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Going beyond a pretty picture
Print Edition
THE art of photography is much more than a snapshot, but convincing Chinese art collectors of its merits has taken time.
Around the turn of the century, few Chinese collectors would have been willing to spend tens of thousands of yuan on a photo. Many locals at that time simply did not believe photos had true artistic value because prints could be easily reproduced multiple times and there was the prevailing attitude that everyone could do it. Most thought that anyone could carry a camera around and take pretty pictures of landscapes and nice portraits of family members or capture street scenes.
Terms such as “limited edition” and “difference in copies” were alien to many. But times changed and organizers of the second annual Photo Shanghai fair held last week at the Shanghai Exhibition Center said the market has never been better.
Helen Zhu, a manager at ShanghART, one of the country’s top galleries and a Photo Shanghai organizer, said: “Back in 2000, no one was interested in photos.Even photos by (top artist) Yang Fudong could only fetch 2,000 yuan (US$313).”
Today a photo limited to 10 copies by the artist could sell for 200,000 yuan. Back in 2005 and 2006, it was only Western collectors and buyers who were interested in Yang’s photos, Zhu said, adding that some young Chinese collectors started noticing his work around 2008.
She also said pictures by Geng Jianyi, Bird Head, Xu Zhen and Liang Yue had become popular among collectors around the world in recent years.
“Photography art covers around 30 percent of all deals at our gallery nowadays,” she added.
Sophie Wang, a white-collar worker in her forties, purchased a photo by Geng last year. It was limited to just one copy.
“I was immediately taken by it at first sight. It coincided with my attitude toward life — time passes like flowing water,” she said.
Wang said if she were to spend the same amount on a painting she would be unable to afford an original work created by such a big name artist as Geng, whose contemporary paintings can sell for several million yuan.
Her thoughts were echoed by other buyers who expressed optimism about the future of the art photography market.
“These photos are beautiful and great for decorating an apartment,”said Wang Yuhong, a local oil painter. “More young people are able to accept photography as an art form, partly because they are affordable.”
Wang Yuhong, though an oil painter, also tried photography as an experiment and sees it as a way to boost creativity.
“Many young Chinese artists, despite their background, are exploring the possibilities of photography,” Wang Yuhong said. “As an art form, it enriches our creations.”
1975 marked a critical year in the history of photography as Sotheby’s held its first photography auction. But the photography art market is in its infancy here.
Photo Shanghai manager Alexander Montague-Sparey said about half of the 50 photo galleries
at the fair were from Western countries with the other half from China.
Benjamin Jager attended the fair and is the chief operating officer at Berlin-based Camera Work. “Some collectors showed more interest toward our photos on VIP day compared to last year,” he said. “Before we needed to explain that photos can be collected and how to collect them. But this year people just started buying. They were especially interested in photos with only one copy.”
Three photos limited to one copy by German photographer Yoram Roth were sold on VIP day at prices between 42,000 yuan and 107,000 yuan.
Li Li, owner of Shanghai-based Vanguard Gallery, said photos by Japanese photographers Yuki Onodera and Aki Lumi were also sold at the fair.
Although some collectors said photos are a good option since they are cheaper than paintings, they added prices at Photo Shanghai were too high.
“I just come to have a look,” said one veteran Chinese collector who declined to give his name. “I have my own channels to purchase photos at better prices.”
Xu Jiahe, veteran art reporter for Oriental Morning Post, said she asked a friend in Europe to buy her a photo by Marina Abramovic, the “mother of performance art,” for 5,000 yuan. “Several thousand yuan is not enough to buy a photo from a big name artist at this fair,” she said.
ShanghART’s Zhu said the number of copies of a photo makes a big difference in the price. A photo with only one print might sell for more than 200,000 yuan, while a photo with 100 copies will fetch up to 20,000 yuan.
Montague-Sparey added galleries and artists work together to control the number of copies on the market, thus collectors can be at ease purchases have value.
“Today if you buy a photo created by Cindy Sherman, it is secured,” he said. “Similar to buying a work from Pablo Picasso, the artist and gallery strictly control the copies. Thus her photo could sell for US$1 million a piece.”
Magda Danysz, founder of MD Gallery in Shanghai, said galleries have a bigger responsibility today since most people have a camera on their phones and take pictures almost daily.
“It is the responsibility of the gallery to tell people what is professional, what is the art market, and why photography is a piece of art rather than simply a poster,” Danysz said.
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