Events News South Africa

Art experts share industry advice

The Art of Access webinar series runs from 9-29 September 2013 and is designed to engage questions of access to contemporary art. The initiator of the project and host Usha Seejarim will be interviewing a variety of influential leaders in the South African art industry including artists, critics, writes, collectors, auctioneers and gallerists.

Guests will include: Joost Bosland, Alex Dodd, Prof Federico Freschi, Lionel Smit, Liza Essers, Warren Siebrits, David Koloane, Dr Fred Scott, Mary Corrigall, Stefan Hundt, Brenton Maart, Ismail Mahomed, and Bronwyn Law-Viljoen.

As authorities in their specific areas of expertise, these specialists will share tangible information based on their individual experience.

For example, Joost Bosland from Stevenson Gallery will advise on the precise steps to take when starting a collection of art with a limited budget. Lionel Smit has seen success in a very short period of time and he will be sharing his marketing strategy as an artist. Avid collector Warren Siebrits will articulate the one policy that he believes every artist should be implementing. Siebrits says that this particular rule practiced by American Pop artists Jasper Johns made him wealthier than Damien Hirst. Critic Mary Corrigall will talk about the nuances of taking critical positions and the consequences thereof.

Seejarim explains that the inception of The Art of Access Webinar Series has been motivated by a personal desire to make contemporary art more accessible. "As a practicing artist in this industry for a number of years, I felt that many artists both emerging and established have struggled to break into the market.

The workings of the art market

The webinar interviews will focus on artists who often fail to fully understand the workings of the art market usually only giving attention to the art making process and leaving the commercial aspects of their careers to someone else. Studies indicate that successful artists are co drivers with their gallerists and agents i.e. they develop the required business acumen to manage the financial and marketing aspects of their careers"

Some of the questions that will be discussed include:

  • How to prosper as a full time artist.
  • What kind of work should I buy if I want to start collecting art?
  • As an arts writer, where can I publish my articles?
  • How do auction houses work? And how can I as an artist/collector/writer benefit from this understanding?
  • How to build and grow valuable relationships in the art world.
  • What creates value in art.

    Once registered, audience will be able to listen in live via telephone and webcast. Questions can also be asked during open sessions. The last three interviews will be conducted live from the Joburg Art Fair, and all the speakers will be offering artworks and other services for sale.

    For more, go to www.artofartbusiness.com.

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