The Art Business Conference, united by our love of art, with founder and director, Louise Hamlin

Louise Hamlin & panelists
Founder and Director
Art Business Conference

THIS YEAR’S ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE, IN ITS FIFTH YEAR IN LONDON AND THIRD IN NEW YORK, IS GROWING IN ATTENDANCE BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. IN A REVIEW OF THE NY CONFERENCE BY JOURNALIST, TIM SCHNEIDER, IN THE APRIL 20, 2018 ISSUE OF ARTNET NEWS, THE EXPLANATION IS SIMPLE: THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSES THE MOST PRESSING IDEOLOGICAL CONCERNS IN OUR CURRENT ART MARKET.

http://www.theartbusinessconference.com/

Earlier this week, a cross-section of art industry professionals converged in Midtown Manhattan to debate some of the market’s most urgent questions. Hailing from around the globe and across sectors, participants in the second annual ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE in New York dissected topics ranging from the practical (how to guard your data against malicious hackers) to the philosophical (how to steward an artist’s legacy). 

We’ve packed the most important themes into an easy-to-digest capsule for anyone not in attendance. And since every good medicine is just the result of chemical reactions, here are the three main ideological collisions on display at the conference—and why they matter so much for where we go next.

TRANSPARENCY VS. OPACITY : The importance for dealers to do away with the secrecy-driven elitism of the traditional art sales process but to think of transparency is a much broader sense for the arts to continue to grow.

PROVINCIALISM VS. PROFESSIONALIZATION: From the challenges of globalization to the escalating scale of exhibitions, to the 21st century courtroom battles, the conference addresses the vast change of the art business from a cottage industry…Art has become too expensive, too complex and too globally mobile to keep handling with handshakes and ad hoc plans.

TECHNOLOGY VS. TRADITION: Technology is coming to the art world, whether the art industry is ready or not. The Art Business Conference should be applauded for giving the subject as much stage time as it did. But it will be the industry’s loss on multiple levels if it runs from the changes instead of meeting them head-on.

https://news.artnet.com/market/art-business-conference-1270700

BEFORE RETURNING TO THE AGENDA AND PANELISTS FEATURED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE FORTHCOMING LONDON CONFERENCE ON SEPTEMBER 4th, WE REJOIN LOUISE HAMLIN, ITS FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER, TO CONTINUE WITH HER PROFESSIONAL HISTORY AND THAT OF THE CONFERENCES THEMSELVES.

LOUISE, THANK YOU AND WELCOME BACK!

THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE IS IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, A ONE-DAY CONFERENCE FOR ART MARKET PROFESSIONALS. HOW WAS IT INITIALLY FORMED AND WHAT INSPIRED THE IDEA?

During my time at The Art Newspaper, I worked with a very large number of businesses across the art market, from galleries and museums, trade associations, art fairs and auction houses to professional service providers including insurers, shippers and web designers.  I saw the need for a forum to bring all these different businesses together in a new learning environment to share knowledge in this unique and special industry. 

As Kevin Lay of Arcis said in his closing remarks, at the most recent NY conference, “we are all united in our love for art”.  A love of art and a desire to bring those working with it together was the inspiration for the conference.

APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTEND AND HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT GROW?

The conference now has over 630 delegates attending the 2018 conferences, representing over 350 global art organizations. I would love to grow, but physically, I think there is a limit. If we had unlimited space available, would we want to have unlimited places available?  I don’t think so.  It would become too difficult to make the presentations relevant to all and networking could become more challenging. 

Growth in terms of reputation and success:  Yes, of course. I would like to continue to build on the current success to ensure we attract good people to attend and put on presentations which are interesting, informative, educating, challenging, inspiring.

WHAT ARE THE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES IN WHICH NETWORKING PRODUCED POSITIVE GROWTH RESULTS FOR THOSE WHO ATTEND?

As I have said previously, networking is key to the event and we provide a good number of opportunities to do this throughout the day (networking breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, and of course evening drinks).  In New York, the conference room is set up so that delegates sit at large round banqueting tables to encourage this.  And at the forthcoming London conference on 4^thSeptember, we will be introducing networking tables over lunchtime. This is a great opportunity to join a discussion around a specific topic, ask experts and meet fellow attendees. We have facilitated a number of connections during the conferences and also post conference – connecting people and businesses is what we love to do.

THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ARE VERY DISTINGUISHED IN THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE. WHAT ARE THE SUBJECTS THAT THE CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON WHEN CREATING PANELS OF DISCUSSION?

The subjects are diverse but the brief is the same for whatever the subject. I want to secure speakers who are knowledgeable and engaging.   A lot of time and effort is given to putting together panels of people who do not necessarily share the same opinion on a subject but can bring different perspectives and experiences to the debate. There is always a need to be a little creative in putting together an interesting panel group. In terms of the topics, I try to make them timely, whatever is shaping the art market news at the time that is relevant to the buying and selling of art and also consulting widely across the industry to gauge interest in topics.  

WHAT IS THE CURRENT MARKET IN THE U.K. AND THE U.S. AND HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE IT SHIFT AND GROW?

As a humble conference organizer and not an art market economist or journalist, I wouldn’t like to say!

However, in consulting across the market on topics as I do, it is an interesting time. Brexit in the UK and the Trump administration in the US have brought uncertainty to the art market, but as with everything there is always opportunity too!

IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG POST, WE WILL RETURN TO THE SPECIFICS OF THE NEXT ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE ON SEPTEMBER 4th IN LONDON. IT WILL BE WELL-ORGANIZED, INFORMATIVE AND PROVIDE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS OF EXPERTISE.

WELL WORTH ATTENDING!

 

Meredith Harper, private dealer: the next logical step

Reuters Institute

TRANSPARENCY IN EVERY INDUSTRY AND IN GOVERNMENT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PRECEDENTS. ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM REUTERS INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF JOURNALISM, “INCREASINGLY, GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH INITIATIVES IN TRANSPARENCY OR ‘OPEN GOVERNMENT’ AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE PRESS.”  OPENNESS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY DEFINE TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS.  IN INDUSTRIES THAT ARE FAIRLY UNREGULATED, SUCH AS THE MORE CREATIVE WORLDS OF ART GALLERIES, DEALERS, ARCHITECT/DESIGNERS OR, FOR THAT MATTER, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,TRANSPARENCY IS SANCTIONED BUT NOT ENFORCED BY  CODES OF ETHICS THAT FILL IN THE GAPS IN LAWS AND REGULATIONS WHEN THEY  CAN NOT BE APPLIED.

IN ITS MISSION STATEMENT, THE ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, FOR EXAMPLE, NOTES:

 In order to qualify for membership, a dealer must have an established reputation for honesty, integrity and professionalism among their peers, and must make a substantial contribution to the cultural life of the community by offering works of high aesthetic quality, presenting worthwhile exhibitions and publishing scholarly catalogues.

http://www.artdealers.org/about/mission

THE SUCCESS OF THE CLARION LIST, ESTABLISHED ONLY TWO YEARS AGO, CONFIRMS THE ART COLLECTOR’S INTEREST IN AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE BUT VETTED  DATABASE FOR ART RELATED SERVICES INDUSTRIES https://www.clarionlist.com/

LONDON-BASED PAIAM (PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS TO THE INTERNATIONAL ART MARKET), AN INTERNATIONAL NET WORKING PLATFORM FOR PROFESSIONALS ADVISING THE ART MARKET WHOSE MEMBERS “KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS USEFUL TO THOSE WHO KNOW ABOUT ART, e.g. INSURANCE, LOGISTICS, LAW, ACCOUNTANCY, TAX, HAS RECENTLY EXPANDED ITS PRESENCE INTERNATIONALLY OPENING ITS MEMBERSHIP TO OVERSEAS PROFESSIONALS. http://www.paiam.org/

 

WHEN MEREDITH HARPER LAUNCHED HARPER FINE ARTS IN 2008, SHE WAS WELL-VERSED IN THE STANDARDS SET BY THE ART INDUSTRY FROM HER DIVERSE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE GALLERY AND AUCTION WORLDS. THE LRFA BLOG IS DELIGHTED TO SHARE MEREDITH’S HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ASPECT OF THE ART WORLD.

MEREDITH, WELCOME BACK!

Meredith Harper

YOU DECIDED TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THE SELF-EMPLOYED ALMOST A DECADE AGO. WHAT PROMPTED THE DECISION?

After having worked in every part of the art world — museum, auction house, and gallery— it really felt naturally like the next logical step.  I was being asked by collectors for my opinion on works of art that they were interested in that we weren’t selling at the gallery, or if I could help them find certain things that we didn’t have.  Being on my own allowed me complete freedom to do this, including from conflicts of interest of working with a gallery inventory. 

Meredith Harper Fine Art
Chelsea, New York

WHAT IS THE BASIC ROLE OF A PRIVATE DEALER? IN WHAT WAYS DOES A PRIVATE DEALER OFFER A SCOPE OF SERVICES THAT IS UNIQUE AND DIFFERS FROM THE ROLE OF THE GALLERIST AND THE SPECIALIST AT AUCTION?

Being a private dealer really is a culmination of all of the skills and experience that I’ve attained through the years at university, galleries and at auction.  The collectors with whom I work range from very knowledgable and experienced, to just starting out.  The most important part is helping them buy and sell works of art, which involves discussions around the intersection of many variables such as the significance of a work of art within that artist’s oeuvre, condition and authenticity, and determining value within a particular market.  I also handle all of the logistical concerns that go along with that, like shipping, installation, etc. I work with them on everything from defining and expanding their interests, creating and maintaining collection databases, building libraries, framing, preparing insurance appraisals — it really depends on the particular client’s interests and needs.  I also realize that for many collectors, the “art world” seems a fascinating but also often an opaque and sometimes trepidatious place … I can understand that and I enjoy being able to walk them through and demystify a lot of it.  They have the benefit of almost three decades of my knowledge to draw from, and the fact that I’m constantly immersed in this world.

Meredith Harper Fine Art

HOW DO YOU FIND WORKS THAT COLLECTORS GIVE TO YOU TO SELL?

It’s all about trust, communication and knowledge. These are relationships that I’ve had, in many cases, for decades, or with people who were referred to me by my clients or by colleagues in the business.  At the end of the day, the collectors with whom I work and who entrust me to sell things for them know that I’m giving them honest and impartial advice, and that I’m working in their best interests.  They also know that I’m extraordinarily discrete and ethical.  I’m very thoughtful and careful about how I go about selling things, and that can make all the difference.

Glenn Ligon

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS WAYS YOU SEEK OUT WORKS THAT A COLLECTOR WISHES TO ACQUIRE?

I love doing detective work and tracking down exactly the work that a collector is looking to add to their collection.  It’s not about reacting to what becomes available in the market so much as really choosing precisely what fits the client’s interests and the dialogue that may be happening in a collection.  And again, this is about relationships and knowing who to talk to and where to look to find great things … It’s not just about “shopping” at an art fair or auction.  Sometimes we can get lucky and this happens immediately, but often it takes months and sometimes even years.  I once had a wonderful project that I loved doing with a client, which involved putting together a very specific group of works by an artist.  It took three years of constant and very involved research to track these down (and then to convince their owners to sell them), in one case from a collector who purchased his work out of the artist’s studio 40 years earlier.  It was incredibly rewarding to see these works slowly come together over that time. I love the “detective” aspect of it, and I love being able to put my knowledge to use to help my clients form stronger collections. 

MEREDITH’S PROFESSIONAL RANGE EXTENDS INTO THE CURATORIAL WORLD AND IN THE NEXT LRFA BLOG, WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE THIS ASPECT OF WORKING IN THE ART BUSINESS WITH YOU.

UNTIL THEN!