BMW & the Super-Rich

Brookside · 06-15-2006, 02:39 PM

At Art Basel: Bruce Nauman's "3 Heads Fountain" was sold to the luxury-goods magnate François Pinault.

High Rollers, BMW and Blue-Chip Artists at Basel Art Fair

By CAROL VOGEL

Published: June 15, 2006 NYTimes
The throngs of anxious collectors and dealers waiting for a giant exterior clock to hit 11 a.m. — when the doors to the V.I.P. preview open — have become something of a legend at Art Basel, the annual contemporary art fair here. But at this year's invitation-only opening on Tuesday, there were no jostling crowds, and the mood was confident.

In the weeks before the opening, dealers had sent their biggest collectors and their art advisers e-mail images of their art offerings, giving them first crack at reserving things in advance.

"The biggest sea change is that this fair has become virtual," said Perry Rubenstein, a Chelsea dealer. The night before the opening, he said, collectors could be seen flashing cellphone images of works on which they had first dibs.

But there's nothing like actually being there. By the end of Tuesday's preview, rumors were circulating that the Manhattan dealer Philippe Segalot had flown a makeup artist to Basel who transformed Mr. Segalot's appearance so significantly that he was able to sneak in unnoticed while the fair was being set up. Once inside, he bought several important paintings and sculptures for some of his best clients, the rumors went.

Mr. Segalot said Wednesday the rumor was "pure invention." (If true, it would not be the first time Mr. Segalot broke a strict rule that only fair exhibitors can enter before the fair's opening. Last year the French dealer and exhibitor Emmanuel Perrotin helped him get in early; both were caught, and Mr. Perrotin was barred from this year's fair.) When asked about the episode, Mr. Segalot said he had "compensated" Mr. Perrotin for not being in the fair this year. He did not elaborate.

For many collectors of contemporary art, such purchases are part of a lifestyle that includes expensive cars, chauffeurs, private planes and fashions by designers like Prada, Pucci and Gucci. Tapping into this market, BMW, the German car manufacturer and a fair sponsor, provided a fleet of cars and drivers for its most important clients here. Another sponsor, NetJets, the private aviation company, estimated that it will have flown in some 200 planes, 50 percent more than last year, by the fair's end on Sunday. Prada even opened a temporary boutique near the fair designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.

People-watching is every bit as much the allure here as the art. Spotted either perusing the booths or at some of the countless parties were Michael Ovitz, the Hollywood agent; Peter Brant, the newsprint magnate; the real estate developer Aby Rosen; Henry R. Kravis, the financier; and the actors Michael York and Faye Dunaway.

Pop Art, figurative painting, installation pieces and contemporary Chinese art — all a major focus in contemporary-art collecting today — were much in evidence. So were top works by hot artists like Richard Prince, Cindy Sherman, Tony Oursler, Mr. Murakami, John Currin, Ed Ruscha and Dinos and Jake Chapman.

Many felt the offerings were more predictable than in past years, making the fair a venue for acquiring blue-chip artists rather than discovering new talent. "There are less surprises," said Zach Feuer, the Chelsea dealer. "The oversaturation of art fairs means there's one every three weeks. But of all of them, this is the best."

Brookside · 12-24-2006, 06:28 PM

An Art Costco for Billionaires....

The swellegants in front of an elegant painting by Jean DuBuffet at this year's Miami-Basel Art Fair.

Lest the swells burn up any shoe leather...BMW's on hand with a flock of 7's.
Note the Z4/6-series/X5 on wait in the background.
And isn't enough to be given the temporary use of a "7" without the signage screaming..."Hey, look at me...I'm a VIP?"

"The profile of an average conventioneer at Miami Basel can perhaps be deduced from the number of private jets leased to fly here this week.
NetJets alone — to name a leading vendor of shared jet ownership — booked 216 flights to Miami for this year’s fair, a 44 percent increase over two years ago."
Guy Trebay/NYT 12/24/006

Brookside · 12-24-2006, 08:18 PM

Let The Frenzy Begin-

This year's kisses.......

these pics do not even begin to evoke the vastness of this exhibit...it takes up the entire Miami
Convention Center PLUS 5 ancillary exhibition areas scattered throughout greater Miami., including the upper 4 floors of a downtown hotel,

The amount of money made by art dealers is unknown...I've never seen any conclusive figures.
But, it is safe to assume it is in the 100's of millions of dollars....ranging in price all the way from millions for a blue-chip Picasso to the sale
of a work by a young emerging artist for a couple hundred.

06-15-2006, 02:39 PM	#1
Brookside Major 244 Rep 1,136 Posts Drives: 2016 228i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: KCMO iTrader: (0)	BMW & the Super-Rich At Art Basel: Bruce Nauman's "3 Heads Fountain" was sold to the luxury-goods magnate François Pinault. High Rollers, BMW and Blue-Chip Artists at Basel Art Fair By CAROL VOGEL Published: June 15, 2006 NYTimes The throngs of anxious collectors and dealers waiting for a giant exterior clock to hit 11 a.m. — when the doors to the V.I.P. preview open — have become something of a legend at Art Basel, the annual contemporary art fair here. But at this year's invitation-only opening on Tuesday, there were no jostling crowds, and the mood was confident. In the weeks before the opening, dealers had sent their biggest collectors and their art advisers e-mail images of their art offerings, giving them first crack at reserving things in advance. "The biggest sea change is that this fair has become virtual," said Perry Rubenstein, a Chelsea dealer. The night before the opening, he said, collectors could be seen flashing cellphone images of works on which they had first dibs. But there's nothing like actually being there. By the end of Tuesday's preview, rumors were circulating that the Manhattan dealer Philippe Segalot had flown a makeup artist to Basel who transformed Mr. Segalot's appearance so significantly that he was able to sneak in unnoticed while the fair was being set up. Once inside, he bought several important paintings and sculptures for some of his best clients, the rumors went. Mr. Segalot said Wednesday the rumor was "pure invention." (If true, it would not be the first time Mr. Segalot broke a strict rule that only fair exhibitors can enter before the fair's opening. Last year the French dealer and exhibitor Emmanuel Perrotin helped him get in early; both were caught, and Mr. Perrotin was barred from this year's fair.) When asked about the episode, Mr. Segalot said he had "compensated" Mr. Perrotin for not being in the fair this year. He did not elaborate. For many collectors of contemporary art, such purchases are part of a lifestyle that includes expensive cars, chauffeurs, private planes and fashions by designers like Prada, Pucci and Gucci. Tapping into this market, BMW, the German car manufacturer and a fair sponsor, provided a fleet of cars and drivers for its most important clients here. Another sponsor, NetJets, the private aviation company, estimated that it will have flown in some 200 planes, 50 percent more than last year, by the fair's end on Sunday. Prada even opened a temporary boutique near the fair designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. People-watching is every bit as much the allure here as the art. Spotted either perusing the booths or at some of the countless parties were Michael Ovitz, the Hollywood agent; Peter Brant, the newsprint magnate; the real estate developer Aby Rosen; Henry R. Kravis, the financier; and the actors Michael York and Faye Dunaway. Pop Art, figurative painting, installation pieces and contemporary Chinese art — all a major focus in contemporary-art collecting today — were much in evidence. So were top works by hot artists like Richard Prince, Cindy Sherman, Tony Oursler, Mr. Murakami, John Currin, Ed Ruscha and Dinos and Jake Chapman. Many felt the offerings were more predictable than in past years, making the fair a venue for acquiring blue-chip artists rather than discovering new talent. "There are less surprises," said Zach Feuer, the Chelsea dealer. "The oversaturation of art fairs means there's one every three weeks. But of all of them, this is the best."
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12-24-2006, 06:28 PM	#2
Brookside Major 244 Rep 1,136 Posts Drives: 2016 228i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: KCMO iTrader: (0)	An Art Costco for Billionaires.... The swellegants in front of an elegant painting by Jean DuBuffet at this year's Miami-Basel Art Fair. Lest the swells burn up any shoe leather...BMW's on hand with a flock of 7's. Note the Z4/6-series/X5 on wait in the background. And isn't enough to be given the temporary use of a "7" without the signage screaming..."Hey, look at me...I'm a VIP?" "The profile of an average conventioneer at Miami Basel can perhaps be deduced from the number of private jets leased to fly here this week. NetJets alone — to name a leading vendor of shared jet ownership — booked 216 flights to Miami for this year’s fair, a 44 percent increase over two years ago." Guy Trebay/NYT 12/24/006
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12-24-2006, 08:18 PM	#3
Brookside Major 244 Rep 1,136 Posts Drives: 2016 228i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: KCMO iTrader: (0)	Let The Frenzy Begin- This year's kisses....... these pics do not even begin to evoke the vastness of this exhibit...it takes up the entire Miami Convention Center PLUS 5 ancillary exhibition areas scattered throughout greater Miami., including the upper 4 floors of a downtown hotel, The amount of money made by art dealers is unknown...I've never seen any conclusive figures. But, it is safe to assume it is in the 100's of millions of dollars....ranging in price all the way from millions for a blue-chip Picasso to the sale of a work by a young emerging artist for a couple hundred.
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