The art market, present and future, with international dealer, Christophe Van de Weghe

Van de Weghe Fine Art
ART BASEL 2015

MORE THAN NINETY ART FAIRS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD NOW DEFINE THE RHYTHM OF THE GLOBAL ART BUSINESS. IN A PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE RISE OF ART FAIRS ORGANIZED BY STROPHEUS LLC,  A NEW YORK BASED COLLECTIVE OF ART LAW AND BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, MODERATOR JUDITH PROWDER, A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK BAR ASSOCIATION AND FACULTY AT SOTHEBY’S INSTITUTE OF ART, CONCLUDES:

There are dozens of NYC art fairs. With the rise and rise of art fairs, sheer survival in the commercial art context now requires galleries to participate in a half a dozen or more art fairs a year – from New York to Maastricht to Dubai to Hong Kong to São Paolo – with stops along the way. Some dealers make as much as two-thirds of their sale at fairs. Art fairs have indeed transformed the business of art and even the production of contemporary art. For serious collectors the international art fair circuit is an imperative, while visiting only a few of galleries in NY, London and Berlin seems – well – almost quaint.

https://stropheus.com/

Van de Weghe Fine Art
ART BASEL HONOG KONG 2017

TODAY, THE LRFA BLOG IS VERY PLEASED TO RESUME ITS CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTOPHE VAN DE WEGHE, FOUNDER AND PRINCIPLE OF VAN DE WEGHE FINE ARTS, LOCATED AT 1018 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK.

http://www.vdwny.com

 

Van de Weghe Fine Art
FRIEZE MASTERS 2015

CHRISTOPHE,  FAIRS HAVE GAINED CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL DOMINANCE IN THE ART MARKET – A CONCENTRATED AND INTENSE PLAYING FIELD OF CURATORS, COLLECTORS, AND DEALERS. I KNOW YOU PARTICIPATE AT ART BASEL MIAMI, ART BASEL, FRIEZE MASTERS, AND MAASTRICHT. CLEARLY, YOU BELIEVE, AS I DO, THAT THE FAIR HAS BECOME AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT IN THE ART BUSINESS.

Fairs are a very important part of our operation. We present annually at TEFAF Maastricht, Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Basel, FIAC Paris, Frieze Masters London and Art Basel Miami Beach. We have participated in ADAA’s Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory, The Pavilion of Art and Design London, EXPO Chicago, Arte Fiera Bologna, the Palm Beach Art Fair, ARCO Madrid and ART Hong Kong.

This year we also participated in TEFAF New York Spring, sponsored by TEFAF Maastricht, held for the first time at the Park Avenue Armory from May 4-8^th. I am very excited about this fair and its strong future.

Van de Weghe Fine Art
TEFAF NYC SPRING 2017

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE TRAJECTORY OF COLLECTING IN THE TIME AHEAD?

The architects of today are building modern, contemporary spaces. In 2016 alone, in New York, 6400 apartments were new construction, characterized by high ceilings and large-scaled rooms.  The scale and delicacy of Impressionist works cannot survive in these spaces and the best of these works are all in museums.

The contemporary collector, the younger generation of hedge fund guys and tech wizards, all want young artists and they all want the same ones. Basquiat only made 900 paintings and 3400 drawings in his lifetime.

The problem with dealing with living artists is that they are commanding too much money. I don’t agree with the amounts that collectors are paying because I am not convinced these works will hold value.  There has been a huge correction in the photography market. Cindy Sherman will survive but a lot of them will not.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO SOMEONE INTEREST IN ART AND IN BUILDING A COLLECTION?

 My advice is to development a good relationship with 2 or 3 galleries where you respect their program.

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE A GOOD DEALER OR GALLERIST?

 

Beyeler Foundation
Basel, Switzerland

I once asked Ernst Beyeler, “In your opinion what does it take to be a good dealer?

He replied, “Honesty, courage, passion and hard work.”

LRFA ASIDE:  ALL OF WHICH CHRISTOPHE POSSESSES IN SPADES!

Ernst Beyeler (1921–2010) was a titan of the international art scene in the twentieth century. Born in Basel, Switzerland, he began his career as an apprentice in an antiquarian bookstore, eventually taking over the business and shifting his focus from books to dealing and collecting art. Through his discerning eye for art, his close relationships with many of the twentieth century’s great artists, and his role in the foundation of Art Basel and the Fondation Beyeler, he transformed his hometown into a hub for international art.

Van de Weghe Fine Art
Henrique Oliveira Installation
April 28 – June 30, 2017

 

TO COMMEMORATE ITS 10th ANNIVERSARY, IN 2014 VAN DE WEGHE FINE ART PUBLISHED A BEAUTIFULLY DOCUMENTED AND ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF GALLERY EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS.  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT THE GALLERY AT info@vdwny.com.

VAN DE WEGHE NEW YORK
Published in 2014 to document the gallery’s 10th anniversary

 

CHRISTOPHE, WHAT IS THE CURRENT EXHIBIT AT VAN DE WEGHE FINE ART?

Although the gallery usually presents works from the secondary market, I am very excited to present the work of a young Brazilian artist, Henrique Oliveira. In 2013 I saw his installation at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris where he created a spectacular Gordian Knot of wood and sculptural vegetation that interacted with the architecture of the space.

It is quite exciting to see the way in which Henrique has  transformed the gallery into a site-specific installation, a fusion of urban design, sculptural elements and plant life. The installation was labor-intensive and we documented its progress throughout. 

AND WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF VAN DE WEGHE FINE ART?

I love what I do. My greatest wish is to have all my kids work with me.

AND I’M CERTAIN THEY WILL.

CHRISTOPHE, SO MANY THANKS.

 

PACK YOUR BAGS! OUR TRAVEL MAVEN AND EXPERT, NICHOLAS CHRISTOPHER OF TURON TRAVEL, WILL TAKE US TO DOCUMENTA 14 OPENING ON JUNE 10th IN KASSEL, GERMANY. FOR THE FIRST TIME,  ATHENS, GREECE ACTED AS CO-HOST OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY EXHIBITION, TITLED “LEARNING FROM ATHENS”, THAT TAKES PLACE EVERY FIVE YEARS.

PLEASE JOIN US!

 

Reporting from Miami: Art Basel Crowdfunding Initiative with Jessica Hodin

Jessica Hodin, Crowdfunding Manager with artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and Kickstarter’s Victoria Rogers in Basel

THE ART BASEL CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED FOR PROJECTS THAT STRENGTHEN THE ECOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY ART PRACTICE. IT INCLUDES ARTISTS’ RESIDENCIES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND PUBLICATIONS AS WELL AS THE SPONSORSHIP OF PUBLIC ART PROJECTS ON A GLOBAL SCALE. PROPOSALS FROM NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ART COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE ARE SELECTED FOR THEIR QUALITY, INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, AND VIABILITY.  ABCI IS A GRAVITATIONAL FORCE THAT ATTRACTS ARTISTS, CRITICS AND CURATORS TO TAKE NOTE OF THE PROJECTS THEY HAVE FUNDED AND THUS SIGNIFICANTLY BROADEN THE AUDIENCE FOR INNOVATIVE CONTEMPORARY ART.

THE PROJECTS ARE VETTED BY A TEAM OF ACCOMPLISHED JURY MEMBERS:  HAMAD NASAR, CURATOR AND HEAD OF RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMING AT THE ASIA ART ARCHIVE, HONG KONG; GLENN PHILLIPS, ACTING HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND CONTEMPORARY ART AT THE GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LOS ANGELES; AND MARI SPIRITO, FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF PROTOCINEMA, ISTANBUL AND NEW YORK, WHO PROVIDE A LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE THAT PROPELS THE SELECTION PROCESS BOTH FORWARD AND UPWARD.

https://www.artbasel.com/about/projects/detail/-1

Art Basel’s Crowdfunding Initiative creates a huge amount of exposure and dialogue and will create other opportunities
for other fundraising for the non-profit organizations thanks to the visibility you get for the brand, for the project.

– Mari Spirito

Everyone is looking every- where for alternative ways to engage, to raise support, awareness, and funding.

—Glenn Phillips

Non-profit art organizations are the life blood of the art world. No artist, no gallery, no museum person, no collector who is here would be here if there was not this much wider world of quite small, good non- profit art initiatives. 

—András Szántó

IT IS A PLEASURE AND A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE JESSICA HODIN, MANAGER  OF THE CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE FOR ART BASEL, HERE IN TODAY’S LRFA BLOG POST TO DETAIL THE IMPACT THAT THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES GLOBALLY TO NON-PROFIT GROUPS IN THE ARTS.

Rirkrit Tiranvanija
“Do We Dream Under the Same Sky”
Art Basel 2015 commission

JESSICA, ABCI SUPPORTS NON-PROFIT PROJECTS IN THE VISUAL ARTS AS WELL AS ART-RELATED SYMPOSIA, AND ART EVENTS. IN AMERICA, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED BY-LAWS THAT DETERMINE IF AN ORGANIZATION IS NON-PROFIT. IS THAT TRUE ON A GLOBAL SCALE, AND IF NOT, HOW DOES ABCI DECIDE UPON THE ELIGIBILITY OF A PROPOSAL?

This is a very interesting and difficult topic. The preponderance of what are called “hybrid models” makes the eligibility requirements somewhat sticky in regions that don’t have nonprofit or charity tax status designations. So for organizations from places like America, they absolutely must be 501c3, and likewise, organizations in Europe, Australia, Canada and the UK must also have the official “charity” tax status. But we’ve found that in regions like Central and South America and South East Asia, where the government support for the arts is almost nonexistent, these organizations have a hybrid gallery/nonprofit model where they must sell art and do commercial projects in order to make money for the organization to continue operating. The jury absolutely takes the context of the region into consideration when determining an organization’s eligibility. It has been really exciting to be able to work with hybrid organizations in places like Guatemala and Sri Lanka who must be very creative in how they raise money, and generally exhibit quite inspiring leadership and creativity. This is the only way that these organizations can look to be self-sustaining.

FLORA ars + natura
Rendering, Captura de Pantalla
Courtesy of FLORA

FLORA ars + natura
Bogota, Colombia
courtesy of FLORA

WHEN DID ART BASEL ESTABLISH ITS CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE  AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT IT HAS SUPPORTED THUS FAR?

We launched the Art Basel Crowdfunding Initiative September 2014 and have since supported 28 projects from organizations in North America, South America, Europe, South East Asia, South Asia, and Africa. We have projects from Central America and the Middle East coming up on deck for later this year.

HOW ARE THE PROJECTS PUBLICIZED IN ORDER TO REACH ART LOVERS AND PATRONS?

Communications-wise, Art Basel sends out a dedicated Crowdfunding newsletter to our VIPs once every 2 months, we promote each project on our social media channels, and the projects get featured on Kickstarter’s website as well. We ask our regional VIP relations managers to act as ambassadors on behalf of projects coming from their region and activate their local networks. Something we started in Basel, which was very successful and we now intend to continue at all of our fairs, is to allow any nonprofit organization we have worked with, including ones that have been approved to launch campaigns in the future, to activate the crowdfunding booth in whatever way they feel productive – panel discussions, performances, talks or video screenings about their projects. This brings awareness to their organization and an opportunity to engage in an analog format with an interested audience.

 

Danielinshow
Courtesy of Daniel Arksham and Locust Projects, Miami

HOW DOES AN INDIVIDUAL DONATE TO THE INITIATIVE, TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR TO THE CONCEPT IN GENERAL?

Anyone can donate by selecting a specific project and entering an amount of money. Each projects offers rewards at various tiers so you can select a reward that interests you and donate the corresponding amount. You can also choose to donate as much or as little as you’d like without selecting any reward. You can’t donate to the crowdfunding initiative in general because part of the goal is to engage people in art projects around their world or close to home.

Delfina: A prologue
Images by Tim Bowditch
Courtesy of Delfina Foundation. Print-32

THE PROJECTS ARE GLOBAL IN SCOPE. HOW DO YOU SEEK OUT PROJECTS AND DEAL WITH AN IMMENSE SCOPE OF BOTH GEOGRAPHICAL AND AESTHETIC POSSIBILITIES?

You’re absolutely right there are no geographical or aesthetic limitations and it is important to us that we represent the global art world in the scope of our initiative. We accept applications from any eligible nonprofit and utilize Kickstarter’s and our own expertise to work with these organizations to create a project with their own goals and priorities that will also best position them for success on Kickstarter’s platform.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN REALIZED?

Flora Ars + Natura in Bogota has built a new library and community space, Gasworks in London has built new artist residency studios, SASSAS in Los Angeles commissioned a free public outdoor sound art concert, and San Art in Vietnam funded 3 artists in residence.

SASSAS Concert at Baldwin Hills Overlook, 2014
Courtesy SASSAS, and photographer Rebecca Tull Yates

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS THAT YOU HAVE TO EXPAND ART BASEL CROWDFUNDING?

We want to work with bigger institutions, achieve greater sums of money, and always strive for the greatest impact with powerful projects. We hope to maintain relationships with these organizations and integrate them, their programming, and their inspiring stories into the fair.

JESSICA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.  HOPEFULLY THESE POSTS WILL BRING EVEN MORE ATTENTION AND SUPPORT TO THE ART BASEL CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE.

ONCE THE TSUNAMI OF MIAMI ART BASEL RETREATS, OUR THOUGHTS TURN TOWARDS THE HOLIDAYS. ONE OF MY GREATEST PLEASURES IS THINKING UP AND ASSEMBLING A GIFT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL A GREAT RESOURCE FOR UNIQUE GIFT-GIVING IS URSUS BOOKS, OFFERING ONE OF A KIND ARTISTS’ BOOKS OF BEAUTY AND RARITY. TO HONOR WHAT IS NOW AN “ANNUAL TRADITION”, IN THE NEXT POSTS, THE LRFA BLOG WILL COLLABORATE WITH DOUG FLAMM OF URSUS TO EXPLORE THIS YEAR’S AMAZING SELECTION.

JOIN US!

The contemporary art scene with curatorial expert, Jessica Hodin

FEELING HUMAN
Installation, Bleecker Street Arts Club
Co-curated by Jessica Hodin and Adam Mignanelli
Courtesy, Bleecker Street Arts Club

THE BLEECKER STREET ARTS CLUB IS AN INNOVATIVE  GALLERY SPACE AND EXHIBITION PLATFORM FOR BOTH EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS. FOUNDED BY STEPHEN WERTHER AND DANIEL BENEDICT, BSAC SUPPORTS A CREATIVE COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS, ART COLLECTORS AND DEVOTEES BY OFFERING AN EXCITING AND ORIGINAL PROGRAM OF EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS IN A RELAXED, SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT.  HOUSED IN A LANDMARK BUILDING AT 305 BLEECKER STREET, NEAR WASHINGTON SQUARE IN NEW YORK,  THE EXHIBITIONS ARE PRESENTED IN AN INFORMAL SETTING WITH INVITING PLACES TO SIT AND CHAT AND SPEND TIME WITH THE ARTWORK. THE BUILDING, FLOODED WITH NATURAL LIGHT, IS ART DECO IN STYLE AND OFFERS ITS AUDIENCE TWO FLOORS OF EXHIBITION SPACE AND A PRIVATE ROOF TERRACE.  IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN THE THINKING OF ART CURATORS AND DEALERS WHO ARE INSIGHTFUL ABOUT FRESH WORK BY THE BEST NEW ARTISTS IN THE CONTEMPORARY ART WORLD AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE WORK OF ESTABLISHED  ARTISTS WHO INFLUENCED THEM.

IT IS NO SURPRISE TO ME THAT JESSICA HODIN, CURRENTLY MANAGER OF THE CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE FOR ART BASEL, HAS ORGANIZED SOME STELLAR GROUP EXHIBITIONS AT THE BLEECKER STREET ART CLUB AND WAS ITS MANAGER AND CHIEF CURATOR.

http://bsacny.com/

JESSICA, WELCOME BACK TO THE LRFA BLOG. AS WELL AS ADVISING ART BASEL’S CROWDFUNDING, YOU WORK ON CURATORIAL PROJECTS. ONE EXHIBITION YOU CURATED I FOUND COMPELLING WAS ENTITLED Meet Your Maker IN WHICH YOU INTRODUCED THE WORK OF FIVE ARTISTS WHOSE INSPIRATION STEMS FROM POP CULTURE, COMIC BOOK REFERENCES AND THE LEGACY OF MODERN PAINTING.

Devin Troy Strother
Courtesy Bleecker Street Arts Club

WHO ARE SOME OF THE ARTISTS YOU SUPPORTED AND EXHIBITED AS DIRECTOR OF THE BLEECKER STREET ARTS CLUB?

As Director of the Bleecker Street Arts Club I tried to strike a balance between showing established and emerging artists, keeping in mind that the best way to promote emerging artists is to show them alongside a program of established ones. For example showing Joyce Pensato alongside Todd James and then newcomer Devin Troy Strother. At the beginning of their careers I showed Matt Mignanelli, Violet Dennison, and Dean Levin. Mid-career artists included Ryan Wallace and Agathe Snow. And I was very lucky to have been able to include works from Paul McCarthy and John Chamberlain in a group sculpture show.

 

HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE WORK OF EMERGING ARTISTS AS ONES THAT HAVE STAYING POWER AND MAKE A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONTEMPORARY ART MARKET?

I think the artist has to have a perspective that is clear in their work. Doesn’t matter what that perspective is, but the work needs to be coming from a conceptual place, and not just an aesthetic one. Once you have that as the groundwork for an artistic practice, the rest is entirely subjective and there’s no telling who or how many people will like it.

Joyce Pensato
“Whose Eyes”, 2007
Enamel on paper
29 x 23 inches
Courtesy Petzel Gallery

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE PRICE STRUCTURE FOR YOUNGER ARTISTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE GALLERY REPRESENTATION AS YET AND NO SECONDARY MARKET TRACK RECORD?

Well to be fair, I’ve never exactly been in a position to do this. Most of the artists that I showed at BSAC had prior sales upon which to base their pricing or had gallery representation that determined their prices.

If an artist is introducing their work into the market it is important to keep the prices low in order to move the pieces into collectors’ hands, but the most important thing to consider is placing the work in the RIGHT hands. We all know that the prices for contemporary art in the market these days are somewhat ridiculous but as a young artist you have to be able to resist the temptation to take advantage of that. I think that the key is using relevant market comps to find the humble balance between offering up your art as a “luxury” good and devaluing it by basically giving it away.

Mira Dancy
“Psychic INvite”, 2014
Acrylic and ink on canvas
69 x 66 inches
Courtesy Bleecker Street Arts Club

WHO ARE SOME OF THE ARTISTS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY EXCITING?

Too many to even name! Right now I’m really into the work of Haroon Mirza, Anna Betbeze, Jonas Lund, Petra Cortright, Joseph Hart, Mira Dancy, Sean Raspet, Devin Troy Strother, Letha Wilson, Adriana Minoliti, Jon Raffman, Elaine Cameron-Weird, and Alex Chitty.

IN OUR NEXT POST, IN ANTICIPATION OF MIAMI ART BASEL, JESSICA WILL INFORM US OF THE UNIQUE AND STELLAR SUPPORT THAT THE ART BASEL CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE AND KICKSTARTER HAVE ESTABLISHED. THE INITIATIVE CELEBRATED ITS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND ALREADY SUPPORTS 25 NON-PROFIT ART PROJECTS.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS WELCOME – LEARN ABOUT THE ABCI AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT WILL INSPIRE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS VERY WORTHY ENDEAVOR.

UNTIL THEN…THANKS FOR READING!