At Christie’s, the UK’s famous auctioneer, about 80 percent of the buying and selling operations have bid values below $ 5,000. The figure was unveiled during the talk of Anthony Streatfeild, whose theme questioned whether it is the passion or investment that motivates the decision to put together an art collection. The same idea was emphasized by Miguel Cabral de Moncada. In his address, the director of Cabral Moncada Auctions, in Lisbon, considered that, if it is not accessible to the poor, the art market “is not only for the rich”.
The two communicators converged on the premise that the average investor can not aim to maximize immediate or short-term financial investments, an advantage only available to professional speculators. Both agreed that we are facing an alternative investment with great potential return. FAMILY HERITAGE “Investing in art is a family investment, which aims to bring heritage inheritance. For those who want to capitalize, the most adequate time is the medium and long term, although it is convenient to be aware of sudden opportunities and the effects of fashion, having the foresight to sell at the right time, “advises Anthony Streatfeild. This specialist exemplified the change in the mood of the market with the example of Victor and Sally Ganz.
These collectors acquired, at the beginning of the 1940s, Pablo Picasso the painting “Le Rêve” for six thousand dollars. Years later, the screen reached the astronomical price of 42 million dollars. The whims of the market are also stamped on the fate of a painting from the Victorian era – “Fleming June” of 1890, which after reaching very high prices was sold in 1930 for £ 10. The screen, of remarkable artistic quality, was found years later in a bin.
Her last owner had given up on her because she only wanted to take advantage of the frame … “Anyone wishing to invest in this area must pay attention to certain criteria, such as the quality, state of conservation, provenance and rarity of the works. The intuition of betting on a young talent that has just appeared is also essential to succeed in this activity “theorized the director of Christie’s. In the view of Cabral Moncada, the investor, besides knowing the rules and way of functioning of the market, has to invest, first of all, time. “In order to gather its collection, Calouste Gulbenkian invested a lot of time. The investor, however medium, must travel, visit biennial galleries, fairs,” he suggested.
Based on his experience as an auctioneer, Manuel Cabral Moncada emphasized the passion aspect, without neglecting the investment component. Even because both tend to interact. As advice to beginner collectors, Cabral Moncada suggested that a criterion, a line of conduct, should be created. “Sometimes it may be more advantageous to have a dozen works worth a total of 10,000 euros, than one that only reaches that price.” ART OF APPRECIATE AND PROBE Collectors are one of the target audiences of this event that brings together the cream of national plastic artists. Eduardo Street, 32, traveled from Lisbon to probe into Exponor for further acquisitions.
“It’s not every day that we can admire so many Vieira da Silva, it’s an opportunity that no art collector can waste.” Besides cultural enjoyment, he says that this artistic forum allows a survey on the values at stake in the market. More professional was the reason that brought the sculptor Filomena Almeida, 28, from S.João da Madeira to Matosinhos. “I have come to observe what my colleagues are creating. Personally, I am very interested in the application of new technologies, for example in the field of photography, emphasizes the artist with the conviction of those who believe that works of his own will be present in one of next editions.
