Koller View 3/22

11 What distinguishes collecting art of the post-war years and of our time from collecting classical mo- dern art or art of earlier centuries? Contemporary art does not have an endpoint – it is in a constant state of change and renewal. That is the big difference as well as the challenge for these collecti- ons. New artists emerge or well-known ones change their style. Some artists are hyped and then suddenly disappear from the market. People who collect contemporary art have to be open-minded and have a feeling for art and the times, because only a fraction of the artists of this era have already received their ‘art-historical credentials’ and so it depends very much on one’s own evaluation. In recent decades, many new techniques and mate- rials have shaped and changed contemporary art, for example video art or installations. What role do such works play on the international auction market com- pared to conventional works? Paintings and drawings, graphics and sculptures still dominate the auction market. Video art and instal- lations are seldom offered. The circle of collectors is smaller, and it is more difficult to present them in an auction preview. Video art in particular is mainly found on the primary market. A big topic at the moment are NFTs, i.e. forgery-proof digital unique pieces that are successfully sold at auc- tions. Time will tell how this completely new market segment develops. 2022 is a year in which two of the world's most im- portant art shows, documenta in Kassel and the Venice Biennale, are taking place. What influence do such major exhibitions have on the auction market? To be honest, almost none. Sometimes they help ar- tistic approaches to move back into the focus of a wi- der public. For example, it certainly didn't hurt Miriam Cahn’s current success that her works were finally shown at the last documenta. But basically there is little overlap with auctions. Your collecting field is dominated by European and North American art. What about diversification? What role have artists from other continents played in recent years? This dominance applies to the entire field of art his- tory. Contemporary art and itsmarket have the advan- tage of being able to react. They are part of the social discourse and accept the problems and challenges of diversification. Here, for example, Documenta plays a significant role for the art market. Curators such as the Nigerian Okwui Enwezor, who directed Docu- menta 11 in 2002, or the current curatorial team ru- angrupa from Indonesia – the current anti-Semitism debate aside – question the dominance of European and North American art and at the same time offer us a huge, new world of art to discover from their and other cultural circles. Change is slow and it takes time to arrive on the auction market. If you visited Art Basel this year, however, you saw how diverse the artists and their works have become. Men are also dominant throughout the art market. What works by women can be found in the auction cata- logues of contemporary art? Far too few, but many more than in previous eras, and the art academies are cur- rently full of women artists. It is exciting to finally see re- cognition for some women who have spent their lives creating impressive bodies of work such as Louise Bour- geois and Miriam Cahn. The market, like society, moves slowly, but outstan- ding artists come to the fo- refront, such as Maria Lass- Zdenek Sykora (1920–2011). Lines no. 12. 1981. Oil and pencil on canvas. 170 × 170 cm. Sold for CHF 1million Fernando Botero (1932). Ms Rubens #3. 1964. Oil on canvas. 183 x 178 cm. Sold for CHF 825 000 John Chamberlain (1927–2011). Kiss #14. 1979. Painted steel. 68.5 × 59.5 × 61 cm. Sold for CHF 526 000 © Fairweather & Fairweather LTD / 2022, ProLitteris, Zurich Department PostWar & Contemporary. ©Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved / 2022, ProLitteris, Zurich; ©Niki Charitable Art Foundation / 2022, ProLitteris, Zurich; © The Willem de Kooning Foundation / 2022, ProLitteris, Zurich nig, Jenny Holzer, Sturtevant, Leiko Ikemura, Louise Nevelson, Angela Bulloch, Sylvie Fleury, Isa Genzken, Alicia Kwade, Vera Molnar, Helen Frankenthaler, Brid- get Riley and many others. Particularly in our most recent auction in July, we were pleased to offer many works by female artists.