Melissa Gail Sing speaks to the art maven about the artworks in his personal collection and the genres of art that interest him.
The Deputy Chairman, Asia, and Chairman of International Jewellery, Asia, Sotheby’s scours the corners of the globe the rarest treasures. The next lot will be presented at the April Spring Sale.
When it comes to buying art, what is your strategy?
Go to museums, galleries and auction previews, do a lot of research and find out what you like. Always buy what you truly like and buy the best you can afford.
Auctions are the most public and transparent platform for art transactions where the market demand sets the prices for the works. At auction previews, one is presented with hundreds of well-researched and documented works by various established artists and from various sources, with specialists at hand to provide advice at no charge. Sotheby’s holds two major auction series every year in April and October, both extravagant multi-day feasts of art with sales ranging from Southeast Asian paintings, Chinese works of art, modern and contemporary Asian art to Impressionist art. They are highly anticipated by art lovers and collectors around the world, who participate in person and via phone, online or absentee bids.
What's the biggest mistake people make when buying art?
The love for art is not always rational but most mistakes can be avoided by examining the work in person before buying, doing careful research on the work and market prices, studying relevant literature and speaking to a specialist. Buy what you truly like, and if its value appreciates over time take it as a bonus. The most important thing is that you will always have in your possession a piece of art that speaks to you.
What is your advice for someone buying art online?
As with all transactions online, a credible source with reliable expertise and experience is of paramount importance, as is research on relevant literature and documentation. Apart from cataloguing, we offer detailed condition reports on each work we sell. Potential buyers should study this carefully and contact a specialist when in doubt.
List your top 3 artworks in your personal collection.
I’d rather focus on the top three pieces sold under my hammer, which I personally hold very dear:
The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace. A jadeite bead, ruby and diamond necklace by Cartier, circa 1933, this sold in April 2014 for HK$214 million, a world auction record for any jadeite jewellery and a Cartier jewel.
The Meiyintang ‘Chicken Cup’. A fine Doucai 'Chicken Cup', mark and period of Chenghua, this sold in April 2014 for HK$281.24 million, a world auction record for Chinese porcelain.
Zeng Fanzhi’s The Last Supper sold for HK$180.44 million in October 2013, a world auction record for contemporary Asian art by a living Chinese artist.
What genres of art are you particularly interested in now?
Jewellery, of course: Recent highlights include the 2014 exhibitions of JAR (Metropolitan Museum), Cartier at Grand Palace in Paris, and the Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection at Metropolitan Museum of Art in December 2014.
Contemporary and Impressionist art: Recent highlights include David Hockney at de Young Museum in San Francisco; Matisse Cutouts at MOMA; the Leonardo da Vinci at Royal Academy and the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. The 2014/15 art + architecture project to visit is the latest Frank Gehry architectural creation for Fondation Louis Vuitton with its use of glass over aluminium alloys used in previous landmark buildings like Guggenheim Bilbao and Disney Hall, LA. And there was the intriguing site specific installation by Olafur Eliasson for the opening of Foundation Louis Vuitton Museum.
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