AO Art Observed™

Cory Arcangel’s “Golden Ticket” to the 2008 Frieze Art Fair via Artnet

With over 150 galleries, The Frieze Art Fair, set in London’s Regent’s Park, began selling works by over 1,000 artists on October 15. Since its first year in 2003, the Frieze fair has grown to be regarded as the youngest and perhaps the most cosmopolitan and cutting edge of the global fairs, which include Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach and the Venice Biennial. The fair, which runs until the 19th of October, and the London auctions that will occur this evening and this coming weekend, mark the first major opportunity for transparency into the the status of the global art market since the widespread financial turmoil began. Following Damien Hirst’s groundbreaking, clearing house, £111.5 million, direct-to-market auction of his own work at Sotheby’s last month (as covered by ArtObserved here) the market has had some clouds brewing over it, with beginning indications of weakness manifesting in events such as Sotheby’s lackluster first evening sale of contemporary Asian art in Hong Kong earlier this month (as covered by ArtObserved here), which sold £7 million against expectations of £30 million to another auction that same weekend in which Sotheby’s sale of modern 20th-century Chinese art left over a third of the lots unsold. More recently, the Singapore Art Auctions were also a dissapointment.

London’s Frieze Prepares for a Chill [Wall Street Journal]
Crisis Imperils U.K. Art Fairs, $183 Million Sales, Dealers Say and Auction Houses Guarantee Top Lots; Dealers See Falling Demand and Paltrow, Saatchi, Zhukova Browse Frieze Art as Sales Go Slowly, Aguilera Parties, Damien Hirst Has a Head Case: London Art Buzz [Bloomberg]
Deep Frieze: UK’s hottest art fair braces itself for the chill of the banking crisis and Prank canvas [GuardianUK]
Frieze Art Fair: Super-rich to cast economic crisis aside and Andy Warhol’s Skulls up for auction [Telegraph]
All the fun of the fairs: the art world gathers for Frieze [Independent]
The Post-Materialist | Frieze Art Fair [TheMoment]
Diary: Frieze Frame [ArtForum]
Frieze Factor [Artnet]
Frieze: First night blur [ArtReview]
Frieze Art Fair 2008 [Frieze Art Fair]

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A silica gel sculpture “Communication” by Cang Xn in the new Saatchi Gallery via Reuters

One of the most influential art collectors, Charles Saatchi, who years ago jump started the careers of the Young British Artists such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, has opened his new gallery in Chelsea in Central, London. The neoclassical former military barracks from 1801 known as the Duke of York Headquarters building is the now home to Saatchi’s gallery and his opening exhibit called “The Revolution Continues: New Art From China.” Within the space, a standard “white cube” internal architecture, the inaugural group show features works of art from the most of the top contemporary Chinese artists. Duke of York Headquarters buildings provides an impressive 70,000 square feet of space of gallery space, and in its past life was the military headquarters and barracks for the Duke’s soldiers.

Also notable is that the new Saatchi Gallery, a huge space that compares with City or National arts spaces in its scope and quality of offerings, is entirely free, due to a corporate sponsorship by Phillips de Pury & Company, which only this week was purchased by the Mercury Group of Russia, as reported by Art Observed yesterday here.

Saatchi Gallery Website
Saatchi Gallery Opens at Duke of York’s HQ Building, Chelsea [Artdaily]
Saatchi leads Chinese revolution with video here, and more video here [BBC]
Classical frame for Saatchi’s brand-new look [Financial Times]
Art guru Saatchi back with new gallery, China show [Reuters]
Saatchi’s New London Gallery Hails Britart, Chinese Revolution [Bloomberg]
Charles Saatchi’s old favourites - made in China [TimesUK]
Stuck with Saatchi [ArtReview]
The Revolution continues at the new Saatchi Gallery [TimesUK]
The verdict on Saatchi’s new gallery and Dog chews and Mao [Independent]
Saatchi Gallery: great space, shame about the art and Saatchi gallery: a study in blandness [GuardianUK]
Last scene by Saatchi and Charles Saatchi: Did I say that? and Is it third time lucky for Saatchi gallery? [GuardianUK]
Saatchi Gallery Opening - London [Jean Pigozzi for Colette]
Update: Opening of the Week: Saatchi rolls out the red carpet [Independent]

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The Revolution Continues, ‘Untitled’‘ (1999) by Yue Minjun, via Saatchi Gallery

Charles Saatchi, one of the UK’s wealthiest and largest art collectors, will re-open his renowned contemporary art gallery at its new home in the Duke of York’s former military barracks, following several delays and false starts due in part to construction issues. The gallery’s first exhibition will be The Revolution Continues: New Art from China, which will run from the gallery’s opening on October 9th until January 18th, 2009. The inaugural exhibit will feature 30 artists China’s white-hot contemporary art scene, including marquee names such as Yue Minjun, Fang Lijun, and Zhang Xiaogang. In line with fulfilling the new Saatchi gallery’s goal of introducing contemporary art to a broader (and younger) audience, admission to the gallery’s exhibits will be free thanks to a sponsorship deal with Phillips de Pury & Company.

Saatchi Gallery
Saatchi Gallery London: Virtual Tour
Saatchi Gallery Moves to New Home [GuardianUK]
Saatchi Finds a Home [NY Times]

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Charlotte Rampling will star in ‘Boogie Woogie’ via carmenhaid.com

In November of this year ‘Boogie Woogie’ a comedy lampooning the fine art world is set to be released. Boogie Woogie has a strong cast and is directed by the documentary film maker Duncan Ward, who is the husband of art curator Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst. The film is based on a novel published in 2000 and written by Danny Moynihan, who was once curator and is a friend of the artist Damien Hirst. Hirst created a limited-edition cover for the book which featured works by Sarah Lucas, Marc Quinn and Jeff Koons. Additionally, Charles Saatchi was quoted in the jacket comments for the book.

Top-notch cast lined up for art world spoof [Guardian UK]
Boogie Woogie movie detail [IMDB]
Boogie Woogie the novel [Amazon]
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Painting of Myra Handley by artist Marcus Harvey via Time

At a promotional event in Beijing for the London 2012 Olympics, a video montage produced by Visit London has sparked controversy when a photo of a painting by British artist Marcus Harvey came across the screen. The painting depicts the British child murderer, Myra Hindley; as an unintentional representation of British Heritage. The video was intended to promote London and the coming 2012 Olympics, but the quick glimpse one of London’s most prominent murderers was likely done in accidentally rather than in “poor taste”. The painting is very recognizable as a major fixture in Charles Saatchi’s famous 1997 Sensation shown in London and the Brooklyn Museum.

Myra Hindley casts Olympic shadow [Telegraph]
2012 Hindley image use condemned, view footage of the event here [BBC]
Olympics: London tourism body attacked over murderer portrait in promo [AFP]
Monster Movie [Times]
Censoring provocative art is the worst advert for 2012 [GuardianUK]

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Tracey Emin at her Retrospective at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art via Guardian

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh is presenting a retrospective of the notorious British artist Tracey Emin. The exhibition is called ‘20 Years’, and will run through November 9.  Emin’s range of work has been described as highly emotional, in the way that it deals with personal events of her life, such as abortion, rape, pregnancy, and death. The retrospective shows her life’s work, which includes installations, videos, photographs, drawings, sculptures, and ready-mades. The exhibition is void of one of her most famous works, Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995, which was destroyed in the Momart fire in 2004.  Charles Saatchi, the wealthy collector and owner of the piece, offered to pay her $2 million for her to make another, but Emin declined.

Tracey Emin, 20 Years at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh [TimesOnline]
Highs and lows of bra, bed, and blankets: but is it all a bit too much? [Guardian]
Tracey Emin achieves eminence at last as enfant terrible grows up [Telegraph]
Tracy Emin’s work crude and self-centred? That’s missing the point [Independent]
Tracey Emin: 20 Years at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art [24 Hour Museum]
Take me or leave me, Tracey Emin retrospective full of self-confession [Financial Times]
Tracey was here [Guardian]
View Video of Tracey Emin and her work here [FactualTV]

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Untitled, Yue Minjun (2005) via Saatchi Gallery

The Saatchi Gallery will open its new London site on October 9th in the Duke of York’s Headquarters building on King’s Road. The gallery, founded by advertising executive Charles Saatchi, will feature contemporary Chinese artists in its inaugural exhibition: “The Revolution Continues: New Art from China.” According to the gallery’s publicists, Freud Communications, the show will feature works from 30 leading painters, sculptors, and installation artists, such as Yue Minjun, Feng Zhengjie, Zhang Xiaogang, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Dali, Zhang Haiying, Qiu Jie, and many more.

Saatchi’s pledge for new art gallery [Guardian]
The Revolution Continues: New Chinese Art [Saatchi Gallery]
Saatchi Gallery to Open at New London Site With Chinese Artists [Bloomberg]
Saatchi Gallery to Open at New London Site With Chinese Artists [GG-Art]
View a virtual tour of the gallery here [Saatchi Gallery]

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Jacob Rothschild via BBC

Interview with Lord Jacob Rothschild, scion of legendary collector family [The Economist]
Tracey Emin rejects offer to remake her definitive ‘Sensation’ work: “Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–95,” which burned at the Saatchi gallery warehouse in 2004 [Artinfo]
Guggenheim Foundation expands, taking over 60,000 sf in West Soho [Crain's New York]
Blue chip gallery Pace Wildenstein is up and running in Beijing before the Olympics [NYSun]
More on the China thing: Beijing’s 798 art district prepares for sales tied to the Olympic rush [WallStreetJournal]
And still more on the China thing: female Chinese artists move to the forefront [NYTimes]

Hume, Four Doors I, (1989-90) via ArtBistro

Almost two decades after Gary Hume emerged onto the British art scene with his famous “Door Paintings”, the Modern Art Oxford will present the first survey of his work. The exhibition will go through August 31 and was curated by Suzanne Cotter. The first of his “Door Paintings” was inspired by an ad for a British private health insurance company, which featured an image of waiting in a dismal hospital waiting area. Since then, the style of his doors have evolved and the series has provided Hume with great success. His works are large scale, monochrome, painted with household gloss paint.

Garry Hume: Door Paintings [Modern Art Oxford]
Gary Hume at Modern Art Oxford [Artbistro]
Gary Hume: the doors that unhinged the establishment [Telegraph]
Gary Hume: Door Paintings [Artrabbit] (more…)

Charles Saatchi via arts guardian.co.uk

In an event reminiscent of seminal moments in the YBA (Young British Artist) scene years ago, three students from the Royal Academy met good fortune when the affluent collector, Charles Saatchi, bought out the majority of all their works.  The chosen three, Angus Danders-Dunnachie, Jill Mason, and Carla Busuttil are names that we will likely hear again.  Saatchi has created a reputation for himself by making early purchases that helped jump-start the careers of the now famous Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin, Jake and Dinos Champan, and Natasha Kissell.

Charles Saatchi Buys Student Art at Royal Academy Show [Artinfo]
Saatchi Taps Young Artists [nytimes]
Charles Saatchi makes three artists’ fortunes at art show [timesonline.uk]

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Charles Saatchi via ArteSpain

Charles Saatchi, the influential British art dealer and advertising magnate, has signed a deal with The Art Trading Fund to advise contemporary art purchases in the Western market, as well as the emerging markets of China, India and the Middle East. Saatchi will garner more corporate patrons for his gallery and will receive a percentage of profits on pieces of art that go through his hands; the fund is hoping he “will bring global expertise to our plans to enter new markets.”

Hegde Funds gets tips on hottest artists [Bloomberg]
Art For Money’s Sake [Portfolio]
Saatchi to Advise Art Fund on Deals [New York Times]
Saatchi Signs Deal with Art Trading Fund [Artinfo]
Charles Saatchi will advise fine art hedge fund [Wall Street Journal]
World’s First Regulated Art Hedge Fund [Financial News]
Charles Saatchi [Wikipedia]
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