Fundraising Campaign Reaches £20,000 To Keep Art Center

"Local and international artists are donating their work to a charity art auction in support of Save the Forest Campaign. The event is at the AXO Gallery in Leith between 13 and 15 May. AXO owner Sarah Wilson said: "By bidding in this auction, ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: The Guardian
On: 04/06/11
Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/



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Sid Vicious' Art To Hit The Auction Block

"These pictures were all done when he was at art college, aged 15 or 16, and were probably part of his course work. "They are watercolours or sketches, and show a completely different side of the Sid Vicious people think of now. ..." [Read Full Article]
Published By: Contactmusic.com
On: 04/06/11
Website: http://www.contactmusic.com/

 

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16th Century Portfolio Sets Islamic Art Auction Record

"The sale price, which includes buyer's premium, eclipsed the previous Islamic art auction record set at rival auction house Christie's last year, when a 17th century Kirman "vase" carpet from Persia fetched 6.2 million pounds. ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Los Angeles Times
On: 04/06/11
Website: http://www.latimes.com/

 

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Rec Room Treasures: Special Hand-Me-Down Paintings

"The two 15-by-24-inch paintings, their varnish yellowed and crusted with dirt, are scheduled to be auctioned off May 15 at the Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont. While Mr. Maddox said Cropseys of that size have sold in a bustling art market for ..." [Read full Article]

Published By: New York Times
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/

 

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SA Art Breaks New Record

"Recently, four new records for South African artists Irma Stern, Alexis Preller, Gerard Sekoto and Francois Krige were reached at a Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers art sale in London. Giles Peppiatt, director of South African Art at the auction ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Times LIVE
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.timeslive.co.za/

 

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Artprice: the 2010 Art Market Annual Report - China Winner of the Past Decade

"Over the last 10 years, China jumped from ninth place to first place in 2010, becoming the world's largest auction marketplace for Fine Art and overtaking the United States and the UK, the grand masters of the market since the 1950s. ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: PR Newswire
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.prnewswire.com/

 

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The Art of Bubbles: How Sotheby's Predicts the World Economy

"In fact, tracking auction records and auction house stock is one of the best ways to smell out a simmering economic crisis. "As one of the world's leading art auction houses, Sotheby's has been a beneficiary of booms in the art market," he writes in ... [Read Full Article]
Published By: The Atlantic
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.theatlantic.com/

 

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$10 Million Painting Boosts Chinese Contemporary Market

"In a $54.8 million sale of contemporary Chinese art from the collection of Belgian collector Baron Guy Ullens, a packed auction room bid ferociously for 106 works acquired over decades by the now retired tycoon. The star lot was Zhang's early 1988 work ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Reuters
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.reuters.com/

 

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Auction Houses In Duel Under The Sun

"Eighteen million dollars (£11.2 million) of art and jewellery goes up for auction in Dubai this month as Bonhams and Christie's go head to head in a duel under the sun. By Colin Gleadell 12:09PM BST 05 Apr 2011 But the strategies and contents of the ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Telegraph.co.uk
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

 

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As Party Princess, It's Marina Abramović's Moment

"The dour, serious performance artist is the hot guest and sometime host of this spring's slew of art-world benefits, co-chairing an event for Exit Art, being honored at a bacchanalia at Capitale and donating art to Creative Time, ..." [Read Full Article]


Published By: Katherine Clarke
On: 05/04/11
Website: http://www.observer.com/

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Museum Gives Out Fake Drugs In Art Exhibit Experiment

"The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Taipei assured the public Tuesday that all of its exhibitions follow law and safety regulations in the wake of a controversial art show that was staged April 3. The show involved a local ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Focus Taiwan News Channel
On: 05/04/11
Website: http://focustaiwan.tw/

 

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Ai Weiwei's Public Art Project In Manhattan To Proceed As Planned

"The installation of Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, a 12-piece sculpture to be installed at the Pulitzer Fountain near the Plaza Hotel and Central Park, 'will go forward even if Mr. Ai, who was detained by Chinese authorities on Sunday, is unable to be present.'" [Read Full Article]

Published By: New York Times
On: 04/05/11
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/

 

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What If The Stuckists Are Right About Contemporary British Art?

"There is a palpable tension between painters and the current - inaccurate - British idea of what modern art is. If you reject the notion that physical skill, natural talent or technical training have any value as art in themselves, then painters are screwed." [Read Full Article]

Posted By: The Guardian (UK)
On: 04/03/11
Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

 

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Popular Open Air Fine Arts Festival Returns to Little Italy April 30, May 1

"Mission Federal ArtWalk has partnered with organizations including the Little Italy Association, the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, CCDC, San Diego Museum of Art, and the San Diego Visual Arts Network to create a spectacular event that ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Mission Valley News
On: 04/01/11
Website: http://www.missionvalleynews.com/

 

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The Art and Music Worlds, Compared

"A few months ago, Alex Ross, The New Yorker's music critic, lamented the way that audiences have embraced modern art, but spurned modern music. People flock to museums to see challenging modern visual art, like Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollack -- so why ..." [Read Full Article]

Published By: Boston Globe
On: 03/28/11
Website: http://www.boston.com/

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The Art Center's Executive Director's Books Don't Add Up

Woman Accused of Stealing From Carnegie Visual Arts Ctr.

Decatur, AL - A two month long investigation has led to the arrest of the former Executive Director of the Carnegie Visual Arts Center.

According to Decatur Police, the Center reported several discrepancies in their financial records on October 13th. Police found that the money was being moved into other accounts not associated with the Center. The accounts allegedly belonged to Laura Harris Phillips, the former Executive Director. She had resigned from the post after the money was moved, but before police got involved in the investigation.

Further investigation showed that items has been purchased with the missing funds that were not authorized by the Center. In all, police say the funds transferred to Phillips' prsonal accounts and the unauthorized transactions totaled more than $50,000.

Phillips was arrested at her home and charged with theft on Tuesday.

She's being held in the Morgan County Jail.

This article is from: http://www.waaytv.com/news/local/story/Woman-Accused-of-Stealing-From-Carnegie-Visual/akM14VRpP0OwB8GGKUVsBA.cspx

French Court Orders Calder Sculptures Returned to His Estate

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Paris Court Orders Sculptures Returned to Calder Estate

By CAROL VOGEL

After an eight-year dispute the Court of Appeals in Paris has ordered the estate of Aimé Maeght, the Paris dealer who represented the sculptor Alexander Calder during his lifetime, to return seven sculptures to the artist’s estate.

The works, which include a variety of mobiles and stabiles made between 1941 and 1970, are worth about $6.25 million, according to Alexander S. C. Rower, a grandson of the artist and president of the Calder Foundation. Prized among the group is a rare 1941 glass mobile.

“In 2007 the Paris court ordered the gallery to return three other works that were in dispute,’’ Mr. Rower said. He added that there are still three sculptures that the Maeght Gallery sold after Calder’s death in 1976 but never paid the estate for. The court still has to determine whether the gallery will reimburse the estate for these works as well.

This article is from: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/paris-court-orders-sculptures-returned-to-calder-estate/

Prices For Aboriginal Art Remain Depressed

Art sale fails to attract buyers

STAFF at Sotheby's Australia were upbeat before last night's Aboriginal art auction, but when selling opened it quickly became apparent buyers had not returned to the market.

A large untitled canvas painted by Emily Kame Kngwarreye in 1991 did not attract a single bid after auctioneer Tim Goodman called for interest at $150,000. The work had been given an estimate of $180,000 to $250,000.

Rover Thomas's 1991 linen earth pigment Old Texas Downs painting Massacre Site also failed to attract any bidding, and another Kngwarreye work was passed in after a single telephone bid of $80,000 - $40,000 below its lower estimate.

Sotheby's head of Aboriginal art D'lan Davidson could not say how many of the 219 lots sold but he was optimistic the Kngwarreye work that had received a bid would sell this week.

"It was a fairly disappointing night," he said.

"I think the next week will have feverish post-sale activity."

For his first sale as head of Sotheby's Aboriginal art department, Mr Davidson sought to improve on the company's previous Aboriginal art sale in July, at which just 40 per cent of the lots sold for a $2 million total.

That sale took place amid the uncertainty of the federal election campaign, the introduction of a 5 per cent resale royalty scheme, and worry that changes to the superannuation law would force investors to flood the market with works owned by their super funds.

Despite those factors, the result in July led some to suggest the Aboriginal art market was in permanent decline.

Mr Davidson last night said collectors had to realise that market prices had settled at 2003 levels -- which were considerably lower than the art market peak of 2007.

Mr Davidson said anyone trading in indigenous art would have to get realistic about prices.

He said next year's auctions would be more carefully curated, with about 80 to 120 lots on offer, rather than more than 200 as was the case last night.

"You'll find we're much more selective in the coming year," he said.

Sotheby's is under pressure from international auction house Bonhams, which has announced a new indigenous art division that will be run by three former Sotheby's staff.

Sotheby's chairman Tim Goodman, who stunned the art world last year when he acquired the rights to operate the company in Australia, did not return calls last night. Nor did vice-chairman Geoffrey Smith.

 

This article is from: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/executive-lifestyle/art-sale-fails-to-attract-buyers/story-e6frg9zo-1225963938076

Nigerian art market suffocates artistic creativity says Nnenna Okore

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By McPhilips Nwachukwu
Educated at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, Nnenna Okore, an Assistant Art Professor presently the Chair of Art at North Park University, Chicago has emerged as one of the most significant visual art voices of her generation.

Sourcing her compositional materials from clay, recycled paper and other discarded materials, Okore has imbued in her art a new energy that bristles with the aesthetics of fashion, climatic upheavals among other socio-cultural issues.

According to an internet source profile, “Okore enriches her work with layers of meaning through familiar processes. Both in her home country Nigeria and United States, she relies on the use of flotsam or discarded objects, which are transformed into intricate sculpture and installations through repetitive and labor-intensive techniques.”

A widely exhibited artists both in Nigeria and oversears, the United States based artist also happens to be among the privileged artists, whose works met the ArtHouse Contemporary auction currently going on Lagos.

In this e- interview, Okore, who has participated in all  the three editions of the auction shares her experience about the auctions and as well, talked about the emerging African art market.  Excerpt.

Nnenna can you tell us about yourself?

I am an artist and an art professor. I chair the Art Department at North Park University, Chicago and have been widely exhibited in numerous international art galleries and museums. My most recent outings this year were at the Blachere Foundation Art Center, France and the 29th Sao Paulo Biennial, Brasil.

I spent over twenty years living and schooling in Southeastern Nigeria prior to relocating to the United States, which explains why most of my works are deeply rooted in my Nigerian sensibilities and experiences. Generally speaking, my works are inspired by stunning cultural, natural and architectural forms. I employ a wide range of mediums, including but not limited to clay, recycled paper, rope and wax.

You have featured in the three editions of Arthouse Contemporary organised auctions. How  would  you score the performance?

Arthouse has done well in promoting and marketing works selected for their auctions. What sets them apart from others, I believe, is their ability to create and set high standards, which are reflected in the organization, venue, catalogue, etc.  They’ve undoubtedly increased visibility for many artists and more importantly, brought greater value to works by Nigerian artists.

What would you say  are the high points of the exercise?

One of the high points of the auctions has been the exposure of Nigerian artists to an international audience, which I think will force the existing commercial art centers to treat their artists better and reckon with the professional standards set by Arthouse.

Do you think that auctions  meet the conditions required of the practice in the global art market?

I can’t speak much to the practice, having not had much direct experience with auctions myself. But from the much I know, the Arthouse auctions are generating wider national and international interests, which can be viewed as a positive step towards positioning African artists on the global scene.

What is your candid opinion  about the second and third tier visual art markets in Nigeria?

Do you mean the smaller galleries and craft stores?

Well,if you put it that way ?

I think the Nigerian art market, perhaps not intentionally, has generally controlled and suffocated artistic creativity for too long; largely because they have had to sustain and market whatever art styles or mediums that sell well.

As a result, artistic and conceptual originality is almost nonexistent in the Nigerian art culture. Struggling artists are forced to create and sell what these commercial galleries dictate. There’s no question that these dead-end practices have suppressed the progressive art growth in Nigeria, but I am optimistic that the new trends of interests and international visibility enabled  by art centers like, CAA and Arthouse will provide artists with a better platform to compete on a global scale.

Do you think that the present economic climate supports this emerging market?

Who is to say, especially when art sales in the global market have continued to surge. I don’t know how the Nigerian economy will affect this season’s auction, but judging from the outcome of the last Arthouse auction and their ever increasing reputation, I believe they will fare well.

Recently, the national gallery of art in Ngeria proposed a bill to the National Assembly requesting that certain royalties be paid to artists over the acquisition of their works by buyers. What is your take on this move?

I have not followed this too closely, but I can say this: It seems like a good idea, especially in the light of increasing value for art and incuring a better future for the Nigerian artist. However, it’s unclear to me how the royalty will be applied and sustained. With the exception of ‘resale or reprint royalties’, I am not aware that creative artists are entitled to lifelong royalty right like musicians. I think it will be challenging to implement or monitor it since we don’t have an institutionalized art industry and my assumption is that there aren’t high occurrences of resale.

Is this request the global practice?

As far as I know, many European countries as well as Australia have legislated the resale royalty rights; but it’s not as popular a practice as one might imagine. The United States, (with the exception of the state of Califonia), Canada, and New Zealand have yet to adopt any binding act. I think the pros and cons have to be considered carefully to ensure that artists will benefit from it.

If a buyer of work at an auction for instance, is expected to  pay royalties on such works. Don’t you think such a measure will frustrate the growth of the emerging art market?

It could, again depending on the terms of the royalty.

Finally, how do you see the future of African arts in the global arts market?

In all fairness, I don’t think African artists in general have done too badly in the global market. Africans, particularly from North, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa had enjoyed visibility and global attention for many decades and for good reasons: government support and international exposure. I believe Nigerian and West African artists, on the other hand, are beginning to make remarkable advancements on the international stage, and will become a competing force in the near future.

 

This article is from: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/nigerian-art-market-suffocates-artistic-creativity-says-nnenna-okore/

Art To Dream On

“ We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with a sleep” William Shakesphere, The Tempest

When dreaming, the body, mind, and spirit are unified. Dreams provide us with insight into ourselves and a journey of creativity, magical thinking, and exploration of the unconscious; a journey into a world where the rules of reality do not apply.

People in primitive societies were unable to distinguish between the dream world and reality. They not only saw the dream world as an extension of reality, but that the dream realm was a more powerful world. Artists connect with this realm though their creativity and so, via them, do we.

Choose your art to choose your dreams.