The Provocation Column Archives

The Curator’s Perspective – “How I See Art?”

Photo Courtesy of Sybaris Collection

To delve into the way an art curator approaches art, artists, and art collectors, I sat down with Regina De Con Cossio, curator of Sybaris Collection. She shared with me some of her thoughts on art, building relationships with artists and helping them to determine the value of their work, and how she approaches finding artwork for her clients. Although the work of an art curator is a business matter, one cannot separate the captivation art provides to curators like Regina, who find beauty in all matters of everyday life and expression.

May 22, 2018

2994

Events, The Provocation Column, Trends in Art

10 Things to Avoid When Buying Art

Photo Courtesy of Sybaris Collection

When buying art, whether it be your first (or your fiftieth) piece, there are some general rules to remember and some things you really should avoid. This may seem elementary to some and enlightening to others. However, it is always helpful to remind yourself of these tips before you buy on impulse. As you build your art collection and expand your network within the art world, many of these suggestions will become second nature. But for those new to at collecting or happy to be reminded, let’s look at some of the top things one should AVOID when buying art:

May 15, 2018

2055

Events, The Provocation Column, Trends in Art

3 Shows You Want to Visit in Basel Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a paradise. Home of enormous skyscrapers, a bustling metropolis of commerce and finance, and favorable tax laws to encourage trade growth (and duty-free!)

April 25, 2018

2330

Art Advisory, The Provocation Column, Trends in Art

The Autonomy of Artwork, a Commentary

After booth-hopping at Art Basel Hong Kong, and interacting with the art patrons, I contemplated the pieces we all were observing, and wondered if they are truly independent of their context and methods of production. Theodore Adorno, a well-known German philosopher and influential promoter of authoritarianism, asked theoretical questions about the autonomous character of artworks. In other words, we might ask: Does artwork embrace history?

April 18, 2018

1387

Art History, New Collector, The Provocation Column

Book Review: Keeping an Eye Open by Julian Barnes

Photo Courtesy of Sybaris Collection

Art is a state of exception; the reason why I believe it makes life exceptional. Keeping an Eye Open is Julian Barnes eloquent storytelling about how “…art made its way from Romanticism to Realism and into Modernism.” It is the pictorial story of how exceptional minds created the path from the ordinary to the extraordinary to create one of the most important artistic movements from last century. It is the story of how Picasso and Braque´s “little cubes,” started cubism, or Manet´s perfection with the color white, as a prelude to Malevich. The flawless marriage between words and the images that Barnes achieves are essential to understanding in a beautiful yet eloquent argument, selected pieces of the Western canon.

March 14, 2018

2605

The Provocation Column, Trends in Art

Zona Maco 2018

Photo Courtesy of Sybaris Collection

The leading art fair in Mexico, the 2018 Zona Maco celebrates its 15^th annual presentation of international art. Consisting of more than 70 galleries of over 2000 artists, this international collection of artworks spans the gamut of contemporary techniques. From silver sculptures to vintage photography, art institution and publication displays, there is much to be experienced at this event. After attending Zona Maco, I wanted to share with you some of the pieces we loved:

February 12, 2018

3142

The Curator’s Perspective – “How I See Art?”

10 Things to Avoid When Buying Art

3 Shows You Want to Visit in Basel Hong Kong

The Autonomy of Artwork, a Commentary

Book Review: Keeping an Eye Open by Julian Barnes

Zona Maco 2018

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