Tag: Art Dealers

Mon Dieu! Part Two! Exclusive Interview with Juno Youn and Spencer Walker

Mon Dieu Projects aims to bring some irreverence to the LA art world with its provocative curatorial choices. “Mon Dieu” the French expression of “My god!” and surprise is the reaction the curators hope to inspire. It also represents Galerie Youn’s Montreal roots with its roster of eccentric artists, who are thrilled for their West Coast debut.

“This business is not for the fragile. It has its up and downs, with incredible highs that border on euphoria to deep depressive downs. Financial preparation is always the biggest challenge. You can never have a big enough war chest, so you need to be smart with the capital you deploy. And capital is not just financial, but emotional and professional capital that you need to be smart with. Balancing healthy egos of artists and collectors with the necessary evil of finance is a high wire act in the circus.”

What happens when a Korean Art Dealer and LA Art Collector start an Art Gallery? Mon Dieu! | Part 1

LA-based writer Spencer Walker has been a client and close friend of Juno Youn of Galerie Youn for a decade. They share a passion for emerging and established artists with distinctive points of view. And, Korean BBQ. Now, they are sharing their idiosyncratic multilingual mashup of style, culture, and art in LA with Mon Dieu Projects at the newly opened second location of the notorious Mohilef Studios.

“Mon Dieu” the French expression of “My god!” and surprise is the reaction the curators hope to inspire. It also represents Galerie Youn’s Montreal roots with its roster of eccentric artists, who are thrilled for their West Coast debut. Mon Dieu Projects aims to bring some irreverence to the LA art world with its provocative curatorial choices.

Art Dealer’s Daily Dangers … and Safety Measures

Art dealing can be a glamorous and lucrative business, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. In recent years, there have been numerous cases of art dealers falling victim to theft, fraud, and even violence. According to reports by the FBI, Interpol, and the Art Loss Register, there were over 24,700 reported cases of art theft between 2008 and 2022, with the value of stolen art during this period surpassing more than $11 billion. These statistics serve as a stark reminder of the risks that art dealers face in their line of work.

Top 5 Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold

leonardo salvator mundi

When it comes to the world of art, certain paintings command staggering prices that represent the pinnacle of human spending power. These masterpieces are highly cherished by investors, collectors, and art lovers alike. The top five most expensive artworks ever sold are a testament to the enduring value of art. Ranging from the masterful brushstrokes of Leonardo da Vinci to the bold color fields of Mark Rothko, these works hold more capital than some banks. In this article, we will take a closer look at the most expensive artworks ever sold, examining the artists, the works, and the prices they fetched at auction or private sale. Whether you are a seasoned collector or simply an art enthusiast, read on to discover the most valuable paintings in history.

HUNTER BIDEN’S ART – FAME TRUMPS TALENT

OPINION | The rise of Hunter Biden’s art career proves that fame trumps talent. It’s a discouraging lesson for many young, talented artists who are struggling to be noticed in the overcrowded art world. The message is clear, no matter how good your art is, unless you have famous parents, chances are, you won’t make it.  

Those that decide to stay in the art game may take away a much more dangerous lesson – to be noticed you must embrace scandalous decadence and become a self-destructive public figure like Hunter Biden. After all it worked for Andy Warhol, who was a lifelong drug addict; it worked for Jackson Pollock, who was an alcoholic for most of his life; it worked for Petr Pavlensky, who nailed his scrotum to the ground; it just may work for you – right?  

The Problem with NFTs

Around February of this year, in the midst of the still-pending cryptocurrency boom, a sub-category of digital assets started to really take off. NonFungible.com reported that by the first quarter of 2021, over $2 billion worth of transactions had taken place in the NFT market. Musician Grimes sold almost $6 million worth of digital art via digital asset marketplace Nifty Gateway, who are partnered with Sotheby’s. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey auctioned his first ever tweet as an NFT, the final bid closing at $2.9 million. UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou sold NFTs following his knockout victory over Stipe Miocic. The proceeds of the sale, $580,000, was actually more than his disclosed purse for the fight itself that earned him the belt. Despite the hype, in many regards serving as a speculator’s dream, NFTs come with inherent issues that threaten to hamper widespread and enduring adoption.

$133 Million in Loans: Exclusive Interview with an Art Banker, Thomas González – Part 2

Thomas González

Thomas González has always had a passion for art. Today, he arranges art loans and has committed himself to the art loan business. He has developed a trusted cadre of financial partners, responsible for successfully brokering art loans above $133 million. We, at The World Art News, have had the pleasure of interviewing Thomas to learn the ins and outs of being an art banker. In this two-part series, you will discover his secrets to running a successful art loans business. This time, in Part 2 of our exclusive interview, Thomas González will talk about the differences between the art and financial worlds, share with us how art loans change lives, and tell our readers how to get started as an investor in the global art market.

Interview with an Art Banker, Thomas González – $133 Million in Loans | Part 1

Thomas González

Thomas González always had a passion for art. So today, he arranges art loans and has committed himself to the art loan business.

He has developed a trusted cadre of financial partners, responsible for successfully brokering art loans above 100 Million Euros.

We, at The World Art News, have had the pleasure of interviewing Thomas to learn the ins and outs of being an art banker.

In this exclusive two-part series you will discover his secrets to running a successful art loans business. Let’s begin!

“I can tell you that loans up to $25 Million aren’t a problem for us.”