News

Feb 19
4

2020 ART BUSINESS COURSE AT THE ESA

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We’re looking forward to the 4th year of the Art Business course at ESA, the Middle East’s leading business school, which starts on 17th March. Gurr Johns has partnered with the ESA since 2017 offering both post-graduates and professionals the opportunity to gain specialised knowledge and insight into the most important and relevant aspects of the art business, including the role of law and finance in the art world.
The 6-month course culminates in a 4-day trip to London, visiting  important museums, galleries and auction houses, as well as exclusive studio visits with leading contemporary artists.
Applications close on 1 March for this year’s course: more details are available here.

Shown above is the class of 2019 visiting the home of a collector.
Jun 21
4

BEN CLARK APPOINTED DEPUTY CEO, GURR JOHNS INTERNATIONAL

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Gurr Johns announces the appointment of Ben Clark as Deputy CEO of Gurr Johns International. Ben will be based in London where he will continue to develop the firm’s global advisory business, with a focus on the company’s growth in Asia.

Ben joins Gurr Johns with 20 years of experience in the art market, the majority spent at Christie’s where he was a trusted advisor and proven deal-maker. Most recently, Ben has been based in Hong Kong as Deputy Chairman of Christie’s Asia, before which he was Managing Director and Global Head of Client Strategy, based in London. His global experience allowed him to cultivate a deep understanding of the international art market and build a track-record in fostering long-term relationships with art collectors and institutions.

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Jun 05
3

FEMALE ARTISTS: MUST-SEE EXHIBITIONS

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Female artists have often been overlooked in the traditionally male-dominated art world, a trend which has been receiving more and more recognition and coverage in recent years. However there have been some encouraging and interesting trends of late, not least in the art market which can often act as a bell-weather for cultural trends.
According to Shea Goli, Contemporary Art Advisor at Gurr Johns, “Over the last 12 to 18 months in particular there have been real signs of change in the market, both in the middle market and with mid-career artists, and also at the top end where the major evening auctions have included many more female artists. At the top end, Jenny Saville made a record for a living female artst in October at Sotheby’s with a self-portrait which sold for £8.25million, while in New York in May, a Louise Bourgeois spider went for $32million and a Joan Mitchell triptych fetched $21.1million. These are signs of real progress at many levels of the market: although there’s still a very long way to go.”

The market is reacting to a broader shift, which has also seen more major museum shows recently on some fantastic female artists, including retrospectives on Annie Albers, Joan Jonas and Dorothea Tanning, to name a few. And this summer promises even more unmissable shows, including the Natalia Goncharova exhibition at Tate Modern which we covered in our last post. We have picked out a few which caught our eye:

* Not to be missed is the sensational retrospective on Lee Krasner which opened last week at the Barbican in London. ‘Lee Krasner: Living Colour’ celebrates the work of the pioneer Abstract Expressionist, whose significance has often been eclipsed by her marriage to Jackson Pollock.  She once said, “I like a canvas to breathe and be alive.  Be alive is the point.”, and her energetic, bold and striking works are testament to her passion and her spirit for invention. It is an outstanding show which runs until 1st September 2019.

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May 29
3

MUSEUM PICKS FOR THE EARLY SUMMER

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This summer promises a host of unmissable exhibitions. From Fra Angelico at the Prado and Natalia Goncharova at Tate Modern to French modern masters at the Hermitage and Manga at the British Museum, there is something to suit all tastes. Read on for some of our favourite picks:

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
28 May – 15 September
At the Prado, ‘Fra Angelico and the Rise of the Florentine Renaissance’ includes 82 works loaned by more than 40 institutions in Europe and America, and explores the artistic significance of the early Florentine Renaissance. The highlight of the show is Fra Angelico’s ‘The Annunciation’, recently restored and shown alongside ‘The Virgin of the Pomegranate’, a new addition to the Museum’s collection. Known for his rejection of the preceding Gothic style, Fra Angelico embraced the new artistic language of the period and his pious and beautiful works are exhibited with an extensive group of works by his contemporaries including Masaccio, Masolino, Donatello and Ghiberti.

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May 01
1

THE VENICE BIENNALE: THE ART OLYMPICS

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Visitors are set to flock to Venice next week for the 58th edition of the Biennale, known as the Olympics of the art world, which opens officially on 11 May.

Of the 90 national pavilions, new additions this year come from Algeria, Ghana, Madagascar, Malaysia and Pakistan and there is also a new section dedicated to refugees with five artists in residence until 23 May. For their inaugural appearance, Pakistan will be represented by multi-disciplinary artist Naiza Khan whose work captures the experience of living and working in Karachi where everyday life is affected by natural disasters, urban migration and political struggle. The UK is represented by Cathy Wilkes, whose sculptures evoke a strong sense of loss and melancholy, while African American artist Martin Puryear will fill the US pavilion with his sculptures which blend abstraction, craft and tradition, while referencing democracy and liberty. Read More

Apr 24
1

TWO BITES OF THE BIG APPLE

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New York is the place to be next week with two of the most important art fairs of the year taking place. TEFAF NEW YORK Spring (3 to 7 May) and FRIEZE NEW YORK (2 to 5 May) have added many new and exciting exhibitors, exhibitions and collaborations to their line ups this year to attract as many visitors as possible.

Focusing on Modern & Contemporary art & design, the third edition of TEFAF New York Spring features 92 exhibitors, with 12 new participants. The unique architecture of the Park Avenue Armoury provides a great backdrop for exhibitions and ‘Le Coq d’Or’ by Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962) promises to be one of the most striking additions to the space when it is suspended from the ceiling.  The huge masterpiece (30 x 42ft), brought to the fair by Galerie Gmurzynska, is the sole surviving large scale painting from the famed Diaghilev production of the Ballet Russes and is of great historical significance. Its exhibition coincides with a strong revival of interest in the work of the Russian artist; a major retrospective will open at the Tate Modern, London, in June.

For their first appearance at the fair, Pace Gallery will present an exhibition of the work of 20th century master Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985).  Drawing together paintings, works on paper and sculptures by the 20th century master, they capture the unremittingly innovative and bold vision and spirit of the artist. Following their recent announcement of an exclusive collaboration with the Klee Family, David Zwirner will be exhibiting a one-artist presentation of the works of Paul Klee (1879-1940) which is not to be missed. Other highlights include first appearances at the fair for Donald Ellis Gallery, Victoria Miro and Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac.

Over at Randall’s Island Park, Frieze New York features a large number of collaborations with leading museum directors this year, such as Patrick Charpenel (Executive Director of El Museo del Barrio, New York) and Susanna V. Temkin (Curator) who will curate Diálogos, a new themed section for Latino and Latin American art.

Another first for this year is Frieze Sculpture at Rockefeller Center, a new public art initiative which is open for two months, until 28 June 2019, featuring works by Joan Miró (1893-1983), Jaume Plensa (b.1955) and Rochelle Goldberg (b.1984), amongst others. The eighth edition of the fair sees increased participation from galleries in Asia with new additions including Tina Keng from Taipei and Experimenter Gallery from Kolkata, alongside record numbers of exhibitors from China.

With new and under-represented art forms alongside some of the most significant names in modern and contemporary art, this is a fair not to be missed.

www.tefaf.com and www.frieze.com

Mar 20
1

SPRING EXHIBITIONS – HIGHLIGHTS

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This year marks the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth, and there are numerous exhibitions in the Netherlands to celebrate this milestone.  The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam holds the world’s largest collection of works by the Dutch master and they are currently showing All the Rembrandts, offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain unparalleled perspective into his life.   On show are 22 paintings, 60 drawings and more than 300 examples of his prints, many of which are very fragile and rarely shown.  Don’t miss his Self-Portrait as the Apostle Paul (1661), Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem (1630) or The Three Crosses (1653).  On show until 10 June 2019.

If you find yourself ‘on the other side of the pond’, the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco is currently showing Monet: The Early Years, the first major U.S. exhibition devoted to the early phase of the artist’s career.  Nearly 60 paintings follow Monet’s development during the formative years of 1858-1872 when he developed his unique visual language and the techniques that went on to make him one of the most famous artists in the world.  On show until 29 May 2019.

Meanwhile at the Royal Academy in London, The Renaissance Nude explores the emergence of the nude as a prominent theme in Western art.  With works by artists including Titian, Bronzino, Leonardo, Cranach and Michelangelo, the exhibition traces the scope of the development of this genre and argues that important contributions to the establishment of the nude as a pivotal subject of European art can be found across the continent.  On show until 2 June 2019.

And for a final recommendation we suggest Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light at the National Gallery, the first UK exhibition of the Spanish Impressionist’s work in over a century.  Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923) is known for his sunny beach scenes, vivid seascapes, garden views all bursting with his signature ability for depicting the bright and warm light of his homeland.  On show until 7th July.

Mar 12
1

THE GEORGE MICHAEL COLLECTION

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For anyone in London this week, a quick reminder not to miss the George Michael Collection which is currently on exhibition at Christie’s before being offered in an evening auction on 14 March. And whether you’re in London or not, don’t forget to check out the online sale which is now open for bidding until 15 March (for more details please visit www.christies.com).

Gurr Johns is honoured to be acting as advisors to the Trustees of the estate of the highly successful and influential British singer, songwriter, and art collector. Michael developed close relationships with many YBA artists during his lifetime and his instinctive support of young, emerging talent is evident in the collection.  Proceeds from the auction will continue his philanthropic work.