish waters, giving diners access to fresh seafood and incredible views in Europe’s first underwater restaurant. As well as a restaurant, Snøhetta also functions as a marine-life research centre. 

The Rock Restaurant

IMAGE © snohetta; Ithaa; SHUTTERSTOCK

ns

Restaurants // Travel

Michamwi Pingwe Beach, Zanzibar

If you’re enjoying a holiday on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar, look no further for refreshment than The Rock Restaurant. Specialising in fresh seafood, breezy ocean air and beautiful views, this eatery is unique for its location on a coral outcrop a few metres off the beach—yes, the famous restaurant sits in the water. At high tide, a small fishing boat brings diners to the restaurant, and at low tide, guests can wade their way over. 

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09/08/2019 14:11

RESTAURANTS // TRAVEL

Dinner in the Sky Brussels, Belgium

Taking high class to a whole new level, Dinner in the Sky is a global fine dining experience that brings together rare dishes, fine wine and beautiful views. The novelty restaurant uses a crane to hoist its diners, table and waiting staff 150ft into the air.

Based in Belgium with tours in cities around the world, the unique gastronomic experience is not one you can miss.

Dinner in the Sky will be in Vienna in early September and across Mexico from 14 September to the end of 2019. 

Maiden’s Tower Istanbul, Turkey

Located in a structure that was built in 1101, the Maiden’s Tower is a stunning restaurant offering a fine dining experience and beautiful views of the city of Istanbul. Diners are truly immersed in the old-world ambience of the Byzantine era in this beautiful old building, which—legend has it— was built by an emperor to protect his beloved daughter who had been prophesised to die on her 18th birthday by snakebite. 

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant Rangali Island, Maldives

Fine dining can now be found not only high in the mountains, but also under the sea. The Ithaa Undersea Restaurant in the Maldives opened in 2005—the first underwater restaurant in the world. At about five meters deep, diners can enjoy the many exquisite delicacies of Maldivian cuisine as well as beautiful underwater wildlife, watching fish swim overhead as they enjoy their world-class meal. The average price of a lunch for two runs around $120, and it’s recommended that reservations are made far in advance, as this popular spot can only accommodate 14 at a time. 

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Grotta Palazzese Ristorante Polignano a Mare, Italy

For a romantic dinner in a candlelit cave overlooking the Adriatic Sea, head to Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare, Italy. The restaurant, made famous in a painting by Jean Louis Desprez in 1783, is located in a seaside cave that was carved out of the cliff’s limestone centuries ago by the tides of the ocean. Today, it is home to an elegant dining experience and often plays host to the wealthy and important. And because it’s Italy, the food is prepared with a care and precision unmet anywhere else in the world. 

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09/08/2019 15:34

collections // WATCHES

Time

for Charity

By Chris jenkins

The world’s biggest charity luxury watch auction takes place in Geneva, and this year it’s raising money for muscular dystrophy research

E

very two years one of the watch world’s biggest charity fundraising events takes place in Geneva. This year, Only Watch is scheduled for 9 November, with 52 watchmakers donating special edition timepieces that will be auctioned to raise money for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the list of participants is a Who’s Who of leading brands such as Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Fabergé, coming together with independents such as Cyrus, Urwerk and MB&F to produce spectacular one-off timepieces for auction.

Taking place at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues, the auction will be staged by Christie’s and is expected to break all previous records.

Creativity Luc Pettavino, organiser of the Monaco Yacht Show, founded Only Watch in 2005 after his son Paul died of muscular dystrophy. Now President of the Association Monégasque Contre les Myopathies, Pettavino has raised CHF40 million for the charity, and says: “I am grateful to all the watchmaking groups and independent brands participating in this 2019 Only Watch edition, demonstrating dedication and heart through their creativity and craftsmanship for this year’s auction which promises to be, once again, record-breaking.”

John Reardon, International head of Christie’s watch department, said: “Only Watch is not about one person, one auction house, one brand or even one industry. It is bigger than all of us, and together we celebrate doing something good and positive.”

Above: Richard Mille, RM 11-03 McLaren chronograph, Only Watch 2019

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WATCHES // COLLECTIONS Left: Voutilainen TP1 Pocket watch, Only Watch 2019 Right, top: Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph, Only Watch 2019 Right, middle: Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain, Only Watch 2019 Right, below: Fabergé Lady Compliquée Winter, Only Watch 2019

The 52 watch companies supporting Only Watch 2019 are:

HIGHLIGHTS One of the most valuable watches in the sale is from Patek Philippe, which is making a Grandmaster Chime in stainless steel for the first time. It has an estimate of $2-2.5 million, including a visit to the watchmaker’s workshops and museum plus a private lunch with the company’s president Thierry Stern.

Highlights of the auction range from the conventional to the downright bizarre.

Akrivia’s Chronomètre Contemporain featues a platinum case made by JP Hagmann (well known for Blancpain cases), and a bluegrey grand feu enamel dial with a grained finish and white enamel numerals. Estimate is $4060,000.

More unusual is a special edition of the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked, in two-tone white gold and rose gold, with an estimate of $190,000-$240,000.

Certainly a talking point is a clock rather than a watch, the MB&F x L’Épée Tom & T-Rex, a variation of a yet-to-be-released clock a child figurine riding the clock and blue Murano glass covering the dial. The clock has an eight-day

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movement, is made of brass, and has a pair of adjustable, articulating legs supporting the movement and dial itself. Estimate is $20,000$40,000.

More conventionally, Montblanc’s 1858 Split Second Chronograph has a Minerva caliber M16.31 movement inside a 44mm satin-finished titanium case with a blue Agate sunburst stone dial. The oversized rattrapante complication allows you to make two separate measurements simultaneously. Estimate is $42,000-$48,000.

Voutilainen’s TP1 OW2019 follows the fashion for pocket watches, with a ‘TV set’ shaped case and hand-executed dial with decorative guilloche patterns. Estimate is $50,000-$70,000. 

IMAGES © ONLYWATCH 2019

There are also two watches made in collaboration between pairs of watchmakers, one from De Bethune + Urwerk, another from L’epée + MB&F. Many of the watches are also sold with “experience days” such as factory visits, lunches with the owners and activities like Formula 1 track days.

✦AKRIVIA GENÈVE✦ANDERSEN GENÈVE ✦ARMIN STROM✦ARNOLD & SON✦ARTYA ✦ATELIERS DE MONACO✦AUDEMARS PIGUET ✦BELL & ROSS✦BLANCPAIN✦BOUCHERON ✦BOVET✦BREGUET✦CARL F. BUCHERER ✦CHANEL✦CHRISTOPHE CLARET✦CYRUS ✦CZAPEK✦DE BETHUNE✦DEWITT ✦FABERGÉ✦FERDINAND BERTHOUD✦F.P. JOURNE✦FREDERIQUE CONSTANT✦GIRARDPERREGAUX✦GRÖNEFELD✦H.MOSER & CIE✦HERMÈS✦HUBLOT✦JACOB & CO ✦JAEGER-LECOULTRE✦JAQUET DROZ ✦KONSTANTIN CHAYKIN✦L’EPÉE✦LOUIS ✦MOINET✦LOUIS VUITTON✦ MAURICE LACROIX✦MB&F✦MONTBLANC✦MORITZ GROSSMANN✦PATEK PHILIPPE✦PIAGET ✦REBELLION✦RICHARD MILLE✦RJ✦SINGER ✦SPEAKE-MARIN✦TRILOBE✦TUDOR ✦ULYSSE NARDIN✦URWERK ✦VOUTILAINEN✦ZENITH✦

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09/08/2019 15:35

‘‘

COLLECTIONS // WATCHES

IN LUC PETTAVINO’S WORDS, With Only Watch everyone creates beauty to do good, meaning in this case supporting the work of dozens of researchers around the world, financing studies, purchasing material, creating biotech companies in the chemistry and biology sector… to bring this science to the clinic and one day maybe to find a cure. We have done a lot already and are conscious that there is still much to be x done and that this initiative needs, more than ever, help and support.

‘‘

www.onlywatch.com

EXHIBITION

Ahead of the auction, all the unique watches will be exhibited around the world at these locations and dates:

MONACO (Monaco Yacht Show): 25-28 September

DUBAI (Christie’s in association with Seddiqi): 1-3 October

PARIS (Christie’s): 7-8 October

LONDON (Christie’s): 11-13 October

NEW YORK (Christie’s): 16-17 October

TOKYO (Christie’s): 22-23 October

SINGAPORE

HONG KONG

Right top: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked, Only Watch 2019

(Christie’s): 28-29 October

Right middle: De Witt Academia Slide, Only Watch 2019

(Christie’s): 30-31 October

Right below: Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire, Only Watch 2019

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TAIPEI IMAGES © ONLYWATCH 2019

Above: Bovet Récital 23 “Hope”, Only Watch 2019

(The Hour Glass): 25-26 October

GENEVA (Christie’s – Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues): 7-9 November

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09/08/2019 17:38

An Exceptionally Rare Gilt-Lacquer, Polychrome Wood And Gesso Figure of Jinasagara Avalokiteshvara and Consort Ming dynasty, Xuande period

AUCTION NEW YORK 10 SEPTEMBER

EXHIBITION FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 6–9 SEPTEMBER 1334 YORK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10021 ENQUIRIES +1 212 606 7332 ASIAWEEK@SOTHEBYS.COM SOTHEBYS.COM #SOTHEBYSASIANART

DOWNLOAD SOTHEBY’S APP FOLLOW US @SOTHEBYS

SOTHEBY’S, INC. LICENSE NO. 1216058. © SOTHEBY’S, INC. 2019

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09/08/2019 16:38

WELLBEING // LUXURY

Recovery Through Discovery An exclusive Zurich facility is taking a unique approach to psychological treatment and recovery. We talk to Dr Claudia Elsig about the luxurious CALDA Clinic

By Chris Jenkins

Dr. Claudia Elsig at the CALDA Clinic

Health and wealth Zollikon’s famous sons and daughters include 16th Century reformer Klaus Hottinger, architect Bruno Giacometti and Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, billionaire chairperson of the Louis Dreyfus conglomerate, related by marriage to feted American actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

A few kilometres away, served by motorway and lake ferry, is the Swiss capital, Zurich, famous for its National Museum, Kunsthaus Art Museum and Schauspielhaus theatre, as well as for its world-renowned financial services.

So, the setting of the CALDA Clinic—its precise location is a closely-guarded secret for reasons of security and confidentiality— is ideal for the treatment of high net worth individuals who are used to the best of everything, including medical resources.

So how does Dr Elsig describe her typical patients?

“We specialise in personalities from business, politics, art, showbiz, nobility. In the banking business one speaks of UHNWI’s

IMAGES © calda clinic, kittozutto

D

r Claudia Elsig, CEO of the CALDA Clinic, cuts an elegant yet businesslike figure, projecting the confidence and sophistication of the European cultured classes, together with the intellectual earnestness of a learned medical researcher.

Immaculately dressed in smartly tailored designer couture, Dr Elsig’s appearance hints at a spiritual side through her ornamentation, a 2,000-year-old Egyptian scarab necklace bought in Paris. Trained in Zurich and with over 20 years of experience in psychiatry and psychotherapeutics, she speaks in precise English—though she is equally comfortable in German or French.

Sitting in the luxuriously furnished surroundings of her CALDA clinic in Zollikon, an exclusive municipality in the canton of Zurich, Dr Elsig’s view is of the north-eastern ‘gold coast’ of the Lake of Zurich, so named because it bathes in the evening sun—the south-western slopes of the Pfannenstiel mountain are given over to wine growing. But the area also deserves the appellation for its low tax-rates and high property prices.

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“

We specialise in personalities from business, politics, art, showbiz, nobility. In the banking business one speaks of UHNWI’s (Ultra High Net Worth Individuals)

“

(Ultra High Net Worth Individuals),” she explains. “Most commonly, we treat addiction [mostly multi-substance abuse], posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, burnout, chronic stress. But eating disorders [especially bulimia] and borderline personality disorder are also part of our competence.

Incidentally, in depression we have developed a special program for postpartum depression where mothers can take their babies with them. That’s very important to us.”

a psychotherapy treatment designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories.

Also employed are ‘alternative’ therapies.

Dr Elsig says: “As proponents of integrative medicine, we extend our spectrum of measures by proven and successful ‘alternative’ techniques from the East and West such as acupuncture, yoga, movement therapy, art and creativity therapy, meditation and mindfulness, even dancing classes and therapy with horses.”

Trauma and treatment One of many fine artworks adorning the clinic, Dr Elsig’s favourite, Within, by Singaporean art collective Kittozutto, (above right) shows the subject peeling away a face mask to reveal a beautiful, feathered visage beneath.

For the Doctor, this is a perfect metaphor for her Clinic’s treatment, where mental trauma, often resulting from childhood experiences, is brought to light and resolved.

The personalised holistic treatment strategy used in the CALDA Clinic involves a check-up using clinical tests including sonography, radiography, ergometry (exercise measurement), cardiology, metabolism, food intolerance and stress levels (orthomolecular medicine and epigenetics) as required.

In cases of substance addiction, the patient would then move onto detoxification.

The CALDA technique de-emphasises reliance on psychotropic drugs, replacing them where possible with carefully managed micronutrients.

The therapeutic programme comprises six to eight hours per day, seven days per week, under the supervision of a personal lifestyle and diet coach, and includes intensive psychotherapy, using techniques including clinical hypnosis, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

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Discovery & recovery As the CALDA Clinic’s UHNW patients would understandably expect, treatment is conducted in surroundings of the highest standards of comfort and luxury, with a personal service team consisting of a Client Service Director, an interpreter, a butler who cares for the client around the clock, a Haute Cuisine chef, and a chauffeur with limousine available at any time.

Unsurprisingly, the CALDA Full Program is not inexpensive, with a four-week course of treatment typically costing £250,000, not including external hotel costs, medical services by third-party institutes and posttreatment programmes.

But the program of care need not end with the patient’s stay, as CALDA Clinic

works closely with Expedition Discovery, the brainchild of James Otigbah, whose background is in providing a secure and a safe environment to HNW families, corporate and governmental clients in Africa.

Expedition Discovery uses Africa as a stage to mount bespoke journeys of self-discovery and recovery for clients to reach a more fulfilling, rewarding and balanced lifestyle.

From the lakes of Switzerland to the plains of Africa, the CALDA Clinic route to physical, mental and spiritual wellness for the UHNW individual may be an exclusive one, but it reaches the destination we all aspire to, what Dr Elsig’s favourite artist Kittozutto describes as “Beauty from the freedom of mask, beauty that is born out of choice, this beauty embodied within which is eternal.” 

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SWISS PREMIUM REHABILITATION Your personalised way to freedom

These are just some of the therapies on offer at the CALDA Clinic CALDA Full Program

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CALDA Postpartum Depression Program

CALDA Meets Africa Program

CALDA Specific Phobia Program

CALDA Orthomolecular Package

05/08/2019 13:10

ADVERTORIAL

The CALDA Clinic is a private, owneroperated facility specialising in rehabilitation programs for mental health. Our offer is aimed at international, exclusive figures looking for a private rehabilitation programme tailored to them in a luxurious environment.

Absolute discretion, trust and humanity take top priority with us and we offer individual counselling and state-of-the-art psychiatry.

The unique CALDA Concept, our team and our highly qualified network of experts guarantee tailored precision medicine and individual one-to-one premium support. Our CALDA programs have a duration of at least four weeks and start from CHF 320,000.

The value of this considerable effort for you directly exists in retaining your most important capital – your intellectual and physical health.

The CALDA Concept exists outside of health insurance schemes. Our clients are self-payers, which ensures that absolute discretion and secrecy are possible in the first place. The CALDA Concept is based on the utmost respect of personal integrity.

Our residences are located in Switzerland,

by Lake Zurich near the city of Zurich.

Considered a centre of first-class medicine, Switzerland is one of the most secure countries in the world and politically neutral.

Find out more about the CALDA Clinic, our unique CALDA Concept and how we can assist you further with a treatment individually tailored to you. We will be happy to provide you with further information in person.

CALDA Clinic E: info@caldaclinic.com www.caldaclinic.com

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05/08/2019 13:09

This is what a burnout looks like in Africa...

New perspectives in life will become apparent.

Bespoke - Confidential - Exclusive

Tel: +41 33 748 35 70 www.expedition-discovery.com - my@expedition-discovery.com

The Cradle of Life

LUXURY // TRAVEL

By Chris Jenkins

A journey to Africa can be a healing experience as well as a spiritual awakening.

We look at a new way to explore the oldest inhabited territory on Earth

T

he continent of Africa has been touched by cultures from around the world, yet for many people it remains a distant and mysterious destination. Previously thought of as remote and rural, it now offers all the attractions of a modern holiday destination, while retaining the allure of the wilderness experience.

From the cultured infrastructure of South Africa’s Cape Town and Johannesburg to the ecological gems of Botswana and the breathtaking savannahs and pristine beaches of Kenya, Africa offers a richness of experience unmatched anywhere else on the planet. Zambia’s natural wonder including Victoria Falls, Uganda’s great national parks, Rwanda’s “gorillas in the mist” and the eerie beauty of the desert landscape of Namibia are just a tiny sample of the continent’s stunning attractions.

Challenge Yet to the visitor, for all their marvels, these countries can be challenging. To encounter the real Africa, and to realise its potential for leading visitors to a more fulfilling, rewarding and balanced lifestyle, there is Expedition Discovery.

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Expedition Discovery is the brainchild of James Otigbah, whose background in risk management and providing a secure and a safe environment to high net worth families includes two years spent working at the Swiss Embassy in Nairobi. James formed a close association with the Calda Clinic, an exclusive Zurich-based facility dedicated to providing intensive psychological and physical wellness treatments to HNW individuals.

Centred around the countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia, Expedition Discovery works in close partnership with Calda Clinic, offering a post-treatment journey of discovery designed to help people break out of negative routines and environments, to give them the opportunity to take a step back and to view their situation and state of mind from a different angle.

Planning and supervising a personalised, holistic journey to suit the client’s requirements and needs, a recovery expedition marks the transition from formal treatment to lifelong recovery outside the walls of the clinic. Before a patient is discharged from the Calda programme, its specialists work

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LUXURY // TRAVEL

closely with the client and the team on the ground in Africa to devise a comprehensive aftercare journey.

Locations, activities, therapies and duration are chosen individually together with a team from a pool of trusted professionals and experts in their fields. Expedition Discovery can be designed to be relaxing, or mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually challenging. The trip can also be a combination of both to make the client a more resilient person by the end of this journey.

Perspectives

IMAGES © Shutterstock, Wikimedia Commons

Self-discovery This journey of self-discovery aims to open up new perspectives in life through new experiences, impressions and challenges, providing essential strategies that allow people to cope with life’s difficulties and uncertainties in a more flexible and adapted way. The journeys can be organised for individuals or for small groups, but in all cases, every detail of care and security is considered to give the client a broad perspective of the African continent.

“Africa”, says James Otigbah, “works on its own time and rhythm.” 

“

Africa works on its own time and rhythm

–­ James Otigbah, Expedition Discovery

“

A unique feature of Expedition Discovery’s offering is that each client has a dedicated executive protection specialist at their side during the entire journey, who acts as a mentor, helps with logistics and takes care of the client’s protection.

As James Otigbah explains, “Expedition Diccovery is a follow-up program for anyone who has been through clinical rehabilitation to cure an addiction or a mental health issue such as alcoholism, drug and/or nicotine addiction, sex addiction, gambling addiction, depression, trauma or burnout.

“Leaving treatment or a treatment facility and returning to the old environment with possible toxic temptations is a challenging time,” he says. “The goal-oriented Expedition Discovery is centred on preparing clients to face the world by giving them new perspectives in life. It is a bridge between a treatment and the return to a familiar environment.”

Expedition Discovery’s journeys within Africa begin in Kenya’s capital Nairobi two to three days after completing the Calda treatment. Kenya features an unbelievable variety of different climate zones, landscapes and cultures, and on the threeweek journey, clients will have plenty of time to relax, travel on the road and staying in luxurious as well as simple accommodation. The routes and activities are put together according to the client’s wishes, needs and physical fitness.

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09/08/2019 13:01

● Nicotine ● Drugs ● Depression ● Trauma ● Alcohol ● Sex ● Gambling ● Burnout

An aftercare programme ...

Break the cycle of addiction and mental health issues by going on a journey of discovery ...

Why recover in a five star hotel, when you can recover under a million stars?

Bespoke - Confidential - Exclusive

Tel: +41 33 748 35 70 www.expedition-discovery.com - my@expedition-discovery.com

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09/08/2019 15:47

ART // MODERN

F

E H T H S A M S SYSTEM

or centuries, the art world has been rigidly organised, with galleries, auction houses and museums controlling the way art is promoted, and young artists struggling to break through or to make a living out of their work.

All that now seems to be changing. With the development of the internet and social media, which let anyone promote their art to an international audience, and exciting new ideas about how art can be presented and promoted, we’re entering a new era in which art is more accessible, and young talent can be seen and heard globally.

Marine Tanguy, founder of agency MTArt, is at the forefront this wave of art world disruptors.

Managing her first gallery at age 21, opening her first art gallery in Los Angeles at age 23 and finally creating her current business in 2015, Tanguy now plans to break from the prevalent gallery model to better promote the artists she believes in across the globe.

Arts & Collections talked to Marine Tanguy during a visit to London to promote the MC

By Chris Jenkins

Who are the young artists and entrepreneurs disrupting the art world?

Arts & Collections reveals some of the most exciting innovators shaking up the scene today Saatchi Visual Diet exhibition. We asked how MTArt came about and what it hopes to do for young artists.

“While the art world concentrates on selling art on walls for a few, we focus on investing in the top artists who could inspire everyone,” she told us. “Every month, the agency reviews 200 portfolios of artists. Our selection committee select artists with innovative techniques, inspiring content and strong visions. For the artists who sign with the agency, MTArt covers

their studio costs, sells their works, implements cultural and commercial partnerships and offers press exposure. This is how we accelerate their artistic reputation, visibility and success.”

TALENT By promoting artists directly to commercial sponsors such as fashion and technology brands, MTArt has helped its artists grow the value of their work, unfettered by the restrictions and prejudices of the gallery system. Tanguy sees MTArt’s commercial model as more akin to that of a Hollywood talent agency, and the agency now has offices in London and Paris and plans to expand further. Each year, MTArt’s artists each give one piece of art to the agency’s collection, which is rapidly accumulating value.

One of MTArts’s most prominent talents is Adelaide Damoah, a painter, performance artist and founding member of the Black British Female Artists Collective. Damoah’s performance Into the Mind of the Coloniser explores feminism, identity and race. She often uses her own body as a ‘living paintbrush’, and

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09/08/2019 12:03

ART // MODERN

(Far Left) Adelaide Damoah; image courtesy of MTArt (Above Left) Saype’s massive outdoor work Beyond Walls: image courtesy of MTArt (Left) Marine Tanguy of MTArt

OTHER ART Increasingly, young artists are taking the promotion and commercialisation of their work into their own hands. The Other Art Fair lets

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“

While the art world concentrates on selling art on walls for a few, we focus on investing in the top artists who could inspire everyone – Marine Tanguy, MTArt

artists display their work and sell directly to the public. The excitement of possibly discovering the next Basquiat or Jeff Koons at this sort of event give collectors every incentive to encourage young talent.

Founded in 2011 by Ryan Stanier, The Other At Fair has hosted 38 fairs presenting over 1,100 artists from more than 20 countries.

Acquired by Saatchi Art in 2016, The Other Art Fair continues to grow both in the UK and abroad. In 2019, a record twelve editions of the fair will take place across the world in London, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Sydney and Melbourne. Artists participating in The Other Art Fair are also featured on Saatchi Art’s online gallery, joining an international

powerhouse of emerging talent, including more than 50,000 artists from over 100 countries.

The Other Art Fair in London over four days in July saw over 100 artists exhibiting in the West Handyside canopy in King’s Cross, including guest artist Chris Levine, famed for his lenticular portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and a unique exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landings, One Small Step, featuring the work of 12 artists including Anish Kapoor, the Chapman Brothers and Mr Brainwash. Also exhibiting was Kim Bongsoo, a sculptor who says the theme of his art is “The selfish duplicity of human beings in desire - I have highlighted these characters of human beings in my pieces. People in my works look gentle and intelligent, but have a long nose.”

STREET LIFE Disruptive art is also taking to the streets, with art curator and serial creative entrepreneur Kia Knight’s Mas•ter•werks Organisation stressing the link between public art and the attractiveness of urban areas as places to visit, work or live.

Knight’s projects include a seven-day public art exhibition in Shoreditch, east London, taking place in October 2019, which will see a collection of privately-owned building facades e

worked with photographer Rankin in the Visual Diet opening exhibition with MTArt Agency in collaboration with MC Saatchi London.

Another talent promoted by MTArt is Saype, whose massive outdoor works have recently made international headlines. In June he unveiled the largest piece of art ever created, stretching 15,000m along the entire length of Paris’ iconic Champ de Maris.

Called Beyond Walls, the piece will be reproduced in 20 international cities over the next three years. Created using Saype’s own unique 100 percent biodegradable and sustainable paint, it showcases linked human hands and is inspired by photos taken of SOS Méditerranée volunteers rescuing migrants. It is designed to convey a message of human togetherness at a time of increasing political, cultural and societal fraction.

“

IMAGES © MTART, 1-OF-1 ART GROUP, CHRIS JENKINS

(Above) Public art from 1-of-1 Art Group

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ART // MODERN

(Above) Kia Knight of Mas·ter·w rks e

transformed into canvases, with the public spaces between them acting as a gallery floor. Working in conjunction with Shoreditch landowner Dominic White, online art gallery 1-of-1 Art Group and the Arts Council, the result will be an outdoor museum of public art, celebrating the work of some the world’s finest artists, with more than 20 major works of art on giant wall canvases will be produced over a seven-day period by internationally acclaimed artists from more than 15 countries. The works will be as culturally diverse as socially and environmentally aware.

Knight also cites public projects in Miami and Nantes as examples of how cultural placemaking practitioners at the onset of the design process can produce an environment that is more cohesive and authentic.

VIBRANT Knight says: “Public art—any form of art that is planned and executed within the public domain (in public space)—can make a place more culturally vibrant. Whether it is a building, a street or an entire neighbourhood, the inclusion of art can transform an area into somewhere that will attract people to live, socialise and share with others.

“Cultural ‘place-making’ encourages and provides a vessel in which people can interact with one another and, in turn, contribute to both individual and communal wellbeing and has economic benefits, boosting property prices, encouraging more people to visit an area, and also luring businesses to set up there.”

As more and more young artists come to realise the potential of this new wave of selfpromotion and freedom of expression, the gallery system is under pressure to react—but savvy collectors are perhaps already moving towards these new models of collecting and appreciating art. 

The Other Art Fair, London: Thoughts of Pinocchio 19-13 by Kim Bongsoo, South Korea Sculpture, 13 W x 22.8 H x 15.7 in

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An Exceptional and Rare Celadon and Brown Jade Camel Tang Dynasty Estimate $200,000–300,000

AUCTION NEW YORK 10 SEPTEMBER

EXHIBITION FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 6–9 SEPTEMBER 1334 YORK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10021 ENQUIRIES +1 212 606 7332 ASIAWEEK@SOTHEBYS.COM SOTHEBYS.COM #SOTHEBYSASIANART SOTHEBY’S, INC. LICENSE NO. 1216058. © SOTHEBY’S, INC. 2019

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09/08/2019 16:39

COLLECTions // supercARS

1

Electric

Dreams W

ith even the most advanced petrol-driven cars struggling to produce marginal improvements to ancient technology, ecologically sound battery-powered vehicles are clearly the future. We can live without the petrolengine roar when electric cars look like this futuristic selection.

1

Lotus Evija

It’s pronounced “eve-eye-yah”, and this Lotus’ name isn’t the only exotic thing about it.

This 2,000 horsepower vehicle (in comparison the petrol-powered Bugatti Chiron manages only 1,500hp) costs around £2m and will be built in strictly limited numbers.

2

Pininfarina Battista

This first electric car from the Munich factory of the Italian design house, the 186mph Battista will cost around £2m,

and the plan is to build 150, positioning the company ‘as a pioneer in the luxury EV space’.

3

Audi PB18 e-tron

Featuring three motors, a 310 mile range and an adjustable driver’s seat that lets you sit in the middle or carry a passenger, the PB18 concept features by-wire design of steering and pedals, so mechanical connection of the control elements is not needed.

4

Porsche Taycan

The first all-electric design from Porsche will be this four-door four-seater costing around $90,000. It boasts similar performance to the Porsche 911, has a range of over 300 miles and can be recharged in just 15 minutes—but then, it does have two electric motors.

Electric cars, dreary and boring? Not these batterypower supercars. We look at some of the most exciting models gliding into a showroom near you soon

By Chris Jenkins

5

Mercedes-AMG Project One

6

Rimac Concept 2

With an engine based on a Formula 1 design, this 1,000hp road car should be ridiculously fast, as you would expect for around $2.7m.

The specs for this Croatian supercar would be unbelievable if it weren’t for the fact that the Concept 1 was equally amazing. The sequel features a 1,914-horsepower engine that enables a 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 1.85 seconds, a 40-mile range, and facial recognition technology.

7

Ferrari SF90

A £400,000 hybrid rather than a pure electric car, though it does have three electric motors. The traditional V8 engine outputs around 1,000hp, making the SF90 the most powerful production Ferrari ever. 

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COLLECTIOnS // supercARS

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ANTIQUES // MARKET

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ANTIQUES // MARKET

All’s Fair in Art and Antiques

By Chris Jenkins

It’s a landmark year for the art and antiques dealers’ association LAPADA, and they say there’s never been a better time to start collecting

L

APADA, the world’s largest association of art and antiques dealers, celebrates its 45th anniversary this year—it certainly doesn’t look its age, with its annual Art & Antiques Fair coming up in London’s exclusive Berkeley Square in September, and a vigorous program of conferences and lobbying between its teeth.

The LAPADA symbol of the golden chandelier remains the mark of an experienced, knowledgeable, trustworthy dealer, backed by a strong advisory, mediation and lobbying association.

Arts & Collections talked to LAPADA’s CEO Freya Simms and Fair Manager Sophie Wood in the middle of the summer ‘season’, during London Art Week.

With a background in art dealing, gallery management and PR, Freya Simms worked for Christie’s Fine Art, Bonhams and Sotheby’s before becoming Director of the Olympia Art Fair. Now CEO of LAPADA, representing over 500 professional art and antiques dealers in the UK and overseas, she faces some difficult issues, such as the uncertainties of Brexit, the upcoming ivory ban and competition from sometimes dubious online dealers.

“With Brexit, larger businesses with their own import/export departments may cope with the red tape, but something like 70 percent of LAPADA members are small operations. We can give help and advice through our members’ website.

“Our continental contacts may see everything as being in stasis, but it’s not all doom and gloom here—maybe some hesitancy in London, but in the regions things are certainly looking up.”

FAIR AND PLENTY

Above: LAPADA CEO Freya Simms Left: Display from Craig Carrington of Stroud, Gloucestershire, at the 2017 LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair

IMAGES © LAPADA

PROFIT AND PATIENCE So, we asked how the art and antiques market was looking, with the annual Masterpiece show just over and London Art Week in full swing.

“Well, it has been busy!” Freya says: “There have been a lot of people there, both exhibitors and visitors, and most seem happy. The fact is that not every dealer can do brilliantly at every show, and not in every market—for instance sculpture is a strong market, but a slow one. If you are looking to buy in order to make a profit, you have to be patient.”

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Part of the problem facing LAPADA members, we suggest, may be uncertainty over Brexit—not only are customers reluctant to buy, but dealers feel frustrated by lack of definitive information. “That’s certainly true,” says Freya: “For instance we have been lobbying about the ivory ban for some time, as some of the details are draconian—you have situations where a Georgian teapot with just an ivory handle may be banned from sale. At the moment it’s a mess.

There should be plenty to be happy about at the highly anticipated LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair in September, a collector’s paradise housed in a specially built pavilion in Berkeley Square. As Fair Manager Sophie Wood tells us, 20,000 visitors are expected to visit to see a diverse collection of fine art, jewellery, textiles, silver, furniture and objets d’art, all vetted by experts, from around 100 of LAPADA’s leading art and antiques dealers.

The venue is exciting enough, with Berkeley Square’s ancient plane trees growing inside the complex of marquees and a restaurant magically suspended at a higher level, but there’s more than usual to celebrate in this 10th year at this exclusive location.

“In celebration of this anniversary year, exhibitors will present pieces by a nominated LAPADA Legend—the brilliant historical craftsmen whose vision and talent has ensured their work has endured for centuries” says Sophie. “From Chippendale and Wedgwood, Dame Lucie Rie and Georg Jenson, Suzanne Belperron and Paul de Lamerie, works by these prodigious talents will be available to view and to buy.”

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ANTIQUES // MARKET

CHARITY The design talent theme extends to charity beneficiary Sarabande, the charitable Foundation established by Lee Alexander McQueen, which will host a spectacular gala on Monday, 16 September to raise funds to support future artists.

So where should visitors to the LAPADA Fair spend their money, we asked, what are the sure-fire investments for budding art and antiques dealers? “We don’t need any of these things,” says Freya, “So you have to buy what you love! Don’t be afraid to mix and match styles and eras, and after a while be prepared to sell some pieces so you can upgrade to something better. I see a lot of antique furniture which is out of fashion with the older generation, but younger people are snapping it up because it shows craftsmanship, and it’s sustainable.”

Sophie adds: “You’ll see loads of surprising things at the LAPADA Fair, including a box made from fragments of the barrel used to preserve Nelson’s corpse, and bronzes, paintings, jewellery, textiles, silver, furniture and objets d’art of all sorts from £500 to £500,000.

The key I think is to mix the contemporary with the antique—support younger craftsmen as well as traditional collectables.”

Tickets for the LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair cost £20 and can be purchased online or on the door from the event box office. For more information visit www.lapadalondon.com. 

Above Left: LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair Manager Sophie Wood Above: Japanese silvered bronze okimono Manchurian cranes, Meiji Period (1868-1912); Laura Bordignon Above right: Serpent brooch by David Webb, USA; J Baptista Below Right: The LAPADA Fair marquee, 2018

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A Fine Underglaze-Blue And Yellow-Enameled ‘Gardenia’ Dish Zhengde Mark And Period Estimate $100,000–120,000

AUCTION NEW YORK 11 SEPTEMBER

EXHIBITION FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 6–10 SEPTEMBER 1334 YORK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10021 ENQUIRIES +1 212 606 7332 ASIAWEEK@SOTHEBYS.COM SOTHEBYS.COM #SOTHEBYSASIANART SOTHEBY’S, INC. LICENSE NO. 1216058. © SOTHEBY’S, INC. 2019

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09/08/2019 16:40

art // LOGISTICS

Art logistics the practice of moving, storing and installing precious works of art and collectables is a skilled job best managed by experienced professionals.

In the next 12 pages Arts & Collections looks at some of the challenges of the business, and how the experts are responding to the requirements of the most demanding clients and an ever-changing global art market

THE

MOVING PLATFORM The art logistics business has to move swiftly to react to the changing nature of business. We find out how one company is evolving online

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onvelio, founded in September 2017 by art aficionados Edouard Gouin and Clément Quizille, is described as a “full stack digital freight forwarder” specialising in shipping high-end and luxury goods worldwide.

The duo began their careers in the tech sector before discovering their passion for interior design, and now promote Convelio

as a “click-and-buy” experience tailored to international dealers, interior designers, auction houses, e-commerce websites and private individuals who want to ship antique, art, design and other valuable goods in Europe and worldwide.

“Our background is in e-commerce”, the duo told us, “then the interior design

IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK

By Chris Jenkins

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ART // LOGISTICS

industry, where we quickly realized that the discovery experience through online channels was getting better, but fulfilment was still a nightmare. Shipping a valuable object was, and still is, incredibly cumbersome. The 2018 Art Trade Report by Hiscox says that it comes as one of the top three biggest challenges in growing the online art market, with 37 percent of art buyers naming the complications around artwork shipping as their main obstruction to buying art online.”

Global Convelio aims to ease these obstructions, and is already practiced in shipping from Europe and the USA to all major international destinations.

“From our perspective”, they tell us,”a lot of the merchandise leaves from Western Europe (primarily France, Italy, Benelux and the UK) to go towards the US. The US still seems to be a stronghold when it comes to art for two reasons: the concentration of wealth as well as a favourable regulatory environment. The US is also the country with the highest share of art buyers worldwide and holds the highest global share of the auction market. When you look at the statistics, it’s pretty clear that the three largest markets are the US, China and the UK, accounting for 83 percent of total sales by value in 2017.”

And Convelio has been called on to deal with some extraordinary challenges, including shipping one-block marble tables, rockcrystal chandeliers, a Murano glass luminaire disassembled in 200 pieces, a one-tonne bronze sculpture, and 18th Century Chinese wind-screens. “It takes a real expertise to know how to pack and transport such complex and high-value items” they say: “When we had to ship a Picasso ceramic, we built a wood crate with made-to-measure compartmented

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The Convelio team, including (Front L-R) Clément Quizille and Edouard Gouin

foam protections inside to make sure this masterpiece was in the safest place while traveling—and the process is the same for each item we ship. Every packing is fully adapted to the product form and fragilities.”

Online But the boom in online sales presents an opportunity, with the rise of e-commerce allowing easier discovery of items. While the fashion industry leads the pack, the art world is catching up, and Convelio has developed a dedicated digital strategy to suit.

Convelio’s services are already comprehensive: “Unlike a classic freight forwarder, we do not subcontract to tens of different transport companies. We actually work hand-in-hand with a restricted number of very carefully selected small companies, who we audited and know by heart.

“For any bulky, fragile and valuable item that is too complex to be shipped through the classic mail services, we offer end-toend logistics service, including packing at collection, bespoke wood-crate and customized protection for export, air and sea freight service, custom process handling, ad-valorem insurance process and last mile delivery with two options: either classic frontdoor delivery, or premium white-glove service with unpacking, and installation.”

But the new online platform is the first service to transport artworks that can make instant quotes, book and track an order, organize multi-pickups in different locations, include an ad valorem insurance for the shipment, and choose different types of delivery speed, via airfreight (express, 5-9 days, regular 14 to 25 days), sea freight (10 to 14 days), or temporary export.

Passion The new Convelio platform can also respond to urgent requests, for instance shipping 40m3 of merchandise in less than 24h from Paris to Qatar.

All the documentation related to export is centralized on one single page, digitized then accessible in real time, representing a powerful tool for the art market, where paperwork can often delay business. The platform’s online tracking also sets new standards for accuracy and accessibility.

“We are incredibly grateful to work every day with a hands-on, passionate team and partners doing their best at all time to satisfy and empower our clients” say Edouard Gouin and Clément Quizille: “There is still a lot to be done, a lot to be improved and even a lot left to challenge. But we are well underway on our journey towards building the logistics backbone of the art world.” 

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12/08/2019 10:28

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Installation Packing Transportation Storage & Security Insurance & Conservation Consultancy Collection Management Project Management

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ART // INSTALLATION

The Frame Game Hanging pictures perfectly is just one job of the art installation specialist. We ask the experts to recall some of their more challenging projects

By Chris Jenkins

afterwards—dust and debris has to be cleared and the display area left immaculate.

We asked Jill Sheridan of Art Installation Services for some examples of the challenges faced by the company, which has worked for clients including the Royal Opera House, Ralph Lauren, Todhunter Earle, Nina Campbell, Adare Manor, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio

(Above) Madresfield Court (Todhunter Earle) (Below) Bloomsbury Hotel (MBDS)

IMAGES: © art installation services

A

rt installation specialists must be expert in many fields from packing, transporting and securely storing precious works, to conservation, insurance and even consultancy from commissioning a first piece to managing a collection.

Venues can range from homes, hotels, offices and stores, to hospitals, schools, clubs, galleries and art fairs and installations can be on a permanent or temporary basis.

Projects can involve everything from straightforward picture and mirror hanging to exhibition standard installation of artworks.

The installation specialist has to take on projects large or small, to give advice depending on location and occasion and to provide solutions whether for installing at height (if necessary using specialist equipment and adhering to relevant health and safety regulations) or for working around delicate and valuable collections.

(including Annabel’s, the Bloomsbury and the Marylebone hotels) and Marsh & McLennan.

She told us: “Our clients’ concerns range from whether the walls in a domestic setting can take the weight of an extremely large or heavy artwork, to serious collectors worried about the handling of valuable pieces, all subjects on which we can reassure them.

“We’re often asked by hotels or large institutions to help after a refurbishment or the commissioning of a new building—this could entail hanging artworks in two hundred bedrooms or offices as well as in the public areas, all of which may need security fixings.

This sort of project can require months of planning and a full team of professional Art Technicians on site for several weeks.

“At the other extreme we may have a request requiring one piece to be installed, and we are equally happy to do this too!”

But as Jill Sheridan concludes, the secret to any good installation is to work “With discretion, great care and with as little disruption as possible!” 

IMMACULATE Collection, delivery and framing are often part of the project and if necessary the installer can work after hours to minimise disruption in workplaces. The last part of the job is to tidy up

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Art // LOGISTICS

As Galileo knew, the earth moves around the sun—and likewise, Momart knows the skill involved in moving pieces of precious art

“And Yet, It Moves…”

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work of fine art is a treasured belonging, bringing beauty, elegance and refinement to our lives. However, behind the glamour and prestige of owning such a piece lie the practical logistics of having to move it. Either from a gallery to your home or within a museum, fine art logistics is an important part of the art world, keeping precious works safe when they are moved, installed and stored.

Fine art logistics company Momart, for instance, has been doing the behind-thescenes work of transporting your favourite pieces of art history for more than 40 years, as a trusted partner of prestigious organisations and collectors around the world.

Diamond Jubilee While private collectors are typically looking to move a work of art from a gallery or dealer to their residence and are interested mainly in the safety and strategies of shipping, art

By Elika Roohi

logistics can be called upon to solve much more interesting problems as well.

Momart has moved and installed pieces you may have seen in the V&A, Tate, British Museum and the Royal Academy of Art, to name a few. In 2012, Momart was commissioned to move a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II around the world in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. The portrait, originally standing on the Cosmati pavement in Westminster Abbey, was to be shown at the national Portrait Gallery in Canberra, Australia, and then exhibited in London as part of the celebrations.

Momart advised the National Portrait Gallery and Australian-born artist Ralph Heimans on the complex movements of the 9x11ft oil on canvas painting. In consultation with the artist, they planned the best route out of the studio for this large-scale painting, and specialised technicians visited all the sites scheduled for the launch photography and

the installation to precisely measure and plan transport routes.

When shipping, two travel frames were constructed and a specially adapted museum specification case used for road and air freight. Momart got the portrait safely to all of its locations on time and in excellent condition.

How does it all work?

Each project from start to finish gets the care and attention needed to make sure every piece of art is delivered safely to its home.

Skilled and specialist technicians work closely with the project, ensuring professionalism and discretion throughout the process.

Finally, an essential element of moving any piece of fine art is security, and whether for a gallery, museum or private collector, an art logistic expert company like Momart can provide the right facilities and expertise to protect the most delicate work for you, and for posterity. 

Below: Momart technicians de-installing artwork at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, 2015. Photography: Ben Quinton

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Experienced, trusted, discreet Providing premier fine art transport, storage and installation service to collectors, galleries and artists worldwide. www.momart.com MOMART ltd.indd 1

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Art // logistics

The Swiss Role

With European economics in turmoil, is Switzerland a natural hub for the art world?

By Chris Jenkins

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t’s said that art knows no frontiers, that it is a universal value, a kind of “common good”. But of course, from a commercial standpoint, art is no different from other global enterprises and just as subject to the political and economic turmoil of modern Europe.

But at the heart of it all, Switzerland seems to offer a haven of stability. Not a member of the European Union or subject to the community’s rules, nor affected by its prevailing political climate, Switzerland goes its own way, continuing strong thanks to its independent status.

Switzerland and England have always worked together in the world of fine art, particularly through their financial centres of London and Geneva, and despite Brexit, and however customs tariffs vary and other countries amend their attitudes, that relationship is not about to change.

Switzerland shares fifth place in the international art scene with Germany, after the United States, the United Kingdom,

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China and France. Many patrons of the arts, trustees, artists and collectors have moved there over the years, previously attracted by bank secrecy and free ports, nowadays by the economic conditions and the tax structure.

Isabelle Harsch, company founder’s daughter and current CEO of art logistics specialist Harsch, says: “Switzerland stands out from the ‘unstable’ environment of Europe due to its constancy at all levels. This is reassuring for the players in the world of fine art, together with the tax advantages that are available to all (artists and collectors alike).”

To maintain and broaden its excellent relationships with England, the two countries have recently signed a number of agreements in the fields of commerce and transportation which point towards a continuation of “business as usual” between the two.

Certainly, protectionism seems contrary to the development of a now globalised fine art business, a basic trend that Harsch knows

and understands well, having since 1957 built up a strong worldwide network against a background of expanding commercial activities.

Geneva now represents an excellent host and partner for fine arts, with Harsch able to offer highly secure storage facilities as well as the possibility of moving works of art unhindered and without fluctuating import duties.

With England rocked by Brexit and the prospect of reinstated customs duties on trade between European countries, Isabelle Harsch says a growth in the business is already visible.

“Located outside the European Union, Switzerland is the obvious partner for both collectors and dealers, with the Swiss Federal Council’s strategy aiming to ensure the continuity of Anglo-Swiss relations, which also applies to the world of fine art. All this in the context of absolute confidentiality and discretion, plus the unique ‘Made in Switzerland’ touch that says it all.” 

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A Binding COLLECTABLES // BOOKS

Commitment

The Folio Society has been producing beautiful collectable books for over 70 years. Should you be making more space on your shelves?

By Chris Jenkins

F

ounded in London in 1947, The Folio Society publishes beautifully crafted editions of the world’s finest literature— mainly classic fiction, but with a solid element of non-fiction. Following the principle that great books deserve to be presented in a form worthy of their contents, The Folio Society celebrates the unique joy to be derived from owning, holding and reading a beautiful printed edition—something not to be had from a digital book.

The beautifully crafted, imaginatively presented illustrated editions of the world’s great works offer a rich literary experience to readers, and the limited editions are particularly attractive to the collector.

We visited The Folio Society’s Thames-side offices to find out more about the company’s philosophy, and the numerous projects it currently has in hand.

Publishing Director Tom Walker explained: “The Folio Society was founded in 1947

by Charles Ede, at around the same time as Penguin, with a similar ambition, to put good literature in the reach of ‘everyman’.

Initially it operated as a membership-based organisation, and as the list grew, the membership commitment was established as four books per year. But since 2011, anyone has been able to purchase from The Folio Society list without committing to membership, and in 2016, the membership-based structure was done away with. Now we publish around 60 titles per year, with the limited editions as flagship, but by selling only direct from our website we feel we still retain a sense of community.”

LAVISH Recent projects include a limited edition of Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet with the artist’s colour illustrations alongside his original text for the first time, and a number of classic science fiction titles including Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys illustrated

by Francis Vallejo, Ray Bradbury’s Something

Wicked This Way Comes illustrated

by Tim McDonagh, and H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine and The Island of Doctor Moreau illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith.

Available now is a lavish edition of George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, as recently adapted for television. The Folio Society edition of the first in the series, A Song of Ice and Fire, is presented in two 10”x 63⁄4” volumes illustrated by Jonathon Burton and introduced by fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie.

Approved by the author and lavishly illustrated throughout, the £125 edition features bindings blocked with gold and silver foils, black page tops, a large format map of Martin’s Known world, newly-drawn family trees and sigils, and a hidden illustration within the slipcase.

Perhaps less immediately familiar but every bit as impressive is The Folio Society’s limited-

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COLLECTABLES // BOOKS

edition facsimile of Kitagawa Utamaro’s Studies From Nature. Utamaro flourished in Japan’s Edo period (AD 1603 to 1868) and was an acknowledged master of ukiyo-e (pictures of the Floating World). The Folio Society has captured the essence of these beautiful books designed to be read in the traditional Japanese style from back cover to front, and from right to left across the page. In each, Utamaro’s elegant illustrations are paired with kyoka: playful, erudite and often erotic poems on the sentiments of love.

DETAIL

By selling only direct from our website we feel we still retain a sense of community – Tom Walker, Publishing Director, The Folio Society

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IMAGES © THE FOLIO SOCIETY

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Printed and bound, largely by hand, in the UK in a cloth-covered presentation box lined with printed paper and tied with grosgrain ribbon, the two volumes of The Book of Crawling Creatures have a Japanese sewn binding, while The Gifts of the Ebb Tide and two volumes of The Book of Myriad Birds are bound in concertina style. All five volumes are bound in Twist paper printed with original designs redrawn by Neil Gower, with printed paper labels with titles in English and in Japanese script. Limited to 500 copies, the price in the UK is £495.

The attention to detail in typography, paper, binding and presentation in these editions is quite astonishing, and as The Folio Society’s Production Director, Kate Grimwade, told us, even the printing process can be highly specialised: “We presented our edition of

Sappho’s complete surviving oeuvre, translated by poet Anne Carson, in a traditional letterpress edition, using raised type, so you can actually feel the impressions of the type on the page.”

Even sustainability is a factor in The Folio Society’s production decisions, as Kate Grimwade explains: “All our paper is FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) approved, and bindings are recyclable—and we are always looking at ways to improve sustainability, such as eliminating bubble wrapping, and changing the ingredients in foil blocking to eliminate harmful chemicals.”

With a limited edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and a new translation of Boris Pasternak’s Dr Zhivago coming soon to the catalogue, The Folio Society continues to produce editions designed to bring joy to the reader and collector for many years to come—time to make some space on your bookshelves!  (Opening page) The Folio Society editions of Utamaro’s Studies From Nature and Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun (This page, clockwise from top) The Folio Society edition of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones; Production Director Kate Grimwade; Publishing Director Tim Walker

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COLLECTABLES // BOOKS

BOOK REVIEWS From the treasures of the Sikh Empire to the adventures of a krazy kat, and the primal images of ethnography to the only book to come with a sample of another world—our round-up of essential reading brings you the latest in collectable titles for your coffee-table and bookshelf Characters: An Ancient Take on Bad Behavior Theophrastus, trans.

Pamela Mensch I Callaway, $24.95 I www.callaway.com Theophrastus, student of Aristotle and the ‘father of botany’, also wrote these acid pen-portraits of archetypes of bad behaviour. In this new translation

by Pamela Mensch with annotations and introduction

by New York classic professor James Romm, the 30-character sketches are accompanied by wry, inventive (and often strangely modern) caricatures

by Portuguese artist Andre Carrilho.

From the Social Climber to the Charlatan and the Slanderer, there are characters from the forum of ancient Athens immediately recognisable today, making Theophrastus’ portraits still insightful, caustic, and relevant.

In Pursuit of Empire Davinder Toor I Kashi House, £34.99 I www.kashihouse.com The remarkable story of the Sikh Empire’s meteoric expansion in the late 18th century and its collapse half a century later is told through a spectacular selection of over 100 rare and beautiful objects from the world’s finest private collection of Sikh art.

Davinder Toor, widely acknowledged as the world’s leading collector of Sikh art, shares the history of some of the most fascinating items in his own private collection in this lavishly illustrated book, featuring an introduction by acclaimed writer and historian William Dalrymple.

Including many previously unpublished paintings and vintage photographs from the Toor Collection, also available is a special edition limited to 500 copies at £150.

Hyperphoto Jean-Francois Rauzier I WD Editions, £35 I www.waterhousedodd.com Parisian Rauzier describes himself as an ‘out of the box designer of a postmodern dreamlike world’ and his work—massively detailed photomontages of galleries and cities compiled from thousands of highresolution photographs—is presented here in 70 large format reproductions over 200 pages, accompanied by essays and the artist’s commentaries on their creation. The works are also available as archival quality C-prints, mounted under plexiglass on aluminium, in limited editions of eight. Images including the National Gallery in London and St Marc in Venice take on a Bruegelian aspect in this lavish presentation.

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COLLECTABLES // BOOKS

WALTER CHANDOHA: CATS—PHOTOGRAPHS 1942–2018 Susan Michals, Reuel Golden Taschen, £40 I www.taschen.com Walter Chandoha, who died this year, was an excombat photographer who started photographing cats after a chance encounter with a stray in 1949.

Little Loco prompted a career which included over 300 magazine covers, thousands of advertisements, posters, T-shirts, and a giant 18x60 foot Kodak Colorama display in Grand Central Terminal, New York City. Chandoha’s multi-lighting technique defined the visual vocabulary of animal portraiture for generations. This fitting tribute features 296 pages and is available in English, French and German editions.

IDOLS: THE POWER OF IMAGES Ed. Annie Caubet I Skira, £50 I www.skira.net A lavishly illustrated book on how humankind begun to create three-dimensional images of the human body around 4000–2000 BC, Idols reveals a surprising number of common traits present in many groups and regions across the world, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Indus valley, from the gates of the Atlantic to the Far East.

A tribute to Giancarlo Ligabue (1935 -2001), the Italian palaeontologist, scholar, businessman and public figure who developed a deep interest in the dawn of anthropomorphic figurative culture, the book features diverse illustrations and texts from multiple experts in the field, and is richly presented in a 9.5×11 in. hardcover edition with 288 pages of English text (an edition in Italian is also available) with 282 colour illustrations.

A BRICK COMES A-FLYING THE COMPLETE GEORGE HERRIMAN’S KRAZY KAT Ed. Alexander Braun I Taschen, £150 I www.taschen.com Compiling the complete colour Sunday newspaper strips of George Herriman’s Krazy Kat from 19351944, Taschen’s 632-page hardcover (in English, French and German editions) eulogises Herriman’s surreal, Dadaist scenarios, with their iridescent slang language, phonetic spelling, scholarly references and fluid gender roles—never has a strip about a besotted cat, a brick-throwing mouse and a fat policeman drawn so many famous fans, including the likes of Chaplin, Wodehouse and Picasso, Joyce, Pollock, Chap Fitzgerald.

MOONFIRE: THE EPIC JOURNEY OF APOLLO 11, LUNAR ROCK EDITION

IMAGES © THE PUBLISHERS

Norman Mailer I Taschen, $700,000 I www.taschen.com Limited to just 12 copies, one for each astronaut who walked on the moon, the Lunar Rock Edition of Norman Mailer’s MoonFire is designed by Marc Newson. Each book is contained in a case made from a single piece of aluminium, inspired by the Apollo 11 LEM (Lunar Excursion Module)—its surface an actual 3-D topography of the Moon—and comes with a unique piece of lunar meteorite.

Accompanying this edition is a Lunar Feldspathic ImpactMelt Breccia stone, a piece of one of the largest meteorites ever discovered.

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09/08/2019 15:22

ART// CULTURE

The Other Face of

Mondrian

By Chris Jenkins

IMAGES © Shutterstock, Wikimedia Commons

Painter Piet Mondrian is regarded as a pioneer of abstract art, but now an exhibition in Paris is showing the figurative side of the Dutch master

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ART // CULTURE

IMAGES © Shutterstock, Wikimedia Commons

UTOPIAN Mondrian’s abstract art remained highly utopian, concerned with a search for universal values and aesthetics, but this is perhaps easier to discern in his early naturalistic or Impressionistic works such as pastoral landscapes. Now a Paris exhibition is spotlighting this naturalistic work, showing the other and perhaps less familiar face of Mondrian.

Mondrian’s Figurative Work, at the Musée

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(Left) Piet Mondrian Composition with Large Red Plane, 1921 Oil on canvas 59.5 x 59.5 cm

Marmottan Monet in Paris from 12 September 2019 to 26 January 2020, celebrates this largely unknown part of Mondrian’s oeuvre.

The most prominent collector of the artist’s work, Salomon Slijper (1884–1971), was passionately interested in this long-forgotten aspect of his work, having met the master in the Netherlands, where he fled during the First World War.

(Above) Piet Mondrian Moulin dans la clarté du soleil,1908 Oil on canvas 114 x 84 cm © Kunstmuseum Den Haag

“

To approach the spiritual in art, one will make as little use as possible of reality – Piet Mondrian, 1914

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B

orn in Amersfoort, Netherlands in 1872, Pieter Mondriaan (later Piet Mondrian) is regarded as a pioneer of 20th Century abstract art. His abstracts, such as 1921’s Composition with Large Red Plane, Yellow, Black, Gray and Blue, use only simple geometric elements. In fact, by this stage his theory of ‘Neoplasticism’ dictated that he should use just three primary colours (red, blue and yellow), three primary values (black, white and grey) and two primary directions (horizontal and vertical).

He said in 1914: “Art is higher than reality and has no direct relation to reality. To approach the spiritual in art, one will make as little use as possible of reality, because reality is opposed to the spiritual.”

As a contributor to the De Stijl art movement with co-founder Theo van Doesburg, Mondrian evolved a non-representational form which is still terrifically influential, seen on everything from Yves St Laurent dresses to skateboards.

Slijper, the son of a diamond dealer from Amsterdam, built up a unique collection of paintings and drawings by Mondrian from 1891 to 1918, enriching the ensemble with several abstract works executed later; most of the acquisitions were made between1916 and 1920. Slijper also gave the painter considerable financial support, which changed his life, allowing Mondrian to move to Paris in June 1919.

Slijper designated the Kunstmuseum in The Hague as his legatee, and his collection of Mondrians is the world’s largest. The Musée Marmottan Monet has forged an exceptional

partnership with the Kunstmuseum to organise a unique exhibition paying tribute to Slijper and to Mondrian’s figurative works.

FRAGILE Around 70 Mondrian paintings will grace the walls of the Parisian institution, half of them being transported to Paris for the first time.

Others are almost equally unfamiliar; some have not been seen on the city for twenty years, others for fifty years. Some works such as the iconic Sunlit Mill (1908) will be transported for the last time due to their fragility.

The exhibition begins with Composition N° IV (1914), the first work acquired by Salomon Slijper, and one of the exceptions in the itinerary, as it is purely abstract. The first part of the exhibition contains landscapes painted between 1898 and 1905, including views of the Gooi area east of Amsterdam;

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ART// CULTURE

Left: Piet Mondrian Mill in the evening (Moulin dans le crépuscule) 1907-1908 Oil on canvas 67.5 x 117.5 cm © Kunstmuseum Den Haag Below: Piet Mondrian Devotie (Dévotion) 1908 Oil on canvas 94 x 61 cm © Kunstmuseum Den Haag

these demonstrate Mondrian’s talent as a draughtsman and a master of chiaroscuro, and his links to the classical tradition. Yet each work shows the speed of Mondrian’s development, and by 1907, considering that “the colours of nature cannot be reproduced on canvas”, Mondrian adopted a modern approach that focused on flat areas of colour and coloured contrasts taken to an extreme, such as in Mill in the Evening (1907–1908).

A member of the Theosophical Society, Mondrian represented himself as a visionary.

Three previously unseen self-portraits depict him aged thirty-six, with long hair, a black beard and the penetrating stare of a fervent spirit.

Devotion (1908)—used for the exhibition’s poster—attests to the spiritual dimension of his work via a child’s portrait.

MONUMENTS Painted around 1911, the spectacular pink Church of Domburg (Church Tower of Domburg, 1911) and the monumental The Red Mill (1911), standing out brightly against a deep

blue ground, highlight the beauty of Mondrian’s use of pure colours. The geometrisation of the shapes of the two monuments foreshadowed abstraction.

Concluding the exhibition itinerary, a self-portrait by Mondrian standing in front of an abstract chequerboard motif (1918) hangs opposite a work in the same genre: Chequerboard Composition with Dark Colours (1919), which Slijper purchased in the year it was executed.

The works echo and contrast with one another: bright colours—reds and blues— were reserved exclusively for chequerboard paintings, while a camaïeu of browns sufficed for the “naturalistic” representation of the painter in his studio.

Mondrian’s oeuvre cannot be defined as a direct transition from figuration to abstraction, or from black and white to colour–naturalism remained a constant in Mondrian’s work, raising him to the rank of a great master of twentieth-century figurative painting.  www.marmottan.fr

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09/08/2019 12:25

ZHU YUNMING Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River in Cursive Script Estimate $800,000–1,200,000

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8/9/19 11:02 AM 09/08/2019 16:41

ART // collections

(Right) Miró at work at the ARTE print studio: Photo © Clovis Prévost/Archives Fondation Maeght.

(Below) Joan Miró, Le Grand Triptyque Noir, 1969. Photo © Claude Germain/Archives Fondation Maeght.

(Over page) Joan Miró, Dé lé de mannequins à Bahia, 1969; Derrière Le Miroir n°151-152,1965; Le Lettré rouge, 1969 © Maeght Editeur, Paris

Spanish artist Joan Miró innovated in the art of collage, and a new exhibition shows how technology enabled some of his finest graphic works

By John Renwick

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I

IMAGES © www.fondation-maeght.com

f 20th-century art, in the broadest of senses, had to be identified by a single technique, it is very likely that it would be collage: paper stuck onto an assembly. In 1917, Spanish artist Joan Miró painted La Publicitat, on which he had stuck the heading of the newspaper of the same name. From then on, he used collage as a driving concept.

The idea of incorporating elements that were traditionally alien to a composition would become increasingly important to Miró’s work, and his graphic work was no exception: “With coloured inks to colour the sheets of paper and later printing the prints on them; sticking various bits of cloth in assorted colours to the paper and then printing the print on it; spitting on a prepared plate and then beginning to engrave it based on the marks; tracing transfers on the paper and then printing the print on it. Printing on pieces of cloth, table runners, etc.”

Now Miro’s graphic work is being celebrated in Joan Miró: Beyond Painting, an exhibition running until November 2019 at Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. Miró was a major player in the foundation’s creation alongside Marguerite and Aimé Maeght and their architect friend Josep Lluís Sert.

A set of gouaches, artist’s proofs, posters, prints, lithographs, final proofs and rare books, most never seen before, shed light on this prodigious creative work. Many of these pieces were generously donated by the Maeght family to the Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght.

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uppermost in his mind. That was the origin of Défilé de mannequins (Mannequin Parade) and Délire du couturier (Fashion Frenzy), in which the play on colours, contrasting with black, was a key feature.

Stencils

Processes Joan Miró produced most of his graphic work at the ARTE print studio, founded by Adrien Maeght in 1964. Miró’s close bond with his friend Adrien enabled him to use all the possibilities offered by a print studio, and he loved experimenting with new processes. Rare copper plates and artist’s proofs are on show for the first time, giving a better understanding of Joan Miró’s printed work, its evolution, its scale and its richness.

The exhibition is focused around four main ideas: Miró and the Poets; the Concept of Collage; Combinatorial Possibilities and Surpassing Techniques.

“For me”, Miro said, “engraving is a fine means of expression. It has been a means of liberation, of expansion, of discovery. Initially, however, I was a prisoner of its constraints, of its ‘cooking’, of its tools and recipes that were too dependent on tradition. That had to be resisted and dealt with, and then a huge field of possibilities opened up to the gaze and to the hand...”

With Louis Marcoussis’s technical guidance, Miró did etchings and drypoint engravings in 1938. The outcome of that experience was remarkable for two reasons. Firstly, the quality of those engravings; there was nothing in them to suggest that they were the work of a novice.

And secondly, the particular characteristics of two of the engravings, specifically Portrait of Miró and the Black and Red Series, made them true works of art.

The play on inks and colours reached its high point when Miró discovered scanners and the possibilities they offered. Passionate about new techniques and very aware of Miró’s interest in them, Adrien Maeght purchased a scanner for the ARTE print shop with Miró

Some combinations were rendered possible by the colours, and others by the shape.

Thus, with an undeniable sense of humour, the engraving containing a blot in the shape of a face in profile with an eye sticking out takes the title Polyphème or Emèhpylop, depending on which side you look at it from. Similarly, in Emballage and Déballage, Miró played with stencilled letters that are commonplace in the commercial and shipping settings.

Miró’s great moment of renewal in engraving came when he discovered the carborundum printmaking technique that Henri Goetz had developed. He said “An artist can express himself with greater richness and freedom, which give the gesture a fine substance and much more power”.

Unlike the intaglio printmaking technique, which allows prints to be made from a deepinked plate, carborundum—a synthetic coating applied to the plate—creates a particular texture when printed on paper. For Miró, the possibility of getting a tactile quality in his engravings was tantamount to taking a new step forward in the research he had conducted throughout his career.  www.fondation-maeght.com

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Art

Hunters Law DPS .indd 1

Cultural Property 19/07/2019 14:56

“Very able and knowledgeable practitioners who deal with all aspects of art and cultural property from litigation to problem solving for clients with cultural assets.”

- The Legal 500

Founded in 1715 and based in Lincoln’s Inn, Hunters operates at the heart of legal London. We offer a wide range of services to individuals, businesses, trusts, landed estates and charities who expect a high level of personal service and expertise.

We understand our clients’ needs and tailor our work to each set of circumstances, providing high quality, cost effective advice.

We are a multidisciplinary practice and work collaboratively to provide a comprehensive service over all our practice areas.

Hunters are proud to have an extensive national and international network of trusted professional advisers and experts with whom we work.

Hunters Law LLP 9 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London WC2A 3QN | +44 (0)20 7412 0050 | www.hunterslaw.com

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19/07/2019 14:57

art // LAW

Interesting

Times IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK

The quote may be dubious, but the sentiment’s understandable—where does the art world stand when law and politics create uncertainty?

We ask the experts for advice

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ART // LAW

W

By Chris Jenkins

hen Ralph Rugoff, curator of the 58th International Venice Biennale Art Exhibition, invoked the ancient Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times”, he was condemned in some quarters for repeating an apparently spurious saying.

But there’s no doubt that the sort of uncertainty the quote represents is currently prevailing in the field of art and collecting as much as in politics and economics.

So we consulted the experts for some thoughts about law, intellectual property and the likely effects of Brexit.

We asked Hetty Gleave, a Partner at Hunters Law LLP, what were the key legal issues affecting the art world today. She said: “Arguably, what’s causing most concern is the introduction of the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, expected to be implemented into UK law by 10 January 2020, regardless of Brexit.

“The art market is perceived as an easy target for criminals wishing to purchase art as a means of laundering the proceeds of crime. This directive applies to dealers, auction houses and other entities transacting in art and aims to tighten up the current requirements on money laundering and tackle the risks that are commonly associated with the trade.

The directive will affect all non-EU buyers purchasing works of art at galleries, fairs and auction houses in the UK and thus requiring the seller to undertake the same level of riskbased due diligence enquiries on purchases amounting to €10,000, currently undertaken by the legal and financial sectors.

Collectors should therefore expect to be asked for up to date photo ID, proof of current address and the source of funds being used for the new year’s transactions.”

Risk analysis requirements will place an additional burden of scrutiny on sellers used to operating in a world renowned for its secrecy, trust and relationship-based transactions.

Brexit burnout But to return specifically to the subject of Brexit, what is the likely impact on the art market? Hetty Gleave again: “What is clear is that a weak pound has already attracted more foreign collectors to the UK markets and auctions themselves have been strong over the last 12 months.”

But there are concerns are over issues such as restriction of the free movement of people (as the art world is notably multi-national), and possible changes to import duties. “The UK current import tax is only five percent, which is

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one of the lowest in the EU. If the UK leaves the EU Customs Union, imports from the EU will be treated in the same way as from outside the EU. The UK government could, in theory, lower the input tax below five percent which would again attract more collectors to the UK art market.”

Hetty Gleave advises collectors to allow more time for exporting and importing consignments in the event that the UK exits without a deal, and recommends using experienced carriers and professional agents to deal with the paperwork.

Ivory issues Another issue causing lively debate is the implementation of the Ivory Act 2018, which introduces a ban on ‘dealing’ in elephant ivory. In cases where ivory constitutes only a small part of the object, some exceptions are possible, but the trade is already worried about the way enforcement will be carried out. “Dealers will be most affected by the Act”, says Hetty Gleave, “and while many agree that the poaching of elephant ivory must be stopped, a blanket restriction on the sale of antique ivory works is not seen as a solution. Activists also argue that a ban on elephant ivory only creates demand for other forms of ivory and are campaigning for an extension of the Bill to cover hippos, warthogs and narwhals. Recently a small group of dealers and collectors have mounted a challenge in the High Court claiming that the Ivory Act should not focus on antiquities.”

The contentious issue of repatriation and restitution of art and cultural propert has been in the news recently, with calls for the return of artefacts of African cultural heritage, Nazilooted art, and human remains in publicallyfunded museums and collections.

The European Parliament adopted the Regulation on the Import of Cultural Goods which is designed to control the import into the EU member states of certain items of cultural property, but museums argue that by acceding to one request for the return of cultural property, they open the floodgates to others resulting in the emptying of museums. “There is no easy answer”, says Hetty Geave, “but the debate evokes emotional arguments on both sides.

“Museum directors can still rely on statutory restrictions that prohibit the return of items and, until they are allowed to do so, perhaps cultural collaboration between the museum community and the claimants will at least enable the full story to be told and the claimant’s voice heard”. 

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The worlds of art and law seem far apart, but in the international, digital age they are inevitably linked.

The experts at LALIVE provide insight into the key legal issues affecting the industry LALIVE.indd 1

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Advertorial

THE LEGAL PICTURE

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ith international dealing, online sales, complex restitution cases and issues of provenance shaking up the art market, a collector may require a good lawyer more than ever.

So what are the main legal issues affecting the art world at the moment? Sandrine Giroud, an art lawyer and litigator at LALIVE, has dealt with many cases of provenance, authenticity and title issues. “Restitution claims continue to get traction”, she tells us, “as the new generation of heirs of art collectors whose assets were looted during World War II want to recover what belonged to their families.

In addition, we also see new claims raised by former colonies, in particular African states, for the return of artefacts in their countries of origin”.

“The increased use of art as a financial investment and art-secured lending have also given rise to new expectations from art collectors and investors regarding the regulation of art market conduct and in particular price manipulation, anti-competitive behaviours and undisclosed conflicts of interest”.

“Events in recent years have given rise to new legal risks impacting art transactions, such as money laundering or terrorist financing, as highlighted by the UN Security Council banning all trade with Syrian antiquities considered a major source of income for the Islamic State”.

REGULATION

So is the art market likely to become more regulated in response to questions around transparency and authenticity? Sandrine Giroud believes that “maintaining trust and credibility in a market which has discretion at its core without undermining the commercial interest of the industry, while promoting fair and efficient practices, remains a challenge.

The Fifth EU Money Laundering Directive has brought art dealers and auction houses into the regulated sector for anti-money laundering purposes, and the industry’s own Responsible Art Market Initiative helps art market players identify risks and address them practically and adequately”.

As to the question of whether new technologies such as blockchain can change

LALIVE.indd 2

legal approaches to provenance and ownership, art law and arbitration specialist Teresa Giovannini says: “New models for art and risk management are emerging as a result of technological innovation including blockchain, tagging technology or the development of title registers. Several art start-ups are already building applications based on blockchain. The challenge will, however, be to establish and use similar standards to ensure the widespread use of such tools”.

“Art work as part of an estate can be an important source of potential conflicts” - Werner Jahnel, LALIVE

PLANNING

This question may assume more significance when put in the context of estate planning. In the words of estate planning lawyer Werner Jahnel: “Experience has shown that art work as part of an estate can be an important source of potential conflicts and endless and costly litigation”.

Problems can arise, he explains, when the potentially diverging interests of heirs, their lack of knowledge of the specific collection and the world of art in general, clash with delicate issues of legal, administrative, fiscal and logistical nature.

“In this respect”, Werner Jahnel explains, “the collector’s vision and objectives are the

core of any decision regarding the structuring of a collection. They may include preserving the collection’s unity, ensuring a regular income for surviving family members, contributing to an artist’s legacy or pursuing an exclusive philanthropic goal”.

“From a legal standpoint, depending on where the collection and the collector are located, different legal options might be available. In that regard, the law under which the estate falls is crucial in order to identify the best suited legal structure to host the collector’s needs”.

“The applicable law and tax implications will form the basis for the decision of whether the collection should be transferred to the heirs during the collector’s lifetime, whether the transfer should be in a will or whether the collection should be held through a legal vehicle such as a company, trust or foundation, or even to give it away to a charity or a museum”.

Thorough inventory and regular appraisal, he suggests, are key in limiting disputes.

BREXIT

And, for the UK, there is the inevitable quest of the legal position of art collectors regarding Brexit. Teresa Giovannini believes that “despite the insecurity surrounding Brexit, recent reports have shown that the UK has regained its position as the second largest art market (around 21 percent) after the US (approximately 44 percent) and before China (around 19 percent). It is far ahead of other European art market centres such as France and Switzerland. Art transactions to and from the UK are largely extra-EU trade, minimizing the impact of post-Brexit trade policies; but such policies will impact those businesses in Europe which rely on supply (and sales) from the UK”.

So, some uncertainty remains, but there’s good news on art world relations between the UK and Switzerland, as Teresa Giovannini explains: “Switzerland, as a non-EU member, wishes to ensure that existing mutual rights and obligations will continue to apply postBrexit and has put in place a “Mind the Gap” strategy providing for the smooth continuation of Switzerland and the UK’s bilateral relationships”. www.lalive.law

09/08/2019 15:06

INVESTMENT // WEALTH MANAGEMENT

The Taxman Cometh

By Chris Jenkins

Are financial penalties squeezing the joy out of your art collection?

We ask the experts for advice on assets, locations and liabilities

Furthermore, having bought assets out of taxed income, many individuals forget that that their assets could be taxed again. Debra Blacklock says, “We often hear the refrain, ‘But how will the government know?’ But ignoring the issue is not an answer, and individuals are advised to ensure that their ownership structure and will planning is tax efficient. Taking expert advice to identify potential tax liabilities and seeking planning opportunities to mitigate these is therefore definitely recommended.” 

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We often hear the refrain, ‘But how will the government know?’ But ignoring the issue is not an answer – Debra Blacklock, Frank Hirth

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IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK

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ometimes merely owning certain property can expose the owner to unexpected taxation such as death, inheritance or wealth taxes. Location is key, as it can determine which taxes apply, and whether the value of an asset receives relief under a tax treaty. We asked advice from Debra Blacklock, Senior Tax Manager at taxation and compliance experts Frank Hirth.“In cases where a tax charge arises in more than one country, the country in which the asset is located will (subject to any tax treaty rules) have ‘first’ taxing rights,” she told us. “A credit for that tax should thereafter be available in the other country.”

“UK situated assets are typically chargeable to Inheritance Tax, even for non-UK domiciled individuals (typically those born outside the UK to non-UK parents). There are specific exemptions, for example, if a work of art normally kept outside the UK would become liable to the tax, simply because it has been in the UK on a temporary basis for public exhibition, cleaning or restoration.”The situation is different for wealth taxes, which are typically avoided on transfers between spouses, because following the death of the first spouse, a marital exemption usually ensures that all assets may be transferred to the surviving spouse free of tax. This does not though apply in all countries.

“Countries such as France have forced heirship rules that need to be considered.

These rules can impact any potential tax planning—and the UK leaving the EU may impact these rules,” Debra continued.

A typical situation is where a husband and wife with different citizenships, say one French and the other English, want to transfer artworks from the USA to UK—simply moving them could expose them to taxation. The USA doesn’t provide a marital exclusion, and both UK and French wealth taxes may apply. The situation becomes more complicated should one spouse predecease the other. Clearly, expert advice is needed.

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US/UK tax tax advice advice and and compliance compliance US/UK Do you own a second home in the US? Avoid unnecessary wealth taxes by talking Do a holiday home? Avoid unnecessary wealth taxes by talking to the toyou the own experts.

From ensuring double tax relief and wealth structuring to effective experts.

From ensuring double tax relief and effectively wealth structuring to inheritance tax planning; we can provide a holistic approach. effective inheritance tax planning; we can provide a holistic approach.

UK: +44 20 7833 3500 | US: +1 212 465 7800 | NZ: +64 4 499 6444 | mail@frankhirth.com UK: +44 20 7833 3500 | US: +1 212 465 7800 | NZ: +64 4 499 6444 | mail@frankhirth.com This advert has been written for the general interest of our clients and contacts and is subject to our disclaimer: please seehas www.frankhirth.com/disclaimer Š 2019.of our clients and contacts and is subject to our disclaimer: This advert been written for the general interest please see www.frankhirth.com/disclaimer Š 2019.

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POLAND // ART

Art and Identity

Polish art has always been an expression of the country’s pursuit of national identity.

We look at its turbulent history and the art deco glamour of Tamara de Lempicka

by Anetha Sivananthan

“

Tamara in a green Bugatti with bold, red lipstick and a loose, up-swept scarf to match her nonchalant stare. De Lempicka brushed off societal taboos to paint explicit nude paintings of women and had open affairs with other female artists of her era.

My goal is never to copy, but to create a new style, clear luminous colours and feel the elegance of the models

hile the Kraków school of Historicist painting developed by ‘national painter’ Jan Matejko (b. 1838) reflected European trends in art, by the early 20th century the Mloda Polska or “Young Poland” movement, which rose to prominence in Kraków and Lwów, was at the heart of Polish art and culture.

At its forefront were artistic trends of romanticism, symbolism, impressionism, art nouveau and decadence, driving a detachment from the everyday and ordinary towards the fantastical and elusive.

Perhaps a reaction to the philosophy of positivism dominating 19th century Poland, with its emphasis on labour and reason over emotion, the Young Poland movement rejected the values of philosophers Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.

The Baroness Instead its heroes were the likes of Tamara de Lempicka, the ‘Baroness with a Brush’. Born Maria Górska in Warsaw, Poland (part of

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Tamara de Lempicka Autoportrait 1929 Oil on panel 35 cm × 26.6 cm (13 (3/4) in × 10.5 in) In private collection.

Imperial Russia at the time), de Lempicka led a privileged life of travel to Italy, Switzerland and France, to where she fled during the 1917 Russian Revolution.

Influenced by her privileged childhood and themes of decadence, de Lempicka created the painting Autoportrait for the German Magazine Die Dame in 1929. The self-portrait became an Art Deco classic and a bold assertion of femininity, with its depiction of

Yet Polish art has always been inextricably entangled with history, and the trauma of the Second World War and the Holocaust birthed a new epoch of post-war imagination.

Surrealism was adapted in the 1940s by Andrzej Wróblewski to confront the deindividuating impact of war, and Zbigniew Dłubak orchestrated an exhibition to highlight his own experiences at the Mauthausen concentration camp.

This confrontation with the traumatic history of Poland amplifies the presence of abstract expressionism in contemporary Polish art. Artists such Miroslaw Balka and Katarzyna Kozyra are central to Poland’s “Critical Art” movement, and like their avant-garde predecessor, Tamara de Lempicka, use abstractions of the human body to compel their spectators to make new humanist enquiries.

THIRD REPUBLIC The National Museum in Warsaw now boasts a collection of around 830,000 works of art from Poland and abroad, including the present period, referred to as the Third Republic, which shares new experiences and examines problems of the modern world, with works forming the nucleus of a new chapter in the National Museum’s art collection. 

IMAGES: © wikimedia

W

“

–Tamara de Lempicka

Post-War Art

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09/08/2019 15:38

culture // Iceland

Nina Tryggvadottir, Untitled, 1957 Oil on canvas, 5.75 x 7.25 in.

Image courtesy of Christie’s

Art from

A

Fire and Ice

nation made of fire and ice, Iceland is a landscape of hot springs, glaciers, volcanoes and mountains, the national characteristics of its tiny population of 300,000 seeminlgy fogred from its natural elements.

Historically, literature was the country’s primary art form, with painting largely limited to the embellishment of religious manuscripts. Not until the birth of Sigurður Guðmundsson in 1833 was there a shift in emphasis from literature to fine art. Hailed as “The Painter”, Guðmundsson brought artistic enlightenment to the public consciousness, designing the formal Icelandic dress known as the Skautbúningur in 1858.

Turn of a Century But it was not until the turn of the century that fine art blossomed, with the appearance of artists such as Þórarinn B. Þorláksson, who became Iceland’s first professional painter. Þorláksson had returned from his studies at the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen and was heavily influenced by the Danish Golden Age’s romantic emphasis on the powerful, cathartic emotionalism found in natural settings.

Iceland, with its sparkling icebergs, basalt

Inspired by its stunning landscapes as well as global influences, Iceland’s art reflects the romanticism of this creative country.

by Anetha Sivananthan

cliffs, lava fields and black sand beaches therefore became the idyllic scene of romantic inspiration, and allowed fine art to be introduced on a national scale to its public. Artists such as Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval transported Icelandic myths and folktales into abstract paintings of landscapes, catalysing the transition from predominately religious art to secular artistic depictions. His paintings encapsulated the pride of Iceland, through his colourful renditions of lava fields and soaring mountain summits.

Born in 1876, Ásgrímur Jónsson was another prolific Icelandic painter, the first of his

time to make art his primary profession. His naturalist compositions of art incorporated the use of watercolour and oil paint, though nearing the close of the 1920s he was swayed by both impressionist and expressionist styles.

Going Global In the 20th and 21st centuries, global travel exposed Icelandic artists such as Jón Engilberts to international trends. He merged German Expressionist influences into his abstract paintings of street scenery, while Nína Tryggvadóttir, one of the few female artists from the era, used her experiences of being exiled from the US following accusations of communist sympathies to create a distinctively personal abstract expressionism, using media from stained glass to paper collage and mosaic.

Nowadays the National Gallery of Iceland in Reykjavík hosts over 11,000 works of various kinds, and currently the exhibition Treasures of a Nation showcases a selection of works displaying the evolution of art in Iceland from the early nineteenth century to today, reflecting the soul of this distinctive nation formed by its spectacular landscapes. 

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COLLECTABLES // WHERE TO SPEND IT

Where to

SPEND IT

From an out-of-this world watch to a sporty cocktail shaker, we bring you the most desirable fashion items, luxury collectables and personal indulgences

1 WATCH THIS SPACE OMEGA has crafted a limited edition of 6,969 pieces of the Speedmaster, inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The 42 mm case has been created in stainless steel, while the bezel ring is in polished black ceramic with an OMEGA Ceragold tachymeter scale.

Price is £7,370. omegawatches.com

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ONE-UP-PEN-MAN-SHIP The Omas Gaia High Luxury Fountain Pen is inspired by the Jules Verne novel, Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Featuring decorative 18K yellow and white gold elves with dragonfly wings, cotton resin body, crystal, onyx, hematite, emerald and diamond decorations, as well as an engraved bicolour 18K gold nib, the piston-filled pen is available in a limited edition of 30 and is supplied in a handmade box. Cost is $40,000. ancora1919.com

LET THERE BE LIGHT For 40 years, brothers Alessandro and Nicola Zanin have managed the artistic heritage of one of the most venerable Venetian ateliers, merging the tradition of working Murano glass with contemporary trends. By incorporating materials such as wood and marble and collaborating with important designers, their master craftsmen produce exquisite furniture collections tailor-made for the most exclusive private residences and luxury hotels.

The Arte Veneziana Barchetta Chandelier, at £33,660, features eighteen lights on two tiers, both elaborately decorated in the traditional “Rezzonico” style. The crystal colour of these precious decorations gives lightness to the pendants, the arabesques, the flowers and leaves that adorn this work of art entirely hand-made according to the most traditional techniques. artemest.com

IMAGES © ELAGANTES; PETER HARRINGTON; SABLE & OX; SOTHEBY’S

2

BY ANETHA SIVANANTHAN

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09/08/2019 12:31

WHERE TO SPEND IT // COLLECTABLES

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This Macallan 1946 is rather unusual, in that it was made with peated malt due to the high post-war prices of coal. This liquid in this 1946 Macallan has been left to slumber in a sherry cask for 52 long years before being bottled. The initial release was quite large and took a while for the distillery to sell, but it is now recognised as a classic Macallan, and its reputation is assured. Presented in a solid wood box with original key and certificate from the distillery. On offer at around £30,000. thewhiskyexchange.com

TANGERINE DREAM Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Mazda MX-5, inspired by jinba ittai—the sense of oneness of driver and vehicle—this numbered Racing Orange edition of 3,000 is available in both Convertible and Retractable Fastback body styles. Interior upgrades on this version of the world’s best-selling roadster include heated RECARO seats detailed with orange stitching and piping which co-ordinates with orange trims and stitching laid throughout the cockpit. The seats also feature built-in headrest speakers which complement the Bose 9-speaker sound system.

Performance is enhanced with a 2.0 Skyactiv-G Petrol 184ps engine with 6-speed manual transmission for an acceleration of 0-62 mph in 6.5 seconds for the convertible, 6.8 for the RF, and a top speed of 139mph for the convertible, and 137mph for the RF. Prices start from £28,095. mazda.co.uk

6

BUILT FOR SPEED

7

TWO BLUSHING PILGRIMS

Asprey’s cocktail shaker, crafted from sterling silver in a built-for-speed bullet shape, is detailed with black enamelled inlays and rests securely on a ‘50s racing car styled stand with carved ebony wheels.

Made in Asprey’s London workshop, it has a capacity of 1l and can be engraved to suit.

Price is £10,000. asprey.com

Part of a Romeo and Juliet collection, Shakespeare’s famous characters are brought to life by Van Cleef & Arpels through the threedimensional craftsmanship of these costume clips, with Romeo in a tunic set with sapphires and lapis lazuli, stockings in white gold and black lacquer and a cape in mirror-polished gold; and Juliet in a dress embellished with gadroons, polished gold set with orange sapphires, garnets, rubies and diamonds. Romeo is seen offering his love a bouquet of mauve sapphire flowers, a symbol of their coming marriage and the union of their two families. But if we remember, it didn’t end well. vancleefarpels.com

IMAGES © ASPINAL OF LONDON; TAPETTO; PICKETT OF LONDON; ASTON MARTIN

5

PEAT, NOT DUD

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COLLECTABLES // WHERE TO SPEND IT

9

SERPENT STYLE Bulgari’s Serpenti Tubogas double spiral watch has an 18 kt rose gold case set with brilliant-cut diamonds, an 18 kt rose gold crown set with a pink cabochoncut rubellite, a silver opaline dial with guilloché soleil treatment, and a double spiral 18 kt rose gold bracelet which evokes both the sensual curves of a woman and the fluid shape of the serpent, as it should for £33,900. bulgari.com

8 JEWELS IN ABUNDANCE Breaking the world record for “most diamonds set in one ring” is the stunning Lotus Temple Ring from Mumbai-based jeweller Lakshikaa Jewels. The ring is inspired by the Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi, a stunning architectural feat often called the Lotus Temple because of its distinct design characteristics. The Lotus Temple Ring contains 7,777 gems —a purposeful number, as seven is auspicious— and weighs 70g, also purposeful. While the extreme diamond ring is yet to be valued, the previous record-holder for most diamonds on one ring, was valued at just over $4.1m. The Lotus Temple Ring will go up for auction soon. lakshikaajewels.net

10 SPEED DEMON Described as “the ultimate speed weapon for any triathlon distance” the S-Works Shiv has a top-of-the-line FACT 11r carbon frame, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 build kit, and Roval CLX 60 wheelset. A myriad of fit options include adjustable integrated aero-bars, a custom Sitero saddle, and even an integrated Fuelselage on-bike hydration system. Cost is around £10,999. specialized.com

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SHINING LIGHT Tom Dixon’s Melt Floor Light is made to order and available from Heal’s at £1,200. The innovative design captures the organic beauty found in traditional glass blowing, while the height adjustable tubular metal stand, unique silhouette achieved by pioneering advances in vacuum moulding, and translucent shade give the lamp a mesmerising and opulent appearance. heals.com

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09/08/2019 15:52

FINANCIAL // WEALTH MANAGEMENT

MONEY IN THE ROUND

P

otentially, there are many ways to increase and manage your wealth— from investing in art, stocks and shares, commodities, or currencies, to putting your money into property, funds or securities.

But the knowledge and insight to steer family wealth through generations and deal with issues such as tax reliefs and allowances, estate structuring and asset ownership are probably beyond most of us. This is where a holistic, advice-based approach to managing your wealth, working closely with trusted professional advisers, can add significant value and achieve better outcomes.

If you are of the age where you are starting to think about what to do with savings, planning for life events, structuring your wealth and possibly inheritance, you need to consider a bespoke plan to manage your estate effectively, to prepare to meet and deliver on your objectives and to protect family assets.

STRUCTURE A financial adviser can structure this plan, to take into account your financial and lifestyle goals and objectives, supporting your individual, as well as your business and professional

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BY CHRIS JENKINS

For high net worth individuals, a holistic approach to wealth management works best.

We get some tips from the experts aims, and allowing for intergenerational and philanthropic plans where required.

A leading wealth management company will usually have a network of advisers, each a highly qualified and experienced individual, ready to develop a long-standing face-to-face working relationship with clients which could persist through the generations.

Chris Ralph, Chief Investment Officer of wealth management specialist St. James’s Place, says: “We have a responsibility to help people secure their financial long-term futures. We adopt a radical and effective solution to the risk of investing,

offering our clients access to fund managers of outstanding ability and the opportunity to truly diversify their investment portfolio.”

Technical specialists, together with back office and administration services, will give clients the freedom to organise wealth in the way that suits them, with the peace of mind that comes with dedicated support.

And Alexandra Loydon, Divisional Director of St. James’s Place Private Clients, adds: “It’s important the advice provided is holistic, and this means working together across advisory disciplines to provide the breadth of expertise usually required to advise high net worth clients. Lawyers, accountants, trustees, banking, pension and investment specialists all play an integral role in the advice process, and having them work together, is key”.

Claire Trott, Head of Pensions Strategy at St. James’s Place, concludes: “With people living longer, the make-up of today’s modern family changing, and retirement provision more and more the responsibility of the individual, the way we need to think about planning for the future has fundamentally shifted. It’s clear advice has an important role to play in ensuring a comfortable and confident financial future.” 

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09/08/2019 12:33

Art // consultancy

Left: Sam Hodge, Lapping (Scarlet), 2018, oil and acrylic on canvas, 40x40cm.

Featured artist at www.reneepfisterconsultancy.com.

Your Partner

in Art

How the chameleon-like figure of the art consultant guides the collector through the mysteries of the art world

By Chris Jenkins

T

he role of the art consultant, or art advisor, is to guide the collector through the tricky business of curating a collection. With the growth of online art sales, the proliferation of private collections and the reach of global museums, art collecting is becoming more common, yet much more complicated, so an expert is a valuable asset.

The main role of an art advisor is to obtain works. Often the client is not charged for this service—the advisor makes their money from discounts obtained from art sources. “You do not pay more to purchase art through an art consultant than if you walked through a gallery,” says art consultant Jennifer Perlow.

An art advisor needs to be a connoisseur, an

expert with experience and scholarship, almost certainly someone who has held positions at an art gallery, a museum, an auction house, or another art institution. Equally important is their reputation, making it possible to establish connections with galleries and other art sources.

There are no formal rules for art advisors, though there are trade organisations and a code of ethics which discourages conflicts of interest such as a consultant acting as a private dealer or holding inventory.

And an art consultant must be willing to overlook personal taste in favour of the client’s—art advisor Heather Flow says, “A client and I have a running joke about this artist that every time there is an available work I email it to him. He’s like, “I know this is interesting, I just don’t want to own this work.” And I am like, “You know you are going to want to own it in 10 years and it is going to be worth too much money for you to own!”

As well as the business acumen required to acquire a work of art, which includes doing due diligence on pricing, quality, and provenance, a good art advisor also needs to know what to do after the transaction, from transporting, framing, installing and lighting the work to insuring, cataloguing, and loaning out pieces from the collection.

And let’s not forget the role of the art consultant in fostering new talent—consultant Renée Pfister says “My experience from working directly with several of the world’s greatest living artists has given me a good insight in how to enhance the career of an artist.

I can help contemporary artists with writing art business strategies and plans, researching exhibitions and galleries, identifying the scope of art commissions and drafting funding proposals. The day-to-day running of the studio as well as managing exhibitions, loans and the collection can be time consuming. I am in a position to review work processes and advise on procedures and best international standards and practices.”

For all these reasons the work of the art consultant has been described as “making the world better, one space at a time.” 

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Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy has developed an excellent reputation in advising private, public and corporate clients in the field of exhibition and collection management for more than twenty years. She makes it her mission to care and to mitigate against the risks to your artworks, photographs, antiquities and objets d’art during transit, at home, corporate headquarters, museums and in storage facilities.

www.reneepfister-consultancy.co.uk

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Renée’s extensive training and experience enables her to offer effective measures and solutions for long-term strategic collection care planning, special projects, exhibitions, acquisitions and loan requests. From assessment to delivery she is always on hand to communicate with her clients on progress and agreed outcomes.

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