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When works of master Impressionists first travelled to Beijing
and Shanghai in a major show in 2004, local audiences were so large
that visitors often had to stand on their toes and glance over the
shoulders of the dozens of people swarming around a Claude Monet
picture.
But today, Chinese are not so easily enticed by big-name Western
artists.
The two-month exhibition entitled "From Monet to Picasso" in
Beijing, featuring a collection of the world-renowned Cleveland
Museum of Art in the United States, failed to sell enough tickets
to cover its transportation and insurance costs.
Industry insiders agree that the change in trends stems from the
fact Western art is not so rare in the Middle Kingdom. In the wake
of the 2004 show's success, about 10 exhibitions of its kind were
held over the following two years featuring French, Italian,
Russian and Spanish art.
Some exhibition curators might be dismayed by the change, but
for others, the swinging trend offered a challenge.
Ken Yeh, deputy chairman of Christie's Asia, believed the time
was coming for the Chinese to open up their wallets to purchase
Western works.
Yeh has taken Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso and Pissarro to
Beijing. The 22 exceptional works by some of the greatest
Impressionist and modern masters are being displayed at a free
exhibition at the Peninsula Hotel today and tomorrow.
"By presenting these beautiful pieces, Christie's becomes the
first international auction house to hold an Impressionist and
modern art exhibition in Beijing," said Jane Shan, Christie's
representative in Beijing.
In 1994, Christie's became the first international auction to
stage an Impressionist paintings exhibition on the Chinese
mainland, which was held in Shanghai.
The ongoing show in Beijing is actually one of the previews that
Christie's is offering around the world to promote its upcoming
Impressionist and Modern Art sale in New York in November.
Also on display are the highlights from Christie's 20th Century
Chinese Art and Asian Contemporary Art autumn auctions that will
take place in Hong Kong on November 26.
While fine Chinese art was being widely pursued, there is
"tremendous potential" for Western art among Chinese mainland
collectors, according to Yeh.
Yeh claimed that the number of mainland clients buying Western
art had risen since 2004.
Most of these mainland buyers were private entrepreneurs rather
than institutions, she said, and it was mostly entrepreneurs in
traditional industries making the big purchases.
"These people certainly know about Western art," he said. "They
do their homework by asking around, reading art magazines and
studying the biographies of artists."
Usually, they prefer Impressionist work and modern art. But for
the market to fledge, much education about Western art is still
needed, Yeh believed.
"By getting closer to the masterpieces, collectors in Beijing
can have a better knowledge of Western art," Shan said, referring
to the current show.
The prices of the 22 pieces on display range between US$350,000
and US$2 million. The most expensive is expected to be "Le djeuner"
by modern master Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), with an estimated
price tag between US$2-3 million. It depicts the artist himself
with his companion Marthe in the dining room of their modest house
in the French countryside.
(China Daily September 25, 2006)
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