The Race to Find New Art Collectors

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
By Kelly Crow

Korean collector Hong-gyu Shin bid on a $142 million Francis Bacon, but lost Nicholas Hunt/Patrick McMullan

In early May, Christie's invited a group of 18 new collectors from China to visit New York. The auction house threw the guests a lavish dinner at its Rockefeller Center ballroom, escorted them on guided tours through the Museum of Moden Art and arranged VIP tickets to a local art fair. Christie's efforts paid off: During its May 13 contemporary art ales, members of the grip placed bids on at least half the top 10 priciest pieces in what became a historic $745 million auction. [link]

A quarter of all art-auction sales were made to first-time buyers this year. An inside look at Sotheby's and Christie's global quest to identify and recruit them.

White Mid-Century Blues Collectors Are Getting a Lot of Attention Today

THE NEW REPUBLIC
By Barry Mazor

In mid-April, The New York Times Magazine published a cover story that might have been taken as a sign of a leap in interest in pre-World War II acoustic blues. Constructed to maximize suspense, that story—and the peculiarities of white, educated blues obsessives—was the element that justified the article’s prominence in a publication not otherwise known for introducing forgotten music by minor artists of earlier eras. The magazine’s editors are not alone. In the weeks since then, four new books have been published that take up related themes: stories of middlemen blues researchers and record collectors, often, of guys who’ve been both. [link]

3rd Day of Christmas 2013: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest @DisneyBritton

"Father-Son: One" (2013) by Quincy Owens

If Michelangelo's "Pietà" represents one end of the spectrum of faith-based design, Quincy Owen's " Father-Son: One" must be the other. Owen's recent experiment was creating a series of meticulously smoothed mini-monoliths of wood, and we chose one as our joint Frankincense gift for the Spirit. The wood is from the pew of an abandoned church, and is fifteen inches tall symbolizing acts created by the energy of Divine grace. Our two other gifts: “Gold” (for the mind) were a "Histomap of Faith through the Ages" and a William's Sonoma cocoa maker; along with Myrrh (for the body) --- an outfit from Saks Fifth Ave and a winter coat from North Face. It is however, the gift of “Frankincense” that most reflects the reason that we celebrate these 12 Days of Christmas.

A Culture of Bidding: Forging an Art Market in China

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By David Barboza, Graham Bowley and Amanda Cox

Ma Weidu, a major collector who picked up some pieces in
exchange for cigarettes after the Cultural Revolution devalued art.

CHINA---“The market is in a very dubious stage,” said Alexander Zacke, an expert in Asian art who runs Auctionata, an international online auction house. While the luxury-buying habits in China often mimic those in the West, the demand for art reflects uniquely Chinese tastes. While the rest of the world bids up Pollocks and Rothkos, Chinese buyers typically pursue traditional Chinese pieces, some by 15th-century masters, and others by modern artists, like Zhang Daqian, one of many who have chosen to work in that old style. [link]

Basic Tips for Art Collectors

HERALD EXTRA
By Santiago Michalek

UTAH---By way of introduction I am Santiago Michalek. I am a local artist, an oil painter, and I love what I do! In each column I will address two groups - collectors and artists. Here are a few tips for the art collector wanting to start a collection: (1)Develop your taste for the arts; (2) Develop an understanding of the artist; and (3) Be prepared. Don’t head out to a show or gallery without knowing what space in your home you want to fill. [link]

Collector Promoting Art of Islamic Prayer Beads

DAILY NEWS

Mehmet Erkoç's aim is to revive this art, which is almost forgotten, he says. AA photo

TURKEY---A researcher and writer living in the central province of Kırıkkale has opened prayer bead exhibitions in many parts of the world to introduce people to the art of these religious symbols with his own widening prayer bead collection, which includes some 100-year-old prayer beads. Mehmet Erkoç has been researching and collecting prayer beads, known as tespih in Turkey, for 35 years. The prayer beads culture existed since the beginning of Islam, Erkoç said. [link]