Art Business Investment
Stocks may be split,” says a New York dealer, “but there are only so many Cézannes.”And despite his productivity there will be only so many Chens.
In 1970, at the beginning of Chen’s plunge into Neo-Iconography a dealer might have acquired one of his large (72×50″) paintings for $1,500. By the time he settled in New York this was closer to $25,000. In 1993, two paintings only half this size, Iris and Street Musician, sold at Christies and Sotheby’s for $50,000 and $33,742. Today the 72×50″ painting would be $400,000-$500,000. The price will continue to appreciate. We look for the best of these paintings to break the million dollar barrier and 5 million dollars to 10 million dollars. because he is in the worl art history textbooks amount all masters..
Among Chinese expatriate painters in Paris was Zao WouKi. In recent Hong Kong auction houses, his 1959 oil topped a Sotheby’s sale at $733,604, and an abstract triptych from 1985 hit $2.3 million at Christies (US dollars). now his painting sold for $100million dollars. Some of China’s emerging, young artists such as Ai WeiWei, Xu Bing, and expatriate Cai GuoQiang have been well above $10 million dollars.
We expect these prices to increase dramatically, and to break the $1 million mark. It might be possible for a serious collector/investor/promoter to negotiate for the purchase of a substantial number of past/future paintings for an accommodating price, if that individual or group were committed to underwrite a substantial promotional campaign. The significant profit will come not from how low the purchasers can negotiate the original acquisition price, but how high they can stimulate and ride the market for this
For example, let us assume that we have acquired 100 of Chen’s paintings. Our financial objective would be to see each of those paintings eventually average $1 million dollars per picture.
Here are some of the steps we can undertake:
- Form art professional teams to cooperate with theF. Chen Cultural Center to support the “Arts for Humanity World Tour.” While cooperating with other agencies, they would strive to make its images the most famous modern paintings in the world.
- Support more specific exhibitions of Chen’s series paintings,g. The Spirit of Liberty Collection, the Van Gogh Collection, etc. and promote their worldwide showings in as many museums, cultural centers, galleries, and other venues as possible.
- Publish and merchandise limited-edition prints; publish the art in film, educational TV,
- Work closely with international critics, curators, auction houses, museums, and media, and in all kinds of reciprocal
- Consider and evaluate all other promotional They must preserve Chen’s time — so that he may be allowed to continue to create.
For purchasers there is the opportunity to realize substantial profit -– and to enjoy social status and business opportunities from being significant contributors to the world art scene and human culture. Closely associated with the artist, purchasers, too, will become an important part of art history.
Collectors can purchase his paintings now for three sound reasons.
- For esthetic pleasure
- For sound investment
- For better understanding of East-West culture
Esthetic pleasure is a very personal thing, and some of you may find a few of his paintings too strong for your tastes; and yet it is this very strength that makes the world art community pay attention. This strength, this power, will be the foundation of his reputation.
As for investment, there is a strong probability for future profit in any purchase of Chen’s paintings. As an artist becomes more widely recognized, his prices usually jump.
In this era when every nation is searching for the spiritual inspiration from all corners of the world, it’s the creation and promotion of fascinating and uplifting art that highlights the dedication of better cultural understanding between the West and the East.
Chen has been the recipient of more than 200 one-man exhibitions, has published more than 20 books, and has seen his art portrayed in more than 300 textbooks, art histories, and learned journals. Some critics consider him among the 20 most important artists working today. Others place him in the top ten.
This is not too much praise.
It makes good sense to purchase Chen’s paintings now.
As an international exhibition curator, appraiser, art writer, and consultant in art investment for nearly half a century, I recognized Chen’s genius years ago. My early judgment has been fully justified, and I have no hesitancy in continuing to place my reputation and advocacy behind him
Editor note: Lawrence Jeppson is an art consultant for the Smithsonian Institution .organizer and curator of art exhibitions, writer, editor and publisher, lecturer, art historian, and appraiser., He is expert on the works of several painters, including, Tsing-fang Chen, about whom he has written several books. Through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the American Federation of Arts, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and his own Art Circuit Services he has been a contributor to more than 200 art exhibitions in the United States, Canada, Japan. He owns AcroEditions, which publishes multiple-original art, and was co-founder and artistic director of
