Sotheby's in Moscow: An Interview with Mark Poltimore
ARTinvestment.RU   25 мая 2010

Vice Chairman and CEO of Sotheby's Europe, Mark Poltimore answered questions AI

already traditional Pre-auction Sotheby's shows have become a significant and enjoyable event for the Russian art market. May show in Moscow beforehand, the coming Russian auction Sotheby's, which will be held in three sessions 7 and June 9, 2010 in London. In the Hall Historical Museum, brought the top lots: work , Ayvazovsky , A. Yakovlev , , Yuri Annenkov , Pimenov Yu , O. Vasilyev . Russian first names are "watered down" individual masterpieces from the upcoming auction "impressionists and modernists, which start June 22 - in particular, canvases by Pablo Picasso and Chaim Soutine .

ARTinvestment.RU gladly looked exhibition and took the opportunity to ask some questions, Lord Mark Poltimore - Deputy Chairman of Sotheby's Europe.

ARTinvestment.RU: How many times have you brought a great show. It is regrettable that such a display case, only a couple of times a year. Do Sotheby's plans often bring to us the important works of not only Russian, but also the world's major trading: postwar modernists, impressionist, modern Western art?

Mark Poltimore : Every year we hold two auctions of impressionists and modernists in London and two in New York. So we have to travel a lot to show work around the world. In Russia we go twice a year, in 2011 we plan to do it more often. You have to understand that it's quite expensive, so we need to find the correct balance.

AI: For a common vision: how difficult to organize such shows?

MP : Not that hard. C every time it gets easier, because the system has been streamlined. Another thing that is difficult to meet the tight schedule. In addition, the organization showing cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Transportation, security, insurance, additional staff - all this is good money.

AI: How do you assess the dynamics of the Russian market?

MP : Russian art market in general shows a very good growth. Trade turnover by the Department of Russian Art Sotheby's, has grown from 9 million in 2001 to approximately $ 250 million in 2009. But that is especially important, through the experience of collecting Russian art buyers appear interested in and to works of world-class - the Impressionists and others.

AI: Sotheby's The first was to include a clip of contemporary Russian arts and even accompanied him on specialized trades in contrast to the more conservative rivals. Will the current year in this practice?

MP : In the catalog of the June trade is a small section of contemporary Russian art. However, some trades on the Russian contemporary art this year we will not hold.

AI: How do you evaluate three years of Russian "daughter" houses Sotheby's?

MP : The facts speak for themselves. We have secured a confident dominance in the market, ahead of nearest rivals, and we belong to the largest share of the Russian market. We are proud of our achievements, but do not intend to rest on our laurels.

AI: Are there many new buyers from Russia came in 2009?

MP : New buyers appear at auction. Thus, at the last auction in New York among the buyers were five new ones, about which we knew nothing. I can not say whether they were from Russia, but pleased that each auction brings more and more new buyers.

AI: According to your impressions, who are these people? Collectors or investors? It is clear that such information people do not give, but at the level of intuition?

MP : People buy for different reasons: some to interior, the other for investment. We are, of course, customers are asked how the prices will rise at a particular artist. But we say that not have a clue. There is an iron rule: if the quality of a good thing, then we recommend it. Another question is who is meant by good quality. My father-in-a very old man, who for nearly seven decades of work on the art market, tells me: "If you have ten thousand pounds, Spend them on a good picture, but do not buy 10 paintings for a thousand pounds."

AI: Good advice. According to our experience as a site that talks about investing in art, in the past three years, interest in investment in the arts has grown significantly. For sensations, it is growing group of potential investors and growing healthy.

MP : Russian consumers spend big money and, naturally, think about the recoverability of investments. But we must remember that in order to realize the investment potential of art, usually requires a minimum of five years. But more often five to ten years. With regard specifically to the Russian market, you probably are right. Here customers increasingly using art as an investment tool.

AI: And if you compare Russia to other markets, with the same Chinese. Strongly whether different motivation buyers?

MP : In the actions of Russian buyers more passion and more "investment patriotism. Taking the usual Russian buyer, the first acquisition, which he does - is the work of Russian artist, not French. Generally, when a buyer a lot of money, he tries to get the best out of what can afford. And very often in such a case preferred the works of French impressionists.

AI: Increasingly audible complained that the auction house selected corn galleries. How do you feel about that?

MP : Just the auction houses are very large. Judge for yourself: if you are going to sell his Picasso, who are you to offer it for sale? Incur a small gallery or a large public area where it sees a huge number of potential buyers? And besides, through the gallery you are unlikely to be able to get access to a rich clientele, for example, from China. And through the auction will be able to. This gallery in London complain that they need Russian clients, but do not know where to find them. And we know.

AI: If you look at the proposal of June Russian trading, can you give us one thing you would buy myself?

MP : Portrait Annenkov (Yury Annenkov. Portrait Zinovei Grzhebin. 1919. Estimeyt 800-1200 thousand pounds. - AI. ). He is amazing. Had I wished that someone had painted a portrait of me, I would prefer that it did so. Actually, I'm not a big fan of portraits, but this thing is delightful: a feeling that this surprisingly transmitted highlight points ... It creates the feeling that people are familiar with personally.

Interviews conducted Constantine Babulin and Vladimir Bogdanov, AI