Archive for June, 2009
From:http://www.scversillee.com/2009/06/interview-with-an-art-dealer-ii/
Interview with an Art Dealer II
From time to time I’ll use this blog to feature interviews with professionals that serve key roles in the fine art community. International art dealer Reed V. Horth of Florida was kind enough to answer questions for a two-part interview. Part one dealt with questions for artists; below is part two which answers questions for art collectors. Enjoy!
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Please describe what you do and how you help collectors find the perfect artwork to add to their collection.
My particular role as a Fine Art Concierge often involves collectors telling me what artwork they want. This is sometimes a more clinical process than the pure, visceral feeling of buying artwork at a show, auction or gallery. This being said, I present a broad spectrum of artists, works, price ranges and media to them, then gauge their responses trying to find out their feelings whether positive or negative. I ask questions, and I listen to their answers. I do not try to fit a round peg into a square hole. Just because I have a work does not make it perfect for them. Perhaps there is another work or artist that suits them perfectly. That is the piece I want to find for them.
Do you advise your collectors to purchase for “pleasure” or for “investment”?
In this day and age, no one purchases anything they ostensibly do not need without thinking long and hard about it. I do not advocate Art being bought specifically “to make money”. That being said, art has much more solidity than many of the more “safe” traditional investment vehicles. I doubt many investment advisors were prescient enough to know that their “safe” investments would be selling at roughly half their value presently.
I believe that all art, no matter what the price, should be purchased for pleasure (whatever “pleasure” encompasses for you… pride, imagination, tranquility, lust, money, inspiration, discomfort, etc.) At prices under $5,000, collectors may buy without a reasonable expectation of monetary returns on that purchase. At about $10,000 the mentality shifts to a more pragmatic mode where collectors may desire some form of appreciating asset.
What documentation should accompany a piece of artwork so a buyer can prove authenticity if they decide to sell the piece later?
Generally, a writ of sale (i.e. a purchase order, invoice, or letter of origin) should accompany any fine art purchase. If the artist chooses, they may issue a “Certification of Authenticity” which certifies this work as being by their own hand. As their sphere of influence grows and there is more of a risk of duplication and/or fakes surfacing on the market, these Certifications become even more important. If an artist’s work is distributed by a publisher, the publisher will issue these certifications.
Additionally, artists should sign their works and keep an inventory of the works they have produced in their career. I would encourage them to give each work a reference number. Artists should know the date, name, size, media, consignment date, sale date and end user name (Oftentimes this is the gallery, and the gallery is not under any obligation to tell you the buyer’s name, although they may) This lineage establishes provenance so that an artist can retrace steps if and when there is a question of authenticity, or when a catalogue raisonne is prepared.
When a collector sells an original piece of artwork from their collection, do they have any responsibilities to the artist who created it? For example; reporting the sale, paying the artist a percentage of the profit, etc.
No. Once the artwork leaves the artist’s hands, the ownership rights are handed over. While Artists do maintain their copyrights to prohibit unauthorized reproduction, they do not have claim to any profits from sales.
(Note to readers: in the U.S. only California recognizes Resale Rights for artists. For more information do an internet search for “California Civil Code Section (§) 986”)
Many people who would like to become art collectors or learn more about art in general express a feeling of “intimidation” about the subject. Have you run across this sentiment before and if so, can you explain where you think it might come from?
Art is somewhat of an intimidating subject because we all feel that we “should” know more about it than we generally do, kind of like fine wines. There is a tendency to want to know about different varietals and appellations, but few of us will take the time or effort to discover the nuances that differentiate one bottle from another. It becomes more and more daunting because there is such a massive amount of information to disseminate. This is why dealers, artists, experts, clients and those who work in the arts oftentimes will specialize in one genre, era, style, artist or movement.
What qualities should novice collectors look for in a good art consultant or gallery? Should an art dealer have a long history in the arts arena?
Good dealers will make certain that customer service is such a focus that the sale will not be a one-time occurrence, but a long-term relationship that can be nurtured. Clients want to be loyal and come back to their comfort zone. It is difficult to gain this trust and all too easy to lose it from one bad piece of advice.
Great dealers do not always have backgrounds in Art, but most possess some degree of knowledge and can balance passion for the Arts with a pragmatic business-sense. I have seen dealers who know very little about Art or its history, but are gifted salespeople and marketers. Conversely, I have seen salespeople who are so knowledgeable that they bog clients down in Art minutiae and bore prospects out of buying. A balance between the right-brain and the left-brain must be struck.
But, my primary criteria for a person I work for or with is “respect”. I feel that everything we do in life boils down to this concept. Respect for oneself, for others, for time, for your business, for your contracts, for Art in general and the artists and clients you represent in particular. Respect in all things is paramount.
Name two or three of the biggest mistakes first-time art buyers often make.
Many buyers think that they are instant experts because they Googled something. They will develop a picture in their head of how things are based on half-truths and innuendo. As with everything, we must take information with a grain of salt. Consider the source and remember that your research is cursory at best. Simply reading a few articles about art cannot substitute for an expert’s years of experience.
Buyers should also understand that reading auction figures only provides one minute cross-section of the pricing spectrum. The criteria being measured may or may not be based upon the same criteria with which you are dealing. Auction cycles, time, location, other items being offered and rarity are some of the myriad factors at work in an auction price. Some prices are anomalies and should not be taken as indicators of the market as a whole.
Are there any factors that make one particular piece of art more worthy of collecting in comparison to another?
I see a confluence of factors including being in the right place at the right time, rarity, speculation and being first or the last of a trend or series. There is not a tried-and-true, fool-proof method of determining which works are more important than others, but typically your gut will give you a good indication on whether or not the work you are obtaining is worthy of what you are paying for it.
Is there any type of work that you would advise clients against buying? If so, please explain why.
I advise clients not to buy works all the time. If it is over-priced or there is ambiguity in the documentation on a work or if has not been properly vetted by third-party experts. Your role as a dealer should be to advocate the best possible advice for your clients. Sometimes it is not in their interest to buy a particular work at a particular time. Sometimes it is in their interest to tell them to avoid it altogether. This is how you build trust with a client. Not merely seeking their hard-earned cash, but truly having their interests in mind and doing the best job you can for them.
Can you elaborate a bit more on what you mean by “vetting by third-party experts”? Who are these experts and what is the vetting process?
Depending on the artist, age, type, size and scale of the transaction dealers and/or clients will call in independent, third-party experts to verify the veracity of the information provided and transactional aspects. Third-party experts are generally dispassionate observers with no vested interest in whether or not money changes hands as they have no stake in the transaction’s completion, only in denoting their expertise as it relates to the work itself.
These third party experts include, but are not limited to: Appraisers, authenticators, attorneys, import/export officials, police and investigatory officials (who investigate a work’s clearance on the international market) and title insurance advisors (to ensure a work is available to be sold without title encumbrances).
Dealers do not necessarily serve in this capacity as there may be a monetary motivation preventing them from complete neutrality in the process. Not to insinuate that dealers cannot compartmentalize, but experts should primarily not have a buying and/or selling interest thereby ensuring no bias.
What should collectors know about copyright laws? For example; a collector buys a painting and would like to have the image scanned and placed on a mug, is this acceptable use of the purchased art?
Collectors purchase no copyrights whatsoever when they purchase a piece of artwork. If they wish to reproduce the artwork in any way, shape or form, they must obtain explicit written permission from the artist or copyright holder (sometimes this is the publisher) to do so. Copyright attorneys will be able to expound of the legal jargon behind this assertion a bit more fully, but if you are in doubt about whether or not you can…. you probably can’t.
Have you noticed a big difference between the American art market in comparison to the European art market?
Over the past several years the disparity between a weak US Dollar and the EURO and British Pound has caused many more Europeans to purchase high-end commodities in the United States. Exchange rates trading at over 2/1 caused British buyers to frenzy to the US to snatch up undervalued properties, art, gold, silver, diamonds, etc. The recent weakening of both currencies has curtailed much of this spending, but many investors still feel that they can milk the boom for a bit longer.
Tell a little bit about how you came into your line of work and where curious art lovers can go to procure your services.
I started in the Art business in 1997, and established ROBIN RILE FINE ART (www.robinrile.com) at the end of 2008. My passions and studies have always been focused on art. Once I realized my talents lay more in Art promotion and writing than production, I found my niche. That forte is in locating rare blue-chip investment-level works for high-end clientele. Through research, tenacity and connections many unbelievable deals can be located for investors right now. Oftentimes, I will receive very strange requests (Like one gentleman who wants a full-scale example of Auguste Rodin’s “Bourgeois du Calais”). But mostly they will ask for a blue-chip artist in a given price range.
I also really like to work with and mentor young talented artists. While I cannot work with everyone, I love to help artists establish themselves as professionals, make their passion their career, and develop long-term strategies which can build their reputations and oeuvre. It is a privilege to deal with such talent. I am humbled by it and will never take it for granted.
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Thanks Reed!
Further information:
S. C. Versillee has been creating images since the age of three and under her mother’s early tutelage she honed her craft, developing a life-long love and respect for the arts.
A contemporary realist painter who works primarily in oils, Versillee sold her first painting at the age of 16 to a local shop owner and participated in her first group show at the age of 18. She has been juried into various distinguished fine art exhibitions including, the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society’s “Best in America” annual show. She has appeared in both print and media and was included in a 2006 book, “Painter: The World’s Finest Painter Art”. Currently she has collectors of her figurative works throughout the United States. Some of Versillee’s other interest include creative writing, web design and research on the subjects of anthropology, symbolism and myth.
S. C. Versillee earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art from the Cleveland Institute of art in 1999 and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Kent State University in 2005. She currently works and lives in North East Ohio. She is an associate member of the International Guild of Realism and Oil Painters of America. http://www.scversillee.com/
“We apologize if anyone was upset or offended by the display of this sculpture. It was certainly not our intent. The piece will be removed this evening,” -Suzanne Halpin, spokeswoman for Rockefeller Center.
In 2002, upon the unveiling of his September 11th-related sculpture Tumbling Woman, American sculptor and painter Eric Fischl weathered a veritable whirlwind of negative criticism and outright vitriol. Students, scholars and the general public lambasted the grotesque bronze as being in extraordinarily poor taste. The sculpture, depicts one of the estimated 200 victims who leaped to their deaths in the final split second before their body landed on the ground. It’s vicious realism, and frank portrayal of the days events horrified viewers in Rockefeller Center, many of whom witnessed the events occur, and knew the individuals involved.
The sculpture, when taken solely upon aesthetics, is a valid and noteworthy work, in the recumbent sculptural tradition of French Master Auguste Rodin’s “Martyr”and Aristide Maillol’s “The River”. The coarse texture evokes Rodin’s bronzes cast from the famous Alexis Rudier foundry; which were more landscape-like and provided viewers with the sense of motion, undulating waves… or in this case, flight.
A plaque near the sculpture read Fischl’s words: “We watched, disbelieving and helpless, on that savage day. People we love began falling, helpless and in disbelief.”
Rodin Museum The Martyr Made in France Conceived 1885; cast 1925 Auguste Rodin, French, 1840 - 1917. Cast by the founder Alexis Rudier, Paris. Bronze 18 x 59 x 38 inches (45.7 x 149.9 x 96.5 cm) * Rodin Museum, North Gallery F1929-7-8 Bequest of Jules E. Mastbaum, 1929
One wonders if the context and timing were the most limiting factors in the public’s overwhelming and swift reaction to this sculpture. Understandably, many will not search for the deeper meanings in Art and most will jump to the most convenient and obvious conclusions about its author. The general public simply had not had the time to digest and reflect upon the events of that day, or to lay to rest the savage reality of an event which altered lives world-wide. Television programs recycled images of the planes plunging into the towers so often that we became numb. We imagined…. questioned…. dreamt.
Sculpture has been a method of remembering for centuries. Not simply monuments whose heroic subjects can be portrayed in a prideful or positive light but often sculptures which require us to get our hands dirty mentally. We build permanent monuments for fallen soldiers, firefighters, police officers, victims of massacres and innocents that we choose not to forget quite so easily. We erect pillars to signify victory, defeat or the location of something significant. We place sculptures on mausoleums to honor family and friends. We use sculpture in an attempt to have a permanent physical reminder of our emotions, both positively and negatively. Where many monuments in the past many have made us feel good, we have entered an age where we require our monuments to be a bit disquieting, humbling and sometimes somber remembrances. Whether the public has demanded this, or whether artists have dictated it, remains open to debate.
The River Aristide Maillol (French, 1861-1944) Begun 1938-39; completed 1943 (cast 1948). Lead, 53 3/4" x 7' 6" x 66" (136.5 x 228.6 x 167.7 cm), on lead base designed by the artist 9 3/4 x 67 x 27 3/4" (24.8 x 170.1 x 70.4 cm). Printer: Alexis Rudier. Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund. © 2010 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
What is certain is that artists often depict negative or pessimistic views in order to assimilate the zeitgeist metaphorically. Artists and writers during the 18th and 19th centuries conjured images of tempestuous locales that assisted the public in processing the events, politics and angst of contemporary society. The general trepidation at the dehumanization which many felt would be firmly implanted in the new century caused society to look towards the arts for solace in Utopian lands where native girls danced, the sun shone brightly and alcohol flowed copiously. Auguste Rodin cynically approached the prevailing winds and with morose, sullen and vacant characters. He used the public’s angst to shock Salon viewers with images they were unaccustomed to and uncomfortable with. He depicted nude bodies erotically twisting in the Hell wrought by Dante and Milton, the wicked gardens of Baudelaire; the locales frequented by Bosch, Carpeaux and Doré. Ironically, we enter a similar ideological crossroads as we forge the roots of our new Millennia.
“The ugly in art is that which is false; that which is artificial; that which seeks to be pretty or beautiful, instead of being expressive…”- Rodin, as quoted by Gsell
It is perhaps ironic that on September 11, 2001, portions of the largest American collection of Rodin sculpture were held within the offices of Cantor Fitzgerald, housed on the 105th Floor of the North Tower of The World Trade Center.
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Kenneth Treister’s “Holocaust Memorial” in Miami Beach, Florida is a monument which encompasses viewers in a labyrinthine maze which closes in on the viewer bit by bit, stone by stone. This makes the revealing of the enormous hand pleadingly thrust toward the sky all the more jarring. The hand pleads for breath. Menacing numbers adorn the forearm as bodies (souls) writhe in a viscous, pullulating mass of primordial muck. Mothers clutch dying babies as their husbands attempt to embrace them one last time. Lifeless, eyeless and emaciated corpses pile one on top of another in an effort to find air.
It is painful to look at. It is painful to walk down the stone hallway to the courtyard it is housed within. An architect by trade, Treister’s hallway narrows into a veritable gas chamber, while the names of the camps adorn the headstones. Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen, Dachau. Sobibor. Buchenwald. The endless litany of names of the dead extends in an arc around in a tombstone of black marble.
The pain is made all the more tangible for those individuals who survived. Smelled the death. Felt the cold. But it also gives the contemporary viewer the sense of impending doom, despite our safety and distance from the events themselves.
BRANCUSI Constantin, 1876-1957 (Romania) Title : Le supplice I Date : ca 1906/07 Category : Sculptures Medium : Bronze, dark brown patina, cast before 1909 F.: C. Valsuani
One reminisces of Constantin Brancusi’s (1876-1957) Le Supplice I, from 1906, which depicts a twisted child wincing in pain, or Medardo Rosso’s (1858-1928) tormented busts of melting flesh on sick and dying children.
This is what a monument does, and is meant to do… Make you remember. And for those who do not remember… it allows us not to forget.
However, would this work be accepted if it was designed and built within months following the liberation of these camps? Possibly not.
The trauma has been digested and processed. Remembered vividly, but muted in a way that allows monuments such as this to offer some measure of healing. Treister’s statement, much like Fischl’s, serves as mute testimony to enrage a people into insuring that events such as this do not take place again.
“In all works … dense, anxious in researches,
burning, we should not forget, with the long hand-to-hand of the artist with his art,
the human body, face, arms, hands,
the all body plays the drama.”
-Antoine Bourdelle
What did we do on Sept 12? We picked ourselves up. Dusted ourselves off. And DECIDED we could not afford to forget. We placed American flags on our cars, and in our yards. The sunlight has faded their color and the wind tattered their edges, but they stood sentry for us as faceless reminders. They provided us assurances that, despite the Pandora’s box of pain which remains gaping in our national landscape… we will, for better or worse… Remember.