By Michael Coulson : With each of the three major auction houses holding sales in the next couple of months, there’s a good deal of apprehension whether the softer trend apparent in the market in the last quarter of 2011 will be sustained, extended, or – the least likely outcome – reversed. Bonhams’ Giles Peppiatt, in SA on a final hunt for work for his firm’s March 21 auction in London, reckons that it was more a case of buyers sitting on their hands at a particularly difficult stage of the international financial crisis than an intrinsic collapse in demand, but concedes that this year’s pipe-opener will be less ambitious than last year.  [more...]

By Michael Coulson. While there are only three lots by Irma Stern (one a minor graphic) and one Pierneef (a charcoal study for one of his Joburg station panels), the success of Stephan Welz & Co’s first sale of 2012 still depends heavily on the former artist. To be held at the Alphen in Cape Town on February 21 and 22, the works of SA art carry a gross low estimate of about R17.2m, of which the Sterns contribute about 44%.SA art features in two of the four sessions. Session two includes 130 lots, but the gross low estimate is only about R715 000, while session three includes 108 lots, with a gross low estimate of about R16.5m.   [more...]

ARTTHROB: By M Blackman. According to the chairman of the Visual Arts Network of South Africa Western Cape (VANSA-WC), Jonathan Garnham, VANSA-WC is in ‘a process of reducing its overheads and subletting its premises.’ The decision to downsize was taken after the news that the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) would not be renewing its funding allocation to the Western Cape branch of the network.This decision has resulted in VANSA affectively closing its doors and several staff members losing their jobs. Mr. Ruarc Peffers, a now ex-staff member of VANSA, stated that this has meant that some of the poorest sections of the arts community ‘have lost the access to resources and training that VANSA provides.’  [more...]

ARTTHROB: By M Blackman. As several of the major auction houses prepare for their first auctions of the year, sentiment is running low. Straus & Co. has estimated that its sale on the 6 February will be 60% lower than last year's. They have only three paintings that have been estimated over the million mark: two of them Irma Sterns from her Zanzibar period, the other a Pierneef.Bonham’s director for South African art, Giles Peppiatt, stated that the predictions for this year’s South African art sales are made to look even worse due to the fact that last year’s was hugely inflated by the sale of the Irma Stern Arab Priest that fetched a record R34 million.   [more...]

CAPE TIMES: By Yazeed Kamaldien. Works by Irma Stern featuring a Zulu woman and another of a woman dressed in a sari are expected to fetch millions at an auction in London in March London auction house Bohams this weekend wrapped up its catalogue of local artwork for the annual auction. Giles Peppiatt, director for South African art at Bonhams, said in Cape Town that Stern’s work continued to remain in high demand on the international art scene. Last March, her painting “Arab Priest” fetched about R34 million, while previously her “Bahora Girl” was sold for about R25.5m. Peppiatt said Bonham’s Stern paintings for March auction were estimated to fetch between R6M and R15m apiece.  [more...]

ARTTHROB: Sue Williamson's Diary. One of the best things about the New Year is the opportunity given to wipe last year’s messy slate clean again. Emails one should have – but did not – respond to ages ago can now be sent out with Happy New Year wishes and the recipient will probably forgive you.This period of armistice doesn’t last long, however – after January 15 the truce is toast.It’s also the time of year to make a list of all the half formed projects in your mind, and see which ones have strong enough legs to warrant further work. And which ones can be dumped right now.  [more...]

FORBES: Where there’s money, there’s usually crime. Where there’s big money, there’s big crime. In the art market of 2011, there was both, and lots of it. Here, a roundup of the major events: (In a future post, I’ll talk about what it all means for collectors.)Despite apparent economic uncertainties – measurable in the rollercoaster ride Sotheby’s shareholders endured as shares lurched from a 3-1/2 year high of $54.41 in April to $50.57 in May before closing out the year at a sorrowful 28.28 – 2011 proved yet another banner year for an art market that shows no signs of stopping.  [more...]

By Michael Coulson

Stephan Welz & Co (Swelco)’s hopes for its June Cape Town sale are in line with its previous two sales this year, with a total low estimate spread over three sessions of about R11.6m. For once there are two sessions of minor work, perhaps because no fewer than 236 lots fall into this category, but the gross low estimate for these is only about R2.25m, an average of about R9 460.  [more...]

First ever art collection set to break socio-cultural and financial boundries

The Autumn 2010 Impressionists/Modern, Post-War and Contemporary Collection is the first art collection to initiate a break from the stereotype which categorises art as a pleasure that only the elite can afford. The 30-40 million rand launch is set to take place at Summer Place in Johannesburg from May 18-19, 2010. This is the first time that a Post War and Contemporary collection of South African art will stand alone.  [more...]

Only two weeks remain before entries close to South Africa’s most prominent arts and sponsorship awards – the 13th Annual Business Day BASA Awards supported by Anglo American.   [more...]

A late self-portrait by "pope of pop" Andy Warhol sold for a record $32,5-million at Sotheby's in New York on Wednesday, underlining the return of big spenders to the international art market.

The stark 1986 image of Warhol's famous face and unkempt hair was estimated to sell at between $10-million and $15-million at the contemporary art auction.

The huge final sale value was in line with the strong demand for Warhols shown at the spring contemporary art auction at rival Christie's in Manhattan on Tuesday.
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By Michael Coulson
Stephan Welz & Co (Swelco)’s hopes for its June Cape Town sale are in line with its previous two sales this year, with a total low estimate spread over three sessions of about R11.6m. For once there are two sessions of minor work, perhaps because no fewer than 236 lots fall into this category, but the gross low estimate for these is only about R2.25m, an average of about R9 460.   [more...]

By Michael Coulson
Yet another international auction house is trying to break into the African art market, with a sale by Phillips de Pury’s New York office on May 15. With 232 lots, this is much bigger than Bonhams’ recent 173-lot event, but the general standard is lower.   [more...]