The Art Fair Philippines is holding its 2024 its first year fair at the Link, Ayala Center, in Makati. Naturally everyone is delighted that the arts are so well represented and on show at in Makati City. And as usual, the Art Fair is co-presented by AyalaLand, BPI, Globe Platinum, and its Special Project Partner Don Papa Rum.
What can we expect? Well, there will be over 50 exhibitors and many new art displays from established and new artists. In a thriving art market that has been constantly beating market expectations, the Philippines art scene thrives and modulates with energy and artistry. Most of the Philippines leading art galleries will be joined by art galleries from around Asia, including Singapore. Art Fair Philippines introduced a novel section focusing on digital media, work that incorporates and engages with computer technology, animation, virtual or augmented reality, the metaverse, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). So if you thought art is some dusty old gallery with old paintings and chipped statues, sorry but that was last century! The Philippines has other planned Art exhibitions planned for 2024. And we love art, so we will support this. Until then, remember that art appreciates and can beat inflation. And have a very Happy Christmas and joyous, peaceful season. Alan
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Art Fairs are a serious business. They are especially serious after a year or more of NO art fairs due to Covid-19 restrictions and quarantine. Well now we can breathe again because the Art Fair in Makati is back! Everyone can go and visit the Art Fair at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, in Makati City. It goes from March 23rd to April 1, 2022. It's 10 days of exhibits, plenty of paintings and artworks of all kinds. There are guide maps at the official website of the Art Fair that can suggest where to go and visit the many galleries taking part in the ten day fair. Come along and enjoy the best art that Philippine artists have to offer, and support their amazing work. Everyone looks forward to seeing you there. And you won't go hungry, if it's food you also need to sustain you. (Alan Mc Keogh - March 2022) You can't cancel Art. Art keeps going. Art Keeps Trucking. So it is official. The November 12 to Nov 14 Affordable Art Fair in Singapore is cancelled. We are sad. This has become an annual and excellent art event in this tiny but amazing country of Singapore. But there are plans for an art fair in 2020, when hopefully the Covid-19 situation will have improved. Some good news, however is that the infection rates in Singapore have fallen to single digit numbers. But the Govt is doing the right thing, and is being cautious. Other countries are not being so cautious, and I would not want to live in them, sorry to say. But we as artists keep on. We sketch, we work, we paint, illustrate, design and draw or scribble if even that. But we stay active. I think creative people are like artistic sharks, we create or we perish. So always be creating. There are some new things coming in the next two months or so here, so stay tuned. Stay safe, people. {Alan Mc Keogh likes to be creative and working on the next creative project, in between coffees.} We started 2020 in a weird and bizarre way. In the first couple of months of 2020, the world has become aware of Corona virus, and the damage it can do. Yes, over 300 infections in Singapore, and sadly the first 2 deaths from it happened in the past 24 hours. So yes, despite the best preparations there are, fatalities are occurring. This means that no matter where you are, please observe the few simple tips that can probably help save your life.
Take care always. We will carry on blogging! Alan and Co. A Russian man who says he advertised an apparently “genuine” art work by painter Leonardo da Vinci on a Russian classified ads site (which is similar to eBay) - named "Avito", has now sold the painting for over €72 million. The seller, who goes by the name of “Dmitry”, from Mamonovo in Kaliningrad, says that the painting, titled "A Young Girl in Furs" was authenticated by the Stockholm art valuation firm Atelje Catellani. He later posted up photos of the accompanying documentation alongside the painting, which was seen online on 1 August. When asked for information about how the painting appeared, who owned it, how he came into its possession, and other matters relating to its authenticity - Dimitry decided not to explain how he came to own the work, or questions such as why it is in Germany and of course - who the buyer was. A Da Vinci painting is usually covered expeditiously by the media and the art world upon such a news announcement. However we all agree, this is a departure from the norm, as the posting of it was taken offline after about four days. However it's pretty sure that millions of sets of inquiring eyes have pored over the art work. On first viewing, it would appear to look like a Da Vinci work, although the painting is at an angle and not all the corners of the painting are viewable. The frame is old and in not very good condition. The Stockholm art valuation firm who valued and apparently confirmed its authenticity, Atelje Catellani stated in an email: “There is nobody entitled to offer the painting. A mandate does not exist; nobody has access to the painting.” The email added that the firm Atelje Catellani (which made an annual revenue of $15.3 million, employs 91 staff and was founded as a private company in 1989) was not entitled to share any further information. It goes without saying that this only adds to the overall mystique and excitement surrounding the Da Vinci’s "Salvator Mundi" which previously earned the title of the world’s most expensive painting when it went under the hammer at Christie's, and sold for $450m in 2017. The text of the seller's ad read "“Attention: I am selling the original Leonardo da Vinci painting ‘A Girl in Furs’. Location: Germany... estimated value €280m... asking price €72m.” There is a discrepancy in the original reporting of the painting title, as some posts inserted the word "Young" in the title of the work, while the seller did not. A painting sold through a major art dealer or art auctioneer would have been naturally subject to close forensic scrutiny, and would have had to pass more tests to authenticate it. However, no one is suggesting that this newly sold Da Vinci is not authentic, but perhaps mis-named. But its history might be possibly shrouded in more secrecy or mystery for some reason, since its method of sale is so unusual, unconventional, and more difficult to be transparently explained. The art world has obviously evolved more into the digital age, but the possible suspicion of an online trade, however real it may be, raises eyebrows, and questions. The chance to study and observe a possible master work by a true master of Italian art has been denied to us all. And lets face it, wouldn't we all want to go and see and enjoy another brilliant painting by the man, who left us with so few actual physical paintings. Some Da Vinci's were lost to wars, conflicts and others lost to theft. Some lie in vaults in private collections. Where this painting fits, well that is a whole other very big question. There is more of a story behind this than we can say. Alan Mc Keogh September 2018 Ref Link: http://bit.ly/A_Young_Lady_In_Furs_Da_Vinci The Asia Contemporary Art Show (ACAS) brings artists and galleries from all over the world to Hong Kong each year, with the twelfth edition taking place this March 24-26.
Among the Spring Edition will a feature showing two sections: “Intersections: China” and “Artist Dialogues”. As with the Asia Contemporary Art Show (ACAS), the "Intersections" show is a returning series which highlights the conceptual crossing of artistic ideas between past and present, traditional and modern, and East and West. Here, the focus is on China and Chinese artists. Expect to see artists as diverse as Wang Shuhui, who has transformed dumplings (yes, dumplings!) into sculpture, and Ding Wenqing, a painter whose goal is to challenge your way of seeing Chinese landscapes. But there is so much more on offer here. Unique to ACAS is Artist Dialogues, an entire floor dedicated to artists exhibiting in a solo or joint presentation. This sector allows visitors to interact directly with artists in an intimate environment, and allows artists to articulate their inspirations and artistic practice, transforming their exhibits into a seeing and learning experience. The show is being offered to the public across four floors of the Conrad Hong Kong in Admiralty. A series. Some 80 or so art (living) spaces immediately evoke an intimate yet enjoyable setting for seeing a broad range of artworks. This obviously works as it sets this Art Show apart from others during Hong Kong Art Week each spring. Art really flourishes here among these cityscapes, giving to art lovers what they want - an ambience that facilitates sales, dialogue and conversations, the constant exchange between galleries and artists, the utter and pure appreciation for great art, and a relaxing place for collectors and art buyers. All are welcome. As the reality of stock markets collapse and crypto coins fell in value, an art dealer posted a question, asking "Is there room for more growth in art as a valuable asset or commodity?"
The obvious answer is yes. Art is a good hedge against a stock market downturn or a crypto currency fall, which we saw these past few days and weeks. Paintings are proving yet again, as with all kinds of art mediums, that art is a very resilient as always. Alan Mc Keogh (February 2018) The online marketplace is changing the game in a big way. It seems that more and more online applications are enabling both art buyers and art sellers. In the art world, it seems that auction houses, if we exclude big ticket items of Da Vinci-like magnitude, are feeling pressure from those smaller online auction platforms and new-fangled online marketplaces for selling art. Auction houses are increasingly focusing on bigger fish. Artists have also discovered Etsy, WooCommerce, Pinterest, Ecwid and Shopify. Everyone selling things online is becoming their own retail platform. Younger art collectors are willing to risk engaging in newer art-perusing or art-buying endeavors. More social media platforms are there for us to research new trends, engage with the artists, and buy their artwork. Art enthusiasts who are potential collectors are more able to find pieces at affordable prices. There has simply never been a better time to invest in some art. We are closing the distance between us and our art. Art speaks to us all in different ways, but when the art is relevant and touches us in a big way, and resonates with us, it hits home, and so very few of us collect art purely for financial returns. This is great news for painters and artists everywhere. It's emboldening artists to do more to reach out to people, and people are reaching out to artists as well. We are able to socialize more with creators of art. It's becoming a two-way street for art. And the internet is doing its bit. Large numbers of artworks have been viewed and bought using a new app called "Arto", an app that allows both the viewing and purchasing of art from collections of art. Equally, sellers can upload art and sell it to art enthusiasts. Galleries can also partner with Arto and offer art to art lovers based on their preferences, in the same way that Facebook shows members ads based on preferences. It's downloadable on Apple's App store and on Android. It's a game changer, and only one of many. Obviously there are some economic factors that influence art prices, but when art is good enough and is affordable enough, things improve. The current view of up-and-coming markets in Russia, South America, the Chinese markets and Asian art in general is that art is holding up well, perhaps helped by oddities in currency values, as well as a keen demand. And it seems that American and European art are very likely to increase. The trick is in finding bargains. Dealing with artists directly rather than galleries gets art at the lower price, rather than the curated higher prices. And remember to look for ripe and poignant works in photography, or installation art which is gaining popularity. The market is seeing major bargains for anything under $10,000. Collectors wanting to start a collection are seeing less auctions but more direct dealing with art dealers, as dealers are seen as more affordable. The market is also evolving, as more sophisticated art buyers are willing to try out riskier works by great new artists as they see the value there. And art lovers are finding the apps and media online that facilitates their tastes in good art. If one excludes the really big-ticket art items, art works over £1 million have seen a small pullback in sales, while mid priced art in the $10K to $50K area has risen. More and more buyers are looking around and comparing prices and artist reputations before committing to a buy, which is good. And the internet is a great leveler. What outcomes can we deduce from these latest findings? Obviously the market is good, people will only pay what they think is a fair price for good art. So the galleries reserve high-dollar artworks in stock, avoiding a flood of art on the market, so no sharp price drops. The art market continues to hold strong, despite the niggling social and economic landscapes. We are seeing the market evolve and mature. Digital trends have helped increased access for emerging artists. So while high-end spending is slightly eroded by politico-economic trends, the mid and low priced affordable art surges ahead, since any drag on currency values is offset by wise spends on lower priced works, which cancels out any "negativity" in buying new and good art. Low priced affordable quality art is a wise investment since affordable art has nowhere to go in value but upwards. Alan Mc Keogh September and October are beautiful months in Singapore. The Flower Dome located beside Gardens by The Bay houses some fine collections of plants and flowers, as well as photo opportunities for budding snappers who love photo opps such as the one above. The theme is Pumpkins, obviously, and just right for Halloween.
Why not give these gardens a visit, and enjoy the amazing scenery and views and walking audio guides as you explore this amazing oasis of beauty. My Mother-In-Law was recently visiting Ireland and she was very impressed by the sights and sounds and smells of Ireland. Yes, it has some of those smells, especially in the countryside. Her verdict on Ireland can be summed up in one sentence...
"When can we come back here again...?" Yes, I get that a helluva lot. |
Alan Mc KeoghI am an artist, web and blog designer, and I enjoy creating art, whether people, still life, or landscapes. I blog and write to grow the masses. Logos are a growing passion here. Come to me, brethren! New projects coming soon. Archives
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