Small World Crammed on Biennale’s Grand Stage

The French billionaire François Pinault has transformed the old Customs House into a museum for his collection. Left, a painting by Cindy Sherman and a sculpture by Jeff Koons.
Photo: Todd Heisler/The New York Times

Small World Crammed on Biennale’s Grand Stage
By MICHAEL KIMMELMAN Published: June 11, 2009(New York Times Permalink)
The 53rd Venice Biennale is tidy, disciplined, cautious and unremarkable, suggesting a somewhat dull, deflated contemporary art world, professionalized to a fault, in search of a fresh consensus.

ING Art Management website

ING Art Management website
The international art collection of the ING Group, consists of national collections world wide. From the description of the origins and development of the different collections, one seeks how the various collections complete each other, not only in terms of art history but also thematically.

Works of art represented in or purchased for the ING Group Collection connect the collections of:
# ING Collection Belgium

# ING Collection Mexico

# ING Collection Netherlands

# ING Collection Poland

# ING Collection United Kingdom

Facts & Figures

# 25.000 works of high quality

# on display at 1300 locations

# enjoyed by 120,000 employees worldwide

# national curators in the Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, Mexico and Poland

# contemporary art

# in the Netherlands: focus on figurative art

Amstelveenseweg 500
location code: IH 07 202
PO Box 810
1000 AV Amsterdam
T +31 20 541 6604, F +31 20 541 8994

www.ingartcollection.com

Schoeni Gallery in Hong Kong plans online archive for website

Schoeni Gallery in Hong Kong plans online archive for website
(Source Artradar Asia)
Head of Schoeni gallery Nicole Schoeni told Art Radar that as part of the revamp of the website, there are plans to digitise their artist literature to form an on-line archive, “though it may take a while given that there is 16 years’ worth of material” she warned with a laugh.

Zhang Lin Hai

Nicole’s father Manfred Schoeni along with Johnson Chang of Hanart were pivotal in the nineties in bringing Chinese contemporary art to the international stage. For example Schoeni held the historically important 8+8+1 exhibition in 1997 which showcased the works of 15 contemporary Chinese artists many of whom are now internationally famous including Yue Min Jun, Zeng Fan Zhi, Zhang Xiao Gang, Guo Jin and Yang Shao Bin.

Harnessing the web to share historically important art materials with a global audience is, perhaps surprisingly, still an unusual initiative. While museums are making big strides, few galleries as yet are making materials pubicly available even when this would help promote current exhibitions. No doubt this will change and we look forward to the day when research , images and interviews, previously locked down in print publications such as catalogues, are released to a wider web audience as a matter of course.

In the meantime, Schoeni is also making its first forays into the world of video documentary with a just-released video of Chinese artist Zhang Lin Hai’s recent show ‘Stunned Speechless at Today Museum in Beijing.

Zhang Lin Hai’s work often features a repeated signature motif of a bald male child against hauntingly bleak backdrops. This motif was born out of his own experiences of being adopted as a child and witnessing the devastation of the Cultural Revolution.

http://artradarasia.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/schoeni-gallery-hong-kong-plans-on-line-archive-for-website/

Schoeni Gallery, http://www.schoeni.com.hk/ Zhang Lin Hai, http://www.schoeni.com.hk/ZhangLinHai.htm
Zhang Lin Hai at Today Art Museum Show 2008 Beijing

Take the Money and Run in de Appel

Take the Money and Run in de Appel
Exhibition: 3rd-12th May 2009, from 2pm to 8pm
Location: Warehouse De Appel
Brouwersgracht 196, Amsterdam

Ann Demeester, director of De Appel and Nicolaus Schafhausen, director of Witte de With jointly present, in collaboration with Christie's Amsterdam: Two in One a benefit auction of more than 100 works by internationally acclaimed contemporary artists to benefit new projects.
The collaboration between de Appel, Witte de With and Christie's is unique within the Netherlands. In addition to the need to keep the institutions vital in a changing socio-economic landscape, it is just as much a call to shake hands at the institutional level on a regular basis.
Moreover, this benefit auction offers a rare retrospective view of Witte de With's and de Appel's ongoing commitment to contemporary art, as the list of artists involved traces the rich, international networks and trajectories forged by both institutions for over three decades.

Take the Money and Run
At the location where Wies Smals initiated de Appel in 1974, thirty artists are reflecting within the context of the auction, upon the relationship between the economic and the symbolic value of art. The artists have been invited to make a new work on A4, in which the changed value system within the art world in these times of financial crisis is being brought up for discussion. After being exhibited, the conceptual works, texts, drawings, promises, understatements, ideas, visions and performances will be part of the Two in One auction. The project is an empathetic critique from within, in which de Appel and the artists assume the simultaneous role of contemporary collaborator and critical inquirer.

For more information: http://www.deappel.nl - http://www.wdw.nl – http://www.christies.com

The Chinese Art Market Outlook 2009

The Chinese Art Market Outlook 2009

CHINESE ART MARKET
(Source Art Radar Asia, an Experts' Opinion)
Why there are opportunities in Chinese 90s-made art and Chinese photography and how Western museums are impacting this market are some of the topics in the interview between Anders Petterson, Founder and Managing Director of ArtTactic and Larry Warsh, Founder of AW Asia.

Buying opportunities - 90s art and photography

AP: Where do you see buying opportunities in the Chinese contemporary art market in the short and long-term?

LW: In the short term-the next 12 to 18 months-there will be good opportunities to buy works by top-tier artists in both painting and photography. By top-tier, I mean the 40 or so who have gained art-historical recognition, have been internationally exhibited, and are being acquired by museums in the West as well as Asia. Historical works by these individuals -the first generation of Chinese contemporary artists, from 1989 through early 2000s-are relatively scarce and will continue to gain value. The global downturn has yielded some attractive pricing, particularly in comparison to top contemporary artists in the West, creating smart buying opportunities. In fact, art funds focusing on Chinese contemporary art have been formed to take advantage of this moment. Museums are also acquiring for their collections.

Chinese contemporary photography is a buying opportunity. It’s still undervalued relative to painting, which was the focus for collectors for many years. Quality works will become increasingly scarce, particularly as China develops as a consumer society with its own collector base. The Chinese audience with disposable income is growing, and a consistent percentage of those people will become art advocates and collectors.

The Chinese economy may be slowing down, but it is not in a recession. China will remain among the world’s most attractive investment destinations, and art will continue to parallel this direction. The result is that Chinese contemporary art will weather this economic downturn and will come out as an even stronger player. Read Article...
http://artradarasia.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/chinese-art-market-outlook-2009-arttactic-awasia/

ART FAIR TOKYO 2009
Friday, April 3rd through Sunday, April 5th First Choice & Opening Preview: Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Since its inception in 2005, ART FAIR TOYKO has procured its position as Japan's most substantial art fair. Our third edition in 2008 attracted a record of 43,000 visitors over four days, included participation from 108 domestic and international galleries, and resulted in ART FAIR TOKYO being featured in over 400 national and worldwide media outlets. ART FAIR TOKYO 2009 will be the largest art fair we have ever presented with more than 140 galleries from home and abroad. It will be held at the same location, the Tokyo International Forum (@FORUM), featuring a wide variety of genres of contemporary art, modern paintings, nihonga, Asian works of art and antiques

New Art markets and the crisis

New markets and the crisis [Feb 09]

(Source ArtPrice ©)
The most speculative and volatile markets over the last four years, emerging art markets have propelled a number of Chinese, Indian, Russian and Middle-Eastern contemporary artists into the global limelight with extraordinary speed. But with so many young artists fetching such big figures at auctions, some kind of meltdown was inevitable.
The first consequences of the global financial crisis on the art market were felt in Hong Kong in 2008 at the Christie’s and Sotheby’s October sales. Indeed, China's art market has proved to be particularly sensitive and thousands of art market professionals are keenly watching developments in that country where the price index of contemporary art rose 583% between January 2004 and January 2009.

In 2007, driven by the financial strength of Hong Kong and the dynamism of Shanghai, China took third place on the global art market podium behind the United States and the United Kingdom. The rocketing price indices of Fanzhi ZENG, Xiaogang ZHANG, Lijun FANG, Minjun YUE, Guoqiang CAI and Guangyi WANG fuelled an unprecedented optimism, inspiring thousands of would-be artists across the country, prompting hundreds of new gallery openings and giving a very substantial boost to the Chinese art auction market. Just when our figures showed that one third of the world's top 100 contemporary artists (ranked by auction revenue) were from China, Bonhams decided to set up shop in Hong Kong (26 November 2007) alongside Christie’s and Sotheby’s who were already well established on the island. After Bonhams, Artcurial decided to head East with a first sale in Shanghai in January 2008. The following month in London, Sotheby’s was unable to sell Overwhelm by Minjun YUE, despite his leading position on the contemporary Chinese art scene. At the time, this was a rare event: only 9 paintings by the artist were bought in over 10 years (between 1997 and 2007). In 2008, the number was 12 …

After the record bought-in rates posted in October at Sotheby’s and Christie’s Hong Kong, the November and December sales confirmed the contraction of demand and the choosiness of buyers. Sales have not been frozen, but we are definitely seeing a sharp correction of the Chinese art market. Collectors are now being extremely selective both in terms of quality and price. Numerous works by the stars whose prices had risen too high (e.g. Lijun FANG, Minjun YUE, Xiaogang ZHANG and Fanzhi ZENG) sold below their low estimates or were bought in. The recent failure of an attempted quick sale of a painting by Xiaogang ZHANG at Est-Ouest Auctions Co. Hongkong drew a definitive veil over the speculative mood. The work in question is a portrait from the Big Family Series. Initially selling for CNY 8.5 million (USD 1.15 million) in November 2007, it failed to sell in December 2008 even after a substantial trim of its estimate (roughly USD 554,000).

The stars of contemporary Indian art are in more or less the same boat. Despite a 957% increase in the price index between January 2004 and January 2009, more than half of Subodh GUPTA's works offered from October to December 2008 were bought in. His important work Vehicle for Seven Seas III was bought in on 13 November, 2008 in New York despite carrying a reasonable price estimate (300,000 to 400,000) compared to the USD 625,000 that a work from the same series fetched in April 2008 (Artcurial, Paris, EUR 425,000). We find the same scenario in the field of Iranian art where nearly half the works offered for public sale by Farhad MOSHIRI (1963) have remained unsold. Back in March 2008, collectors at the Dubaï sales were a lot more extravagant, pushing up the price of Eshgh (Love) to USD 900,000, which was six times the estimated price (Bonhams).

The February Contemporary Art sales in London timidly propose 2 to 5 Chinese and Indian star attractions at Sotheby’s (5 February) and Christie’s (11 February), including the unavoidable Fanzhi ZENG and Anish KAPOOR. However, the real test will be in March and April 2009 with sales dedicated to Asian art.
On 12 February, Phillips de Pury & Company will be offering works by six Chinese artists, one Korean (Kim Whanki), two Indians (Hema UPADHYAY and Jiten & Sumir THUKRAL & TAGRA) and one Pakistani (Rashid RANA). Phillip’s is also participating in the emergence of the African artist El ANATSUI whose 2006 work entitled Congress of Elders is expected to fetch around GBP 200,000. Almost a complete stranger to the secondary art market, a work by this artist entitled Healer fetched USD 500,000 at Sotheby's London in October 2008… not the most favourable period for generating a new record…
Still buoyant throughout the first half of 2008, demand on these highly dynamic new markets has substantially contracted since the autumn. In a global crisis context, many works have become too expensive and speculative temptations are no longer on the agenda.
Nevertheless, among the major buyers of contemporary Russian, Chinese, Korean, Indian or Iranian art, profit is often not the primary motive. In recent years, many Russian and Chinese collectors have invested in the works of their compatriots in order to build coherent collections for foundations or museums.

"Chalo! India: A New Era of Indian Art" at the Mori Art Museum

"Chalo! India: A New Era of Indian Art"
Thru Sunday, March 15

"Chalo! India: A New Era of Indian Art," a popular exhibition featuring 27 artists from India is being held until March 15. This exhibition introducing Indian contemporary art, which has been the center of worldwide attention since the 90's, is the largest ever to be held in Japan. The art works reflect the changes of lifestyles, problems, and dreams coming from the rapid economic growth and globalization, and brings light to the current situations in India today.
The exhibition is a virtual tour through present India, so "Chalo! India (Let's go to India!)

The largest exhibition of Indian contemporary art ever to be held in Japan
“Chalo” is Hindi for "Let's go." With the words "Chalo! India" (Let's go! India), we invite you to discover an explosion of creativity and vitality in Indian contemporary art. "Chalo! India" will take you on a journey through more than 100 works by 27 artists and artist groups from all over India. Encompassing a broad range of media, including painting, sculpture, photography and installation, this exhibition examines the latest movements in Indian contemporary art.
Details: http://www.mori.art.museum/english/contents/india/index.html

LONDON ART FAIR 14 – 18 January 2009 at the Business Design Centre, Islington

Tom Pope, Willsbridge, from the series "Over the Edge", 2008, Courtesy of Tom Pope

The London Art Fair 2009 is the first major Art Fair of the year 2009 and can be considered as a benchmark.

LONDON ART FAIR
14 – 18 January 2009 at the Business Design Centre, Islington
London Art Fair, the largest Modern British and contemporary art showcase in the UK, turns 21 in 2009. With a reputation both for quality and accessibility, the Fair will bring together one hundred leading British galleries, a selection of international projects and a showcase of contemporary photography at Islington’s Business Design Centre from 14 – 18 January 2009.

Galleries selected for the Fair in 2009 include Alan Cristea, Richard Green, Agnew's, FAS Contemporary, James Hyman Gallery, Hazlitt Holland Hibbert, Bearspace, Carter Presents, Eric Franck and Purdy Hicks. Together, the exhibitors present a broad variety of work from the 21st and 20th century, showing pieces by celebrated artists such as Keith Coventry, John Hoyland, Barbara Hepworth, Patrick Heron, Gavin Turk, William Scott alongside emerging figures such as Melanie Comber, Nina Murdoch, Jeffery Blondes, Wang Wei, Seahyun Lee and Sumedh Rajendran.

Art Projects on London Art Fair

In its 5th year, Art Projects brings together 27 international projects - curated solo and group exhibitions. While London Art Fair has traditionally concentrated on supporting British galleries, the record number of applications this year from all over the world has resulted in more successful entrants from outside the UK. The inclusion of these galleries enables dialogue between gallery practices in Britain and abroad and it also brings unique insight into changing societies on the other side of the world. The concentrated time span of an art fair makes short-run performance pieces especially effective. This year’s line up is particularly strong in this respect, with daily activities taking place on a number of stands in the section.