taking a look
2007 Theme series
Bert Gallery Program: A round table discussion exploring the topic, “Who creates the art market?” from the perspective of the museum and individual collector.

Tuesday - May 22, 2007 at
Bert Gallery starting at 5.30pm

The art world is made up of a variety of factions that create and effect the market. How do you measure success in the art world—is it really about the art itself, those who create the art or the handlers of art? If an artist has a museum exhibit, does it increase the value of his or her art? Who reads the art critic’s review and what is its impact on an artist’s career? A dealer represents an artist: what does that mean? Once an artist sets an auction record, are they then ‘discovered’? Come to a round table discussion at Bert Gallery and witness the debate. Space is limited—please call for reservations.

Moderator:
James Hall: Assistant Director of the RISD Museum

Panelists:
Judith Tannenbaum: Curator of the Richard Brown Baker Contemporary Art Collection, RISD Museum
Nancy Whipple Grinnell: Curator of the Newport Art Museum
Frederick R. Mattis: a long-time local collector of 19th century Rhode Island art
Linda Carlson: an active private collector of contemporary artists

The program is in conjunction with the Bert Gallery exhibit “Who really creates the art market – museums, auctions, curators, critics, artists, collectors or galleries?”
• On view May 8 – June 22, 2007
• At Bert Gallery, located along the Providence waterfront at Corliss Landing, 540 South Water Street in Providence, Rhode Island
• Open Gallery Night: May 17th & June 21st
• Gallery Hours are Tuesday – Friday from 11 – 5pm, Saturdays 12 - 4pm or by appointment. Exhibits are free and open to the public.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

James Brayton Hall is Assistant Director of the RISD Museum. Prior to coming in the fall of 2006, he worked for the academic side of RISD as Director of Campus Design and Exhibitions for twenty years. He has advised numerous private and corporate collectors on the acquisition and installation of contemporary art and has extensive knowledge of living artists in the New England region. (more…)

About Grace Albee (1890 – 1995) on exhibit in
Who Creates the Art Market?
– museums, auctions, curators, critics, artists, collectors or galleries

This exhibit looks at a variety of Rhode Island artists from the differing perspectives of the art world. Each artist has an Art World report card ranking them on their success in the various visual arts arenas.

Thirty-three museums have Grace Albee (1890 – 1995) in their collections and she has received only the highest critical praise across the country and abroad. But her commercial and auction prices remain tepid. Here is a clear example of the importance of confluence among the art forces in order for an artist to become known to a wide audience beyond the museum world.

THE CHALLENGE:
DESPITE STELLAR RECOGNITION IN THE MUSEUM, CRITICAL AND ART HISTORICAL WORLD HER MARKET IS VERY WEAK. SHE IS EXTREMELY UNDERVALUED IN THE COMMERCIAL MARKET. PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTION SALES ARE STRONG BUT OVERALL ONLY A FEW PRINT DEALERS HAVE PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO HER WORK.

taking a look
2007 Theme series

On View May 8th –June 22nd
Gallery Nights: May 17th & June 22nd

Providence, RI. Bert Gallery, located along the Providence waterfront at Corliss Landing, 540 South Water Street, continues the taking a look 2007 theme series with the topic Who really creates the art market – museums, auctions, curators, critics, artists, collectors or galleries from May 8th through to June 22nd. Gallery Hours are Tuesday – Friday from 11 – 5pm, Saturdays 12 - 4pm or by appointment. Exhibits are free and open to the public.

The art world is made up of a variety of factions that create and effect the market. Ironically, no one in the field lacks for ego, and of course we each feel we are the masters of the art universe. How do you measure success in the art world—is it really about the art itself, those who create the art or the handlers of art? If an artist has a museum exhibit, does it increase the value of his or her art? Who reads the art critic’s review and what is its impact on an artist’s career? A dealer represents an artist: what does that mean? Once an artist sets an auction record, are they then ‘discovered’?

This exhibit will look at a variety of Rhode Island artists from the differing perspectives of the art world. Each artist will have an report card ranking them on their success in the various visual arts arenas. Florence Leif (1913-1968) scores high in the artist and critics’ world for her colorful and interpretive landscapes. Collectors are attracted to the theatrical and dance themes of James Herbert (1896 – 1970). Thirty-three museums have Grace Albee (1890 – 1995) in their collections but her auction prices remain tepid. See a number of fine artists across a broad spectrum of viewpoints and come to understand the complexity of evaluating an artist in the market place.

Complimenting the main exhibit is a small pocket exhibit of contemporary Rhode Island artists Gasbarro, Speiser, Martiesian, Levin and Vitullo. For the past twenty years, Bert Gallery has exhibited these artists, working hard to promote local talent beyond the state borders. The particular challenges for contemporary artists are addressed in this limited installation.

Well, Thursday is the last day of our current exhibit and we have had many visitors and questions about the auction market. So, for those of you too far a field to visit us at 540 South Water Street I’m posting the wall text that I wrote on the topic. (Pleave visit the slide show to see any of the images larger) Enjoy…

Catherine Little Bert
Rhode Island Auction Hits
American Art in Auction

Prior to the 1980’s, paintings by American artists lagged significantly behind their European counterparts. But as American collectors became interested in their native artistic heritage – American art prices began to soar. Rhode Island had its share of significant painters to add to the mix. With the stock market crash in 1987, Black Monday, there was a slow down in the art auction market by 1990. The art market has been significantly revived in the last 5 years. In the Sotheby’s Art Market Review of 2006 their description of the American Art market was “Domestic Bliss.”

The continued bullish mood and growing strength in the American art market was evident in the November 2006 week’s total for Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions. Collectors and dealers responded strongly to quality as a selection of American art sent the sale total over the high estimates for both auction houses. Sotheby’s sale total of 82.8 million far surpassed the firm’s pre-sale high of 65 million, significantly exceeding Christie’s 38.2 sales total.”

“The Impressionist & Modern Art market continues its stratospheric rise, breaking all records with more than 2 billion in auctions sales worldwide in 2006, Sotheby’s is central to this market growth – tripling sales in the last two years and bringing new collectors to the auction rooms: new buyers accounted for 42% of Impressionist & Modern Art sales in 2006.
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What does auction data mean? 

Discover the inner workings of the auction market.

Speakers: Charlie Wharton & Dan Mechnig

Date:  Saturday April 14, 2007

Time: 4pm

Providence, RI.  Join two collectors who have bought paintings for several decades from the auctions and galleries.  How has the auction market changed?  Has the internet effected the auction?  If so, in what ways?  These are some of the questions that will be addressed. Please contact Bert Gallery (Lindsay@bertgallery.com or 401-751-2628) if you have any questions about this program or the current exhibition “Auction Hits in the Rhode Island Market”.

Charles H. Wharton has over 30 years of experience collecting American art predominately from the impressionistic late 19th and early 20th century.  His family owns Wharton Fine Art, dealers and consultants of 19th and 20th century American Art in Charlotte, NC.

Mr. Wharton is s Senior Vice President of Investments with UBS Financial Services.  He has extensive training and experience in the areas of Investment Management Consulting Services, financial planning and portfolio management.  He is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island and currently serves as a trustee of the University of Rhode Island Foundation.  He has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors of the AAA Southern New England.  He is the founder and past chairman of both the Public Education Fund and The Haitian Project.

Daniel R. Mechnig is currently Secretary of the Board of Managers as well as the Building Committee Chair and former President of the Providence Art Club.  Clearly an arts lover, he has been collecting art actively in the local arts community for many years and owns his own jewelry company, Meckandil Tool Co, Inc. that specializes in jewelry tools, stampings and dies.

Catherine Bert’s Lecture on:

Auction History: Gender Differences in the Auction Market

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Thank you for stopping by this afternoon for my discussion on gender differences in the auction market, a good topic to explore for Women’s History Month.

Before I delve into the details of gender differences, it is important to mention that you first need to understand the basics of bringing an artist to auction before thinking about our topic.

This current exhibit helps to highlight the varying conditions for each artist (both male and female) and how it reflects in the auction market. I have lots of documentation on issues to consider when looking at an artist in auction or understanding their auction prices. There are several factors or determinants of the value of an artwork by an artist. So heed this warning that you need to consider all of these determinants in order to interpret the auction numbers.

As you will find out shortly, there are dramatic differences between comparable male and female artists in auction.
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Auction Hits in the Rhode Island Market

March 6th – April 19th
Gallery Night: March 15th
Closed Gallery Night in April

The billion-dollar art auction market is booming across the world and some Rhode Island artists are making their mark. Who are the 19th and early 20th century Rhode Island artists who have hit auction highs? What if an artist sells for $5,000 in a gallery and $500 at a Sotheby’s auction—how do you interpret the data? Visit Bert Gallery and get an insider’s look at how different Rhode Island artists are faring in the auction market. Find out about the secondary market, a critical component in securing an artists’ reputation in the art world.

April Gallery program

• Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 4pm - What does auction data mean? Discover the inner workings of the auction market. Among the panelists are Charlie Wharton of UBS Financial Services, Inc. and Dan Mechnig of Meckandil Tool Co., Inc., both local collectors.

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