April 18, 2007, 4:49PM
AUSTIN — The finance and operations director of the Austin Museum of Art has been charged with trying to steal paintings from a downtown art festival.
Nathan Sheppard, 37, was arrested early Sunday and has been charged with burglary of a building and evading arrest. His wife, Alexandra Sheppard, 33, was charged with burglary of a building.
An arrest affidavit said police noticed Alexandra Sheppard walking around tents that housed artists' works for the two-day Austin Fine Arts Festival in a downtown park.
She told police she was looking for her car, but an officer noticed that a zipper to a nearby tent was open and saw Nathan Sheppard standing inside holding two paintings. He dropped them and ran and was later arrested, according to police.
Nathan Sheppard has been placed on leave from his job at the museum.
Information from the Austin American-Statesman: http://www.statesman.com
Source : http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4727802.html
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Second fair competes directly with Art Cologne
By Gerd Korinthenberg
Apr 18, 2007, 17:45 GMT
Dusseldorf, Germany - Art dealers had a choice this week of two art fairs in Germany, one of the nations where rich collectors are driving a worldwide market estimated to be now worth 20 billion euros (27 billion dollars) annually.
The first edition of Duesseldorf Contemporary (DC), which begins Thursday, has attracted 85 dealer galleries to the city of Dusseldorf. A few kilometres away, in Cologne, the venerable Art Cologne fair is already under way. Both run until Sunday.
DC explicitly limits the art on offer to work since 1980, with a selection jury ensuring the quality of the painting, photography, sculpture and video on display.
The jury, comprising notable younger museum curators, has honed the selection to keep out both immature work and anything with even a whiff of 'lifestyle,' the art world's cussword for anything commercially or fashion-oriented.
Dealers were required to demonstrate a professional concern for contemporary art that dares to be different.
'We didn't want this to become a glitter art fair,' the curatorial board explained.
Items on offer range from a severe 2006 floor sculpture by Carl Andre for 100,000 euros to a refreshing painting of stripes by Markus Linnenbrink for 16,667 euros as well as moving, photorealistic paintings of the Namibian coast by Peter Roesel.
Robert Barry, the pioneer of concept art, has provided a large wall work.
Elsewhere, a wooden stool is impaled onto a bicycle in a cheeky, ironical reference to the avantgarde past.
DC opens only a few days after the Frankfurt Fine Art Fair has closed. It unmistakeably throws down a gauntlet to Art Cologne, the world's oldest dealer fair.
Observers of the art business wonder if the three fairs will not simply snatch away one another's customers, especially since they take place so soon after the TEFAF fair in the Dutch city of Maastricht and just before the big fair in Brussels, Belgium.
While art trading is roaring ahead worldwide, the number of dealers and buyers is after all finite.
Art Cologne sought to escape growing competition from Berlin, Paris, London and Miami for audiences in the autumn by rescheduling this year to spring for the first time and has admitted 190 dealers.
But it may be that the grand-daddy of all art fairs has jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.
Art Cologne chief Gerard Goodrow insists that the 41st edition of the Cologne show projects 'stability and continuity' in a market that is all too used to fads. He dismisses DC as a 'sideshow,' saying, 'They chose that date only because we chose it first.'
He adds, 'I'm perfectly confident that we'll be the survivors.'
It is believed that collectors spend nearly 75 million euros each year at Art Cologne which eschews some of the hype in the trade and emphasizes its educational role with informative events which underline its confidence about its own future.
Both this week's events are taking place in the German state of North Rhine Westphalia, where art trading is a significant business. The two cities are longtime rivals, not just in commerce but also in culture.
The economy minister of the state, Christa Thoben, indicated Thursday she would step in if there were signs of cannibalism, telling Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa: 'Naturally we would mediate if need be.'
DC director Walter Gehlen dismissively describes Art Cologne as 'AC' and ageing, and declares that the new fair will win out by sheer gravitational effect: 'We've got major collectors coming who haven't been seen in these parts for a long time.'
Economist Gehlen even speaks of establishing 'Germany's principal art fair.' He has a potent backer: DC is run by a fairs company set up a year ago by the major German magazine publishing group Gruner and Jahr.
Art critics say Gehlen can spare himself that kind of hype, since DC is impressive enough on its own merits and outshines the contemporary section of Art Cologne already.
Internet: www.dc-fair.de www.artcologne.de
BALBOA PARK & GALLERY GUIDE -- So much art, so little time
CENTRO CULTURAL DE LA RAZA, 2125 Park Blvd., Balboa Park, 619-235-6135. Through April 1: See a performance of The Adoption Project: Triad, then share you’re your own story as part of the Community Art Installation. Ongoing: at 2 p.m. every second Sunday, experience Zapateado, a traditional Mexican dance performed by The Centro’s Ballet Folklorico. At 2 p.m. every third Sunday of the month, stop in for PalabraDAS, an open-mike and exhibit forum for local artists. At noon every third Sunday of the month, check out Centro Mercado, a market featuring handicrafts by local artists. Contact the center to learn about Rhythm After Dark: Classes in Cultural Drumming, a class happening every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. www.centroraza.com
HOUSE OF PACIFIC RELATIONS International Cottages, 2125 Park Blvd., 619-234-0739. Ongoing: from 2-3 p.m. every Sunday, enjoy an ethnic food fair featuring food, drink and entertainment from all national groups represented. www.sdhpr.org
MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619-239-0003. Through August 12: Eva Zeisel, designer craftsman show. Through Apr. 15: Of Gold and Grass: Nomads of Kazakhstan. Through April 22: a retrospective sculpture exhibit by John Dirks. www.mingei.org
MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM, 1649 El Prado, 619-696-0199. Ongoing: the museum contains operating train layouts including: Tehachipi Pass, The Cabrillo Southwestern, Pacific Desert Lines, San Diego & Arizona Eastern and others. www.sdmodelrailroadm.com
*MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS, 1649 El Prado, 619-238-7559. Through May 13: Tell Me a Story: Narrative Photography, the work of various contemporary artists addressing issues of narrative. Through May 6: Rebels and Revelers: Experimental Decades 1970s-1980s, works of 60’s raised artists who pushed the boundaries of the photographic matrix. Through May 6: Woman: A Celebration, exhibition showcasing photographs of women. www.mopa.org
*MUSEUM OF SAN DIEGO HISTORY, 1649 El Prado, Casa de Balboa building, Balboa Park, 619-232-6203. Through May 29: Belle Baranceanu: The Artist at Work, and Place of Promise: Stories of San Diego. Ongoing: ROMP!, a children’s exhibition exploring the fascinating history of Balboa Park; From Blueprints to Buildings; San Diego Architecture, Commemorating 75 Years: the Serra Museum; and Life on Presidio Hill. www.sandiegohistory.org
OFFSHOOT TOURS at the Balboa Park Visitors Center, 619-239-0512. Saturdays at 10 a.m., the easy-paced, one-hour walk includes themes such as park history, area palm trees and desert vegetation. The occasional fifth Saturday features the Tour del Dia.
ORGAN CONCERTS at the Speckles Organ Pavilion, 619-702-8138. At 2 p.m. every Sunday, Carol Williams plays classics and contemporary favorites. Free.
*REUBEN H. FLEET SCIENCE CENTER, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619-238-1233. Through June 1: More than Meets the Eye: The Science of Seeing, 30 hands-on exhibits exploring the physiology and psychology of visual perception. Through April 29: Grossology: The (impolite) Science of the Human Body. Through May 27: Aging for All Ages, a 1,200 square-foot exploring the process of aging. Ongoing: Origins in Space, a photographic exhibition looking at the scientific accomplishments and technological spin-offs that have resulted from NASA missions. Ongoing: TryScience, embark on an individualized journey by playing games, exploring science and learning more about such topics as dinosaurs and outer space exploration. Ongoing: Kid City, Heart Flight, Comet Impact, San Diego Science Showcase, Do-Undo and Demonstration Station. Check out Fridays at Fleet: every Friday, the museum shows 4 IMAX films for just $7 each. www.rhfleet.org
SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM, 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park, 619-234-8291. Ongoing: The Planetary Theater, Theodore Gildred Flight Rotunda, Hall of Fame, Dawn of Powered Flight, World War I, The Golden Age of Flight, Pacific Southwest Airlines Exhibit, The Pavilion of Flight, World War II, Women of Flight, The Jet Age and Walter M. Wally Schirra, Jr. Space Flight Gallery. Simulator rides: 360 Interactive Ride, a simulation of the F-22 Raptor. www.aerospacemuseum.org
*SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE-MUSEUM OF THE LIVING ARTIST, 1439 El Prado, 619-236-0011. Ongoing: outstanding, juried work by regional aritsts. www.sandiego-art.org
SAN DIEGO AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM, 2080 Pan American Plaza, 619-231-2886. Through May 27: Law Enforcement Vehicles, a new show highlighting the last century of law enforcement in San Diego County. www.sdautomuseum.org
*SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART, 1450 El Prado, 619 231-7931. Through May 27: a biennial display of local youth artwork . The exhibition showcases more than150 artworks in a variety of media by San Diego city and county, kindergarten through 12th grade. www.sdmart.org
SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF MAN, 1350 El Prado, 619-239-2001. Through March 27: Body Ornamentation: Artistic Representations of Self, an exhibit presenting the beautiful designs and artwork depicted in boy painting, tattooing, scarification and piercing. Through March: Guatemala! Celebrations of Weaving, an exhibit featuring Guatemalan musical instruments and textiles. Through November: Edward S. Curtis Refocused, an exhibition examining the work of this famed early 20th century photographer. www.museumofman.org
*SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619-232-3821. Through April 29: VISIONS of the natural World Through the LENS of the MASTERS, a collaborative effort between the museum and The Ordover Gallery presenting a series of eight shows featuring nature-based fine art photography. Through April: Earth, Wind, and WILDFIRE, a regional exhibition on the impact of fire, people, and the natural elements and their affects on our ecosystem. Through April 29: Playing with Time, an interactive exhibition inviting guests to experiment with high-speed photography, time-lapse videos, natural records of change and more. Check website for an updated list of GIANT screen films currently showing. Also, the museum offers freed guided nature hikes; visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619-255-0203 for more info. www.sdnhm.org
SPANISH VILLAGE ARTS CENTER, 1770 Village Place, 619-233-9050. Ongoing: 37 working artist studios open to the public 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Every last Thursday of the month, the studios stay open late for Art After Hours. Free. www.spanishvillageart.com
TIMKEN MUSEUM OF ART, 1500 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619-239-5548. Ongoing: Rembrandt’s Apostles, works by Rembrandt from 1606-1669, and the Putnam Foundation Collection, a collection of European old master paintings, Russian icons and American art. www.timkenmuseum.org
WORLDBEAT CENTER, 2100 Park Blvd., Balboa Park, 619-230-1190. Ongoing: an eclectic collection of African Diaspora art, sculptures and murals. www.worldbeatcenter.org
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
Venues are responsible for updating listings.
4 WALLS, 3813 Ray St., North Park, 619-501-0879. Through May 9: Pretty Soon: An Exhibition of Time Oriented Work and Snatched at Birth, Tim Caton’s recent paintings.
ANDREA RUSHING FINE ART GALLERY, 3802 Ray Street, 619-294-9240. Ongoing: paintings and sculpture by Andrea Rushing.
THE ANNEX GALLERY, Visual Arts Department, UCSD, 858-534-2860. Ongoing: a new student show every week. Contact Betty Jones at bsjones@ucsd.edu for more info.
ARKLITE, 1105 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside. Through April: Nothing Sacred, original works of fine art by regional artists. www.arklite.net
*ART ROCKS! INTERNET RADIO online at www.wsradio.com/artrocks. From 7-8 p.m. every Wednesday, local and regional art, fashion and music collide with hosts Ally Bling-Bling and Philly Joe Swendoza. BILL KASPER STUDIO AND GALLERY, 415 West Grand Ave., Escondido, 760-310-7379. Ongoing: fine arts in glass.
BIRCH AQUARIUM, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, 858-534-FISH. Ongoing: various live exhibits of marine life, currently featured are the new juvenile Sergeant Major reef fish from the Sea of Cortez.
CALIFONRIA-ANTILLES TRADING CONSORTIUM, 3737 Adams Ave., Normal Heights, 619-283-4834. Ongoing: an exhibit of contemporary paintings by Caribbean artists from Cuba and Haiti.
CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, 760-839-4138. Through July 4: Lasting Impressions, the first retrospective of renowned American watercolor artists Frederic Whitaker and Eileen Monaghan Whitaker. Also through July 4: Personal Connections: An Intimate Portrait of Frederic Whitaker and Eileen Monaghan Whitaker, Following the Paper Trail: Exploring the Art of Contemporary Printmaking, featuring select artists from the San Diego and North County Printmakers and Mi Corazón Escondido, artwork by David Avalos. www.artcenter.org
CHINESE HISTORICAL MUSEUM, 404 Third Ave., Downtown, 619-338-9888. Ongoing: Flying Tigers: The Nearly Forgotten Heroes of War, historical photos and memorabilia honoring the American Volunteer Group who served in China, Burma and India during WWII.
DISTRICT 117, 1425 University Ave., Ste. B, Hillcrest. Through May: original paintings by Isabel Fueyo and Jose Fuentes. www.district117gallery.com
DAVENPORT STUDIO, Suite D, 13330 Paseo del Verano, Rancho Bernardo. Through May 1: The historic Bernardo Winery shows the work of Sally Taylor and Charlotte Lewis.
DAVID ZAPF GALLERY, 2400-104 Kettner Blvd., 619-232-5004. Through April 30: the work of numerous artists.
DRAGONFLY CENTER, 8372 University Ave., La Mesa, 619-993-8420. Ongoing every first Saturday of the month: a showcase of artists and artwork, including jewelry, wearable art, paintings sculpture, ceramics and more.
GALERIE D’ ART INTERNATIONAL, 320 S. Cedros Ave., Ste. 500, Solana Beach, 858-793-0316. Through March 30: Shining Stars in the Seasons of Art, 50 artists pay homage to Yves Klein. www.galerieartint.com
GALLERY 5 + 5, 544 Sixth Ave., Downtown, 619-955-0655. Through May 31: The Hesky Exhibit, an installation by Chobo. www.gallery5plus5.com
THE GOTTHELF ART GALLERY, 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla, 858-457-3030. Through April 30: RX for Art, an exhibit of works by local San Diego Jewish community who are members of the healthcare profession. www.lfjc.org
HYDE ART GALLERY, Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Dr., El Cajon, 619-644-7299. Through April 26: Ceramics by Keith Schneider, Judith Nicolaidis and Nathan Beschart.
IRINA NEGULESCU STUDIO, 2400 Kettner St., Studio 246. Through March: Having Fun, the work of Cynthia Colis.
JOSEPH BELLOWS GALLERY, 7661 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858-456-5620. Through April 28: Paradise, Residual, and Windows, the photography of J. John Priola.
JOSEPH T. SMITH GALLERY, 317 West Grand Ave., 760-807-9492. Ongoing: The photography of Joe Smith.
KAREN HOEHN FAMILY GALLERIES, USD, 619-260-4261. Through May 27: The Famous Face: Portraiture in Prints from Durer to Warhol.
KELLOGG LIBRARY GALLERY, Cast State San Marcos, 760-750-4378. Through May 19: a collection of paintings and mixed media by artist Erik Otto.
L STREET FINE ART, 628 L St., Downtown, 619-645-6593. Through May 21: Domestic Deviation, the works of Ernest Silva and May-Ling Martinez. www.lstreetfineart.com
LILLIAN BERKLEY COLLECTION, 128 East Grand Ave., Escondido, 760-480-9434. Ongoing: exhibition of world renowned artists, specializing in Russian art from the non-conformist art movement of the former USSR.
MADISON GALLERY, 1020 Prospect St., Ste. 130, La Jolla, 858-459-0836. Ongoing: an exhibition of works by artists from the mystical expressionist movement—Jamali, Renzo, Fidel Garcia, Tarnowski, Kazandjian and sculptors Christopher Shultz and Boban.
MAGPIE BOUTIQUE AND GALLERY, 2205 Fern St., 619-563-5124. Through April 30: Au Printemps!, original artwork by various artists.
MOLLOY GALLERY, 8008 Girard Ave., Suite 190, La Jolla, 858-729-9909. Ongoing: a collection of Australian Aboriginal art.
*MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN DIEGO, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858-454-3541. Through May 13: Brian Ulrich: Copia, an exhibition of the Chicago artist’s large-scale photographs documenting the shopping habits of Americans. Through May 13: TRANSactions: Contemporary Latin American and Latino Art, approximately 50 works by 48 artists from the museum’s collection, and Santiago Cucullu, a site-specific installation by Cucullu. Ongoing: Robert Irwin’s 1-2-3-4, The Garden Gallery and a large-scale outdoor installation by Nancy Rubins
*MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN DIEGO, 1001 Kettner Blvd., 619-234-1001. Through Aug. 31: a large installation using aromatic spices by Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto. Through May 6: Morris Lewis Now, an American Master Revisited, and Cerca Series: Héctor Zamora, a site-specific installation altering the windows of Fayman Gallery. Through May 27: The Hour of Prayer, a video installation by Eila-Liisa Ahtila. Through Sept. 23: two large-scale, site-specific installations by Richard Wright. Ongoing: Santa Fe Depot, six identical solid steel blocks with each placed on a different face; For San Diego, a light-emitting diode installation with scrolling text in both Spanish and English by Jenny Holzer; and Utility Filigree, sculptures made from electrical conduit, boxes and connectors by local artist Roman de Salvo. www.mcasd.org
MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC, 5790 Armada Dr., Carlsbad, 760-438-5996. Through April: Howe-Orme: Forgotten Voices Remembered, an exhibition of a collection of rare and historic Howe-Orme mandolins, mandolas and guitars. Through May 7: a display of various personal items commemorating thelife of Glen Miller. www.museumofmakingmusic.com
NATURE REINVENTED GALLERY, 2539 Congress Street Suite B, Old Town, 619- 291-4ART. Ongoing: mosaic photo composites by Adam Lewis Smith. www.naturereinvented.com
NEXT DOOR GALLERY, 2963 Beech St., Golden Hill, 619-233-6679. Through February: Heart to Heart, the ninth annual show featuring affairs of the heart, from broken hearts to hearts and flowers.
NILES NORDQUIST STUDIO, 201 East Grand Ave. #1C, Escondido, 760-839-5810. Ongoing: the paintings of Niles Nordquist.
PACIFIC BEACH LIBRARY, 4275 Cass St., 858-581-9934. Through May 13: Hyperrealistic Portraits by Artist Vicki Walsh, portraits of San Diegans.
RENEE RICHETTS GALLERY, 451 East Valley Pkwy, Escondido, 760-519-4930. Ongoing: exhibition of artist books.
ROBERT AND KAREN HOEHN FAMILY GALLERIES, USD, 619-260-4261. Through May 27: The Famous Face: Portraiture in Prints from Durer to Warhol, an exhibit of more than 50 prints of some of history’s famous faces.
ROBERT WRIGHT FINE ARTS, 140 East Grand Ave., Escondido, 760-432-6700. Ongoing: Fine art from PleinAir impressionists Robert Fergusen, Sally Jordan, Mary Ann Ohmit and equestrian sculptor Carol Cunningham.
SAN DIEGO ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER’S MUSEUM, 16666 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido, 760-291-0370. Ongoing: Moments in Time: An Exhibition of San Diego History, books and artifacts that reveal a more personal account of the city’s past.
*SAN DIEGO MARITME MUSEUM, 1492 N. Harbor Dr., Downtown, 619-234-9153. Ongoing: When California was an Island, an exhibition showing beautifully crafted maps from the 15th through the19th century.
SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, Point Loma/Hervey Branch Library, 3701 Voltaire St., 619-531-1539. Ongoing: a group exhibition of works by leading contemporary artists of San Diego. Some of the artists include Janet Cooling, Jeanne Dunn, Eric Gronborg and more.
SDSU LIBRARY San Diego State University. Through Sept. 7: an exhibit celebrating the life of Tony Gwynn.
SPACECRAFT GALLERY, 2865 North Park Way, North Park, 619-291-2752. Through May 11: mi-workshop: projects by local architect and designer Miki Iwasaki. www.spacecraftstudio.com
SEMI-PERMANENT INK SPOT, 710 13th St., Studio 210. Through April: The work of Zoe Ghahremani.
SIMAYSPACE @ ART ACADEMY OF SAN DIEGO, 840 G Street, 619-231-3900. Through April 27: 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West; The Rest of the World, photographs of recent travels by veteran photographer Roger Camp.
TIEDEMAN WATERCOLORS STUDIO & GALLERY, 115 West Grand Ave. Suite B, 760-743-1474. Ongoing: display of Tom Tiedeman’s watercolors.
VOICE 1156 GALLERY, 1156 Seventh Ave., 619-235-6922. Through April: It’s Only Humanity, featuring new work by Kelsey Brooks, Paul Chatem, Mike Maxwell and Ryan Jacob Smith. www.voice1156.com
WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM, 2323 Broadway St. Ste. 107, Golden Hills, 619-233-7963. Ongoing: All Our Grandmothers, an exhibition featuring the diverse lives of San Diego women from a century ago.
ZEDISM GALLERY, 3540 Adams Ave., Normal Heights, 619-283-1177. Through April: a group art show featuring zedist compositions by Dave Miles, Mary Fleener, Nic McGuire, James Chen, Ricardo Zelaya, Delane, Tonya Vanparys and Yuransky. www.zedism.com
04-18-07
Stolen Chihuly glass art found in Coral Gables in poor condition
Last updated April 18, 2007 12:11 p.m. PT
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- A man found several stolen glass sculptures designed by artist Dale Chihuly in a vacant lot less than a mile from where they had been taken, authorities said Wednesday.
The red glass reeds were found Tuesday in poor condition in and around a trash pile, said Detective Peter Cuervo, a spokesman for the Coral Gables Police Department. Eight reeds had been stolen from the exhibit at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and authorities believe they recovered them all.
"It looks like they were just thrown and discarded," Cuervo said.
They were taken from the garden during the evening of April 10 or early April 11 by thieves who scaled a wall and replaced the 7- to 8-foot reeds with thin, red plastic pipes, Cuervo said.
There are no suspects, but some fingerprints were found on the reeds and have been sent for analysis, Cuervo said.
"We have been informed that the Chihuly artwork has been found and unfortunately vandalized. But the malicious acts of some should not detract from the enjoyment of many," Chihuly Studio said in an e-mail. "Fairchild continues to do an extraordinary and professional job in support of the Chihuly exhibition which Dale was happy to bring back to the garden for the second consecutive year."
The garden brought the exhibit to Florida to be viewed by visitors and to help fund tropical plant conservation and research, Bruce Greer, president of the garden's board of trustees, said in an e-mail. The reeds were among dozens of pieces in the colorful exhibit.
"It is disheartening that someone would undermine such an important cause. Fortunately, the installation continues to be as beautiful and vibrant, and we encourage everyone to see it before it closes on May 31," Greer said.
This is the second time that reeds have been taken from the exhibit. There were no arrests made after a December theft at the exhibit but the work was recovered.
Japan Catches Art Fever as Sales Rise at Auction, Tokyo Fair
Last Updated: April 18, 2007 21:07 EDT
By Lucy Birmingham Fujii
April 19 (Bloomberg) -- A Hisashi Tenmyouya painting sold at Tokyo's contemporary art sale at the weekend for 16.5 million yen ($139,000), an elevenfold gain for the work in three years and a sign Japan's long-dormant art market may be catching up.
``Nue'' was the top lot at Shinwa Art Auction's April 14 sale, which took a record 183 million yen in feverish bidding. The event followed last week's Art Fair Tokyo 2007, Japan's biggest art fair, where sales tripled to 1 billion yen from the previous event in 2005.
``I couldn't believe it,'' said Sueo Mizuma, owner of Mizuma Gallery, who sold the Tenmyouya work in 2004 to a collector for 150,000 yen. ``Tokyo art fever has just started.''
Prices of modern and contemporary art in Japan are still a fraction of those in the West and trail the increases in China in the past five years. Earlier this month, Sotheby's sold Xu Beihong's 1939 painting ``Put Down Your Whip'' for a record HK$72 million ($9.2 million) in Hong Kong. At the Maastricht, Netherlands, antiques and art fair, Tefaf, in March, a Chinese bronze tapir sold for $12 million.
At the Tokyo fair, bigger sales included a Cy Twombly drawing for 30 million yen; a Cai Guo Qiang work for 6 million yen from Gallery Cellar in Nagoya and a Jiro Yoshihara painting valued at 8 million yen from Shihoudou Gallery in Osaka.
``I didn't get what they're valued abroad, but there's nothing I can do about that,'' said Shihoudou owner Kanetaka Suzuki. ``I'm happy with what I got.''
The 98 exhibitors at the Tokyo International Forum showed 2,500 pieces of contemporary and modern works, installations, antiques, traditional Japanese nihonga, (mineral watercolors), sculpture, ceramics and chinaware, by some 600 artists.
Art Revival
About 32,000 people visited the April 9-12 show, revived in 2005 after recession shuttered its predecessor, the Nippon International Contemporary Art Fair, in 2003.
There was none of the glitter and glam seen at top fairs like Art Basel Miami Beach, where as many as 100 private jets, fleets of luxury cars, and lavish parties punctuate the frenzy of sales. In Tokyo, Akie Abe, wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and local celebrities jostled in the cramped 3,000 square meter space. Artist Takashi Murakami attended the preview.
Some exhibitors dressed in colorful Kimonos and guests were offered traditional bowls of green tea from tea masters. The sedate atmosphere did not extend to the buying.
``We sold almost everything,'' said Masami Shiraishi, owner of SCAI the Bathhouse gallery, whose sales included a Julian Opie lightbox for 10 million yen. ``I have a big hope that the art market here will get stronger. Word will spread.''
Monster Dung
From Mizuma Gallery's booth issued loud torrents of Makoto Aida's video showing the creation of his ``Jomon Shiki Kaiju no Unko'' (Jomon Period Monster Dung) installation. Video, placard, photos and T-shirt went to one buyer for 3 million yen.
In some cases, the fair offered better bargains than the auction. MEM Gallery sold a Tomoko Sawada photo collage for 1.1 million yen. A similar work from the same series by the artist went at the auction for 1.4 million yen.
Many fair exhibitors showed classic and modern nihonga scrolls and screens. A Keishi Takashima nihonga painting sold for 5.6 million yen at Gallery Eginu. Beautiful Noh masks at Tannaka Gallery went for up to 1.5 million yen. An antique Noh costume sold for 4.5 million yen.
Ming Vase
Ceramics and chinaware also sold well. At T. Edo Inouye & Son Oriental Art, a late-17th century Nabeshima-ware dish fetched 1.8 million yen, while a small Chinese Ming vase went for 5 million yen.
``I'm hoping the fair becomes more open to international galleries,'' said owner Yukichi Inouye. ``We want to be a center of Asia for art fairs.''
Overseas interest is stirring. Mitochu Koeki Co. sold out of the contemporary ceramics of Amsterdam-based solo artist Wouter Dam for prices ranging from 350,000 to 600,000 yen. Gallery Bhak from Seoul and Gallery 55 from Shanghai took stands.
American Kara Besher, Director of Tokyo's Maru Gallery sold 12 of her 19 Kenya Kotake paintings, some for $10,000 or more.
``I've noticed more buyers from Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong than in 2005,'' said Besher. ``This may not be as dynamic as many international art fairs but we don't have the history. The Shanghai art fair in November has 10 times more galleries, 10 times more viewers and has been running for 10 more years. Still, a lot of people want to come here to buy Japanese contemporary works. The prices here are much cheaper.''
New Collectors
A new wave of young Japanese collectors was also apparent.
``They are young and casual, in their 20s, 30s and 40s,'' said Misa Shin, director of the fair. ``Many are in banking and there are quite a few younger women.''
With more international collectors looking for reasonably priced art, sales in Japan's market are likely to keep rising.
``I think a small art fair can be very good,'' Jack Tilton, owner of New York's Jack Tilton Gallery, said at the show. ``They just have to work on getting quality young art. There can be a fine line in Asia between kitsch and art.''
(Lucy Birmingham Fujii writes on art for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)
To contact the writer on this story: Lucy Birmingham Fujii in Tokyo at lfujii@gol.com .
Sotheby's Russian art auction sets new records
Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:56PM EDT
NEW YORK, April 18 (Reuters Life!) - Sotheby's modern and contemporary Russian art sale surpassed expectations and broke several records in New York, with total sales of over $50 million, the auction house said on Wednesday.
The two-day sale, which featured 526 lots of art pieces and 19th- and 20th-century paintings, was estimated to total $48.5 million.
"We are absolutely thrilled with the results of the two-day sale which totaled nearly as much as our last, record-breaking sale, but with more than 200 less lots, reinforcing the fact that collectors are looking for top-quality works across all categories," said Sonya Bekkerman and Gerard Hill, Sotheby's experts in Russian paintings and decorative art, in a statement.
Among the standout works were Mikhail Nesterov's "Vision of St. Sergius When a Child," an oil-in-canvas painting from 1922, which was the top seller at $4.3 million, well above its estimate of $2 million.
A rare Faberge gold and enamel miniature empire-style armchair fetched $2.3 million, which exceeded its estimate.
The third-annual Russian art sale by Sotheby's follows in the footsteps of last year's sale, which sold a record-breaking $46.7 million in Russian art in New York.
Source : http://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSN1829726620070418
NEW YORK, April 18 (Reuters Life!) - Sotheby's modern and contemporary Russian art sale surpassed expectations and broke several records in New York, with total sales of over $50 million, the auction house said on Wednesday.
The two-day sale, which featured 526 lots of art pieces and 19th- and 20th-century paintings, was estimated to total $48.5 million.
"We are absolutely thrilled with the results of the two-day sale which totaled nearly as much as our last, record-breaking sale, but with more than 200 less lots, reinforcing the fact that collectors are looking for top-quality works across all categories," said Sonya Bekkerman and Gerard Hill, Sotheby's experts in Russian paintings and decorative art, in a statement.
Among the standout works were Mikhail Nesterov's "Vision of St. Sergius When a Child," an oil-in-canvas painting from 1922, which was the top seller at $4.3 million, well above its estimate of $2 million.
A rare Faberge gold and enamel miniature empire-style armchair fetched $2.3 million, which exceeded its estimate.
The third-annual Russian art sale by Sotheby's follows in the footsteps of last year's sale, which sold a record-breaking $46.7 million in Russian art in New York.
Source : http://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSN1829726620070418
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