Burart Diary
Burart Diary, published every Monday morning.
A diary-style column in which the editor rambles about everyday happenings and the little thoughts that come to mind.
Please read it whenever you have a spare moment.
Buying art online
The other day I bought a print worth several tens of thousands of yen from a commercial gallery.
It was by an artist I had been wanting for some time, so I was thrilled to add the work to my collection — until I realised that the exact same piece was being sold on a certain contemporary-art e-commerce site for seven to eight times the price (already sold out).
I hear all sorts of stories about that particular sales platform in various places. Even when you spot a work you want, it is worth thinking twice. If you know which gallery represents the artist, I would recommend contacting them first. Of course, if you find something you love, buy it — and there may well be bargains to be had. In the end, the decision is yours.
Shanghai art fair
Over the weekend I took a three-day, two-night trip to the Shanghai art fairs.
I only made up my mind two or three weeks beforehand, spurred on by the momentum of fellow gallerists and collectors around me.
On Friday the 8th I visited “ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair 2019.” The venue was the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
I was drawn in by a collaboration bag with Kohei Nawa, shown under the title “DIOR LADY ART.”
I was also fortunate to gain entry to “Prada Rong Zhai.”
It is a museum run by PRADA, a Western-style mansion created by renovating a former private residence. The atmosphere and the hospitality of the staff made it a wonderfully comfortable place.
At Prada Rong Zhai I was lucky enough to catch the solo exhibition “Rear Windows” by contemporary artist Li Qing. The exhibition runs until 19 January 2020.
The following Saturday I went to “West Bund Art & Design,” held on a site facing the Huangpu River that runs through central Shanghai. The scenery reminded me of Toyosu or Odaiba in Tokyo.
The fair takes place in an art-rich neighbourhood, surrounded by many galleries and museums.
ART021 and West Bund Art & Design have quite different personalities, and comparing them is part of the fun. Personally, my preference tipped towards West Bund Art & Design. Compared with the somewhat insular atmosphere of ART021, it had a global feel closer to Art Basel.
Art fairs abroad
When you attend an art fair held overseas, your attention naturally turns to things that differ from Japan.
The trend of works on display is different, of course, and the profile and behaviour of visitors change dramatically too — you can really feel the world at large. It was also different from Art Basel Hong Kong in March this year. Each fair has its own operational quirks, which are quite interesting to observe closely.
I flew to Shanghai on miles, so the airfare came to just 10,000 yen in taxes and surcharges. Two nights of lodging also cost around 10,000 yen, and meals and taxis are cheap. Above all, the flight is over in a flash. It is such an accessible distance that I can see myself popping over on a whim again. English does not get through very easily, which is a source of stress, but Shanghai has become a familiar place for me. And the air was noticeably cleaner than when I was there on business earlier this year. Last time it was so bad I actually felt unwell…
I was invited to dinner by the director of one of the exhibiting galleries.
Chatting with various collectors was stimulating, full of stories I had never heard and other fascinating topics. What struck me most was how each of them, despite busy schedules, makes lightning trips to international art fairs. My next overseas fair will probably be Art Basel Hong Kong in March…
I’ll report on the Shanghai experience in more detail another day.
See you next week!
art on Editor-in-Chief
Mahiro Kobayashi
