Market gloom
As seen on Art Review and widely, Sotheby’s credit rating has fallen to a level deemed ‘junk’.
Further at an auction in NY, even safe masters like Picasso and Giacometti failed to sell, as reports the NY Times.
Overall, the summer auctions are looking grim, according to Art Review. May auction estimates are low and expected sales are half of last year’s.
More positively is the announcement of a new way to view auction pieces. The NY Times reported that Sotheby’s is now issuing e-catalogues in USB stick form. So even if no one is buying art this year, at least looking at it is now much easier.
Openings and Events
With GW things have been pretty quiet for art events but May looks busier. One event generating hype is the return of art collective Chim↑Pom’s “Hiroshima” show, this time to NADiff from June, so people have another chance to catch what all the fuss is about.
Music-lovers will be heading to Superdeluxe on May 16. Organized by Public Image, this event features artists including Hitomi Toi, I AM ROBOT AND PROUD and more. The Public Image website has more details and a reservation form.
Books
Is this future of the book? Lawrence Lessig’s new work ‘Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy’ can be downloaded for free on Facebook and then re-written. Far from being an anti-corportate clarion call by the author, this is a tactic organized by the publishers and even the main release is in a free PDF e-book format. See the Wired website for more.
And finally, not wishing to blow one’s own trumpet but (drum roll, please) Tokyo Art Beat’s Art Map is featured in a new book! See the AQ Works blog for details (in Japanese).
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