LUIS GISPERT
LV Escalade. 2009-2010. Circulation 6 copies.
sold at the booth picture Mary Boone
for 25 thousand dollars each

One of the most striking trends of today's art market - the growing number of so-called "mega-galleries' giants of the art business, seeking to bring its brand on a global level. A recent contemporary art fair Art Basel Miami Beach (the largest event of its kind on the other side of the Atlantic) clearly show who is the highest level in the hierarchy of the art market. Among those who got the best seats, - Barbara Gladstone, David Zwirner, Gagosian Gallery, Pace, and Hauser & Wirth.

«reality of the market demand to expand, to make themselves more loudly as possible - says one of the participants in Art Basel, the dealer Thaddeus Ropach (Thaddaeus Ropac). - is no longer enough to have several branches in different cities. Better when a few points in the same city. " This year Ropach opened a second gallery on the account in Salzburg, he soon going to acquire a branch in Paris.

most actively growing, of course, Larry Gagosian (Larry Gagosian), whose empire covers eight cities. In early 2011 in Hong Kong will open its doors to its eleventh gallery. Dealer focused on collectors who have an extremely lot of money but little time: the rich clients, who live in the capitals of the art market, now will not have to fly over the works of popular artists abroad: all here, near by. Other galleries carefully adopt the rules of the game - unless, of course, the budget allows.

For those who believe that the place of art - in the market of luxury goods, the advent of big brands is a logical step in the development market. In many regions where the concentration zone sverhbogatstva formed relatively recently, that's art, and buy - many of these areas have already flooded the international brands and the leading dealers see no reason why they should not go on the heels of LMVH, Cartier and other similar companies.

vocabulary used by many retail dealers. "When it comes to that, I would like to see my gallery compared to a house of haute couture, but not with any supplier of luxury goods," - says Hafkens Xavier (Xavier Hufkens), more than twenty years managing a gallery in Brussels . Another dealer, Adam Sheffer of Cheim & Read, states: "Some artists want their gallery was like a boutique, while others - like a supermarket like Walmart». Shaffer sells works of art in New York, said that he would soon open a branch in Los Angeles.

Another reason for the expansion of galleries - a boom in contemporary art. As noted by Ivan Wirth (Iwan Wirth) from Hauser & Wirth, together with price increases in this segment increased and exhibition areas. Recently, Wirth, who also has galleries in New York and Zurich, opened in London is the second area, the size of 1,4 thousand square meters. According to Thaddeus Ropacha, "artists will not be for years to wait until thou canst give them a show. If we are unable to quickly provide them with exhibition space, it will someone else ».

Do not forget the fact that dealers in recent years, a powerful competitor - the large auction houses. Last increasingly satisfied with the exhibition and sale, is actively using the services of curators. "If they open branches around the world, why can not picture doing the same thing? - Says Schaeffer. - They will have to work as a team».

Some dealers, however, choose alternative ways to grow your business. Among them - Matthias Arndt (Matthias Arndt). In 2005 he had a picture in four countries (in Berlin - already three branches), but now his name is just one area. Gallery owner, argues that the decision "uplotnitsya" allowed him "to do what I want - the art of trading in the primary market, rather than wasting time in meetings with tax advisers in three different countries».

Xavier Hafkens emphasizes the importance of personal contact: "Well, when only one in ystavochnoe space, only one person with whom you can talk to just one person with whom there are collectors and artists - the only way to truly ensure that happening with your product ».

Despite the fact that the expansion projects require more money - an estimated Arndt, keep five branches in different countries can afford only galleries with an annual turnover of at least 100 millions of dollars - an art empire quite successful at winning over smaller rivals artists, staff and clients. However, according to Wirth, the small gallery also benefit in this situation: the activities of mega-galleries of a beneficial effect on the level of popularity of contemporary art. "Not only are the market leaders escalated - those galleries, which used to be two staff members were able to hire several more, open platform, which under other circumstances, simply would never have." Nevertheless, as remarked Adam Schaeffer: "When it comes to the city Walmart promised something good for small shopkeepers?»

Material prepared by Julia Maksimova, AI

Source: theartnewspaper.com , artinvestment.ru