A Conversation with Alexandra Peers Last night I joined a group of art world professionals at the Art of Leadership Lecture Series hosted by Bonhams. The guest of the evening was Alexandra Peers who graced us with unfettered guidance to art collecting. Here are some notes I took on the interview: Americans will have less influence on the art world. The Middle East will replace the west, not only dominating the market but also becoming the new tastemakers.  Iranian artists are going to explode! Galleries/dealers who bear “museum pretensions and Walmart realities” suck. The idea of the galleries employing the “stable of artists” system (Want this Rosenquist? Buy this lesser-known artist I represent) is becoming less likely as power is currently in the hands of the collectors.  People like Adam Lindemann, Tobias Meyer, and Peter Brant are determining what’s market worthy.  Museums are desperate for funding. So they turn to collectors. Trade-off? Exhibitions. It’s not a blockbuster era in the museum world.  What’s the deal with young patron groups? Are they influencing museum management or exhibitions? No, not really, unless these young patrons turn to old patrons with more $$$. And ladies, it’s not a good place to find a husband. (that’s Peers’ advice, not mine).  I think I like art. I want to learn more. Where should I start? Museums because it’s the pure art experience. (Doy) Strategy for collecting: 1) go to both auction houses and galleries. 2) Seek artists in the 53-65 yr old range. Like who you ask? Well, Fischl, Schanbel, Halley are a good place to start. They have pieces from their oeuvre that are relatively inexpensive. Try smaller Calders too. And Cuban art, particularly Tomas Sanchez y Los Carpinteros. Peers predicts that art will flow more freely once our governments make amends. 3) See if the artist you’re looking into is strong from the top down. 4) Rise in paparazzi photos means people like Weegee who’s the grandfather of that sort of journalism/tabloid history would be more valuable.  Most art sucks (t’s also the name of a book Peers’ friend wrote. Buy it). Most things you see will not go up in value. So what’s the dealio? It’s an “enjoyable percentage of a well-rounded portfolio.” Also, these days art is more liquid than ever before. You can take loans out on it. “Just remember the cardinal rule of art collecting. Never buy art on vacation or on a cruise ship. (still wondering how Santa Fe is the 2nd largest market in the U.S. That Sotheby’s Institute trip was oh so useless).  On art investing: “Get your money back in 7, double it in 14.” Basically, your kids will reap the benefits.  British Rail Pension Fund art investing venture discovered: a) multiples of works did okay but individuals did excellently. b) art is almost as valuable as real estate. Collecting as a hobby peaks in people at 50. Then they stop. Which is a shame because it’s a very fulfilling and exciting hobby and should be a lifelong commitment.  Young collectors should shop by dealer as much as by artist. If you can’t get access to a dealer, (Gagosian is ignoring my calls, jk), then see who the last dealer of a particular artist is or maybe even the one before that.  Auctions: sales are much more choreographed than they used to be. You see a lot more pre-pricing, financial mechanisms in place to secure sale. Meaning they’re not the barometer of the art market anymore.  Last week’s sales: Showed real strength for sculpture. Day sales are more interesting than evening sales. Matthew Day Jackson- we saw a lot of him because Tobias Meyer said that’s what the youngins in the frat house I call Sotheby’s are talking about over beerpong on the 10th floor cafe.  Art Basel Miami Beach is the Woodstock of today. So I better see you all there this December! Hopefully Vido Schnabel’s party will be just as much of a scene and the crackheads of Wyndwood are still hanging tight.  That’s all folks.  Simmy Swinder

A Conversation with Alexandra Peers

Last night I joined a group of art world professionals at the Art of Leadership Lecture Series hosted by Bonhams. The guest of the evening was Alexandra Peers who graced us with unfettered guidance to art collecting. Here are some notes I took on the interview:

Americans will have less influence on the art world. The Middle East will replace the west, not only dominating the market but also becoming the new tastemakers. 

Iranian artists are going to explode!

Galleries/dealers who bear “museum pretensions and Walmart realities” suck.

The idea of the galleries employing the “stable of artists” system (Want this Rosenquist? Buy this lesser-known artist I represent) is becoming less likely as power is currently in the hands of the collectors. 

People like Adam Lindemann, Tobias Meyer, and Peter Brant are determining what’s market worthy. 

Museums are desperate for funding. So they turn to collectors. Trade-off? Exhibitions. It’s not a blockbuster era in the museum world. 

What’s the deal with young patron groups? Are they influencing museum management or exhibitions? No, not really, unless these young patrons turn to old patrons with more $$$. And ladies, it’s not a good place to find a husband. (that’s Peers’ advice, not mine). 

I think I like art. I want to learn more. Where should I start? Museums because it’s the pure art experience. (Doy)

Strategy for collecting: 1) go to both auction houses and galleries. 2) Seek artists in the 53-65 yr old range. Like who you ask? Well, Fischl, Schanbel, Halley are a good place to start. They have pieces from their oeuvre that are relatively inexpensive. Try smaller Calders too. And Cuban art, particularly Tomas Sanchez y Los Carpinteros. Peers predicts that art will flow more freely once our governments make amends. 3) See if the artist you’re looking into is strong from the top down. 4) Rise in paparazzi photos means people like Weegee who’s the grandfather of that sort of journalism/tabloid history would be more valuable. 

Most art sucks (t’s also the name of a book Peers’ friend wrote. Buy it). Most things you see will not go up in value. So what’s the dealio? It’s an “enjoyable percentage of a well-rounded portfolio.” Also, these days art is more liquid than ever before. You can take loans out on it. “Just remember the cardinal rule of art collecting. Never buy art on vacation or on a cruise ship. (still wondering how Santa Fe is the 2nd largest market in the U.S. That Sotheby’s Institute trip was oh so useless). 

On art investing: “Get your money back in 7, double it in 14.” Basically, your kids will reap the benefits. 

British Rail Pension Fund art investing venture discovered: a) multiples of works did okay but individuals did excellently. b) art is almost as valuable as real estate.

Collecting as a hobby peaks in people at 50. Then they stop. Which is a shame because it’s a very fulfilling and exciting hobby and should be a lifelong commitment. 

Young collectors should shop by dealer as much as by artist. If you can’t get access to a dealer, (Gagosian is ignoring my calls, jk), then see who the last dealer of a particular artist is or maybe even the one before that. 

Auctions: sales are much more choreographed than they used to be. You see a lot more pre-pricing, financial mechanisms in place to secure sale. Meaning they’re not the barometer of the art market anymore. 

Last week’s sales: Showed real strength for sculpture. Day sales are more interesting than evening sales. Matthew Day Jackson- we saw a lot of him because Tobias Meyer said that’s what the youngins in the frat house I call Sotheby’s are talking about over beerpong on the 10th floor cafe. 

Art Basel Miami Beach is the Woodstock of today. So I better see you all there this December! Hopefully Vido Schnabel’s party will be just as much of a scene and the crackheads of Wyndwood are still hanging tight. 

That’s all folks. 

Simmy Swinder