Into the mix

Something to add to the debate regarding the proposed resale royalties scheme: a bill has been put before the US Congress (for the fifth time) that would allow artists who donate their work to museums or libraries to deduct the fair market price from their taxes. Currently, collectors who donate art works to public institutions can make this deduction, but artists can only claim the costs of materials.

Bill encourages artists' donations (again) - The Art Newspaper

Interestingly, artists' right to a deduction was revoked in the US in 1969 after some artists were caught inflating the value of their donated works.

In New Zealand, there are no tax incentives for anyone to donate art works to public collections.

Free tools for free lancers

As part of my job (one of the best parts) I'm meant to spend an hour a day learning about web-related things. I wish that when I worked previously at an art gallery that I'd been encouraged to spend an hour a day learning about art-related things.

I started thinking about how I could merge the things that I was learning about online with the things that I'm interested in in my offline life. As a result, I've started work on the Best of 3 wiki: Free tools for free lancers.

The wiki is designed to be a resource for freelancers, particularly freelancers in the visual arts. It brings together a range of online tools and resources, all of which I've had a bash at, and all of which are free, or have a free option. Currently, the resources range from services for sending large files to good places to find art writing online to a Plain English video that will show you how to start up an RSS feedreader to places to look for work.

Free tools for free lancers is hosted by Wetpaint, itself a free tool that lets non-tech people (like me) build their own wiki. Check out their site to see how easily you could be doing this. It's a great way to run long-term projects or work with communities of interest: The Association of Collaboration, for example, would be better served by a wiki than their current blog.

I'll keep adding content to Free tools for free lancers over time. Any suggestions, or requests to join the wiki, are welcome.

Word of the week

Okay - a phrase. 'Email bankruptcy' - when you're so far behind on replying to your email that you quit trying to catch up, and instead send a mass email to all your contacts, telling them that if their email was important, they better resend it, or it's all over rover.

Email bankruptcy - Valleywag

Hey big spenders

An engrossing article published in the Los Angeles Times over the weekend documented the annual LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) Collectors Committee spend up.

At the annual gathering - a 'weekend gala' - members of the Collectors Committee (minmum membership $15,000 per year, with a new $5,000 category for under 40s, to encourage younger philanthropists) are wooed by LACMA curators, each promoting a potential work for the permanent collection. Following two private viewings, a round of powerpoint presentations and a big dinner, a voting marathon ensues.

Fun and funds with LACMA's Collectors Committee - Suzanne Muchnic

Journey to the Center of My Rolodex

That's Jerry Saltz's alternative title for Alanna Heiss's 'Not for sale' exhibition at P. S. 1 - a collection of works by 46 artists that are held in their own collections, and are not available for purchase.

The title is a response to Heiss's stated curatorial strategy: "This show is a personal one: I called artists whom I know well and who happened to be at home. It also represents some kind of manifestation of my unfortunate allergy to the commercial aspects of art.”

Read Saltz's review here: 'Not buying it' - New York Magazine

Read more about the exhibition here: 'Not for sale' - PS1 website

Read Edward Winkleman's response here: 'It's NOT the art market - Edward Winkleman'

Are you listening, New Zealand art galleries?

Reviewing 'High Times, Hard Times: New York Paintings 1967-1975', Jerry Saltz show that you can turn art history into a good exhibition.

Get me a Brush, Stat! - Jerry Saltz, New York Magazine

A cracker

Yep, lame cracks abound in articles about the Guggenheim's new exhibition detailing the repair of its disintegrating facade. The New York Times has this nifty image from the show, with all the repairs needed marked up in hot pink.

Face lift for an aging museum - The New York Times

Resale royalties update

Follow the links from commentary from:

Jim Barr and Mary Barr: Overthenet.blogspot.com

John Hurrell et al: Artbash.co.nz

Michael Smither and John Gow: Checkpoint-RadioNZ.co.nz (scroll down) and Morning Report-RadioNZ.co.nz (scroll right down)

Russell Brown: Publicaddress.net

Artists Alliance: Artistsalliance.org.nz

Brian Rudman: NZHerald.co.nz

Hayden Dewes: Dominion Post-Stuff.co.nz

Resales on the agenda

The heat on this issue has been turned up from 'simmer' to 'rolling boil' (or whatever - I'm not the cook) with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage releasing a discussion paper on the possible establishment of resale royalty rights for visual artists today.

Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists: Discussion Paper - MCH website

Discuss away - the submission date is June 22.

And for your reading pleasure - the Helen and Judith media release

Art resale royalties to be considered - Beehive website

Webbs - taking it to the mat

Perhaps as a profile-building exercise in the face of the new Art + Object auction house publicity attack, Webbs have just been announced as the presenting sponsor for the Arts Foundation's New Zealand Award for Patronage. The news isn't posted on either the Webb's or the Art Foundation website, so here's the release:

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SPONSOR ANNOUNCED - WEBBS (FINE ART AUCTIONEERS)

The Arts Foundation of New Zealand is proud to announce a new partnership with Webb’s - Fine Art Auctioneers.

Webb’s are the Presenting Sponsor of the Arts Foundation of New Zealand Award for Patronage.The annual Award honours a philanthropist for their generous support of the arts. In 2006, the inaugural recipients were Denis and Verna Adam.

The 2007 recipient of the Award will be announced at a special ceremony on May 8th at the Auckland Art Gallery.

“As a company with an in-depth understanding of the quality of art, the Arts Foundation is proud to be associated with Webb’s”, said Ros Burdon, Chairman of the Arts Foundation.

“We are grateful for Webb’s generous support of the Arts Foundation and their contribution to recognising our leading arts patrons.”

“Webb’s has strongly supported the visual arts in New Zealand since its inception over thirty years ago”, said Peter Webb, Director of Webb’s.

“We have done this by pioneering a sound secondary market for local works of art; by cataloguing and displaying such works in a professional manner and by initiating ‘collectives’ to further introduce buyers into the market.

"It therefore makes perfect sense for Webb’s to give its enthusiastic support to an award that recognises the vital role of the patron and donor in the world of the arts. Without the foresight and generosity of patrons, we as a community would be very much the poorer.”

The Arts Foundation of New Zealand Award for Patronage is made annually to a person, couple, or private trust for outstanding private contributions to the arts. The recipients of this Award will, in time, constitute a grand circle of patrons whose generosity has impacted significantly on New Zealand, by nourishing, enriching and bringing us closer to the artistic world.

Honoured for their philanthropy, the recipients are celebrated as role models for all those who are passionate about the arts and as inspiration to those that wish to support the arts to do so at any level.

To demonstrate that patronage is alive and well the recipient is provided the task of distributing $20,000 (gifted by the Arts Foundation) to artists or arts projects of their choice.

The Foundation intends the gifting of funds to the arts as an appropriate reward for the patrons and a direct honour of them as experts in supporting the arts.

“Through its association with the Arts Foundation, Forsyth Barr too understands the value of patronage, so we are delighted to welcome Webb's to the family of supporters and sponsors.

"Their support for the Arts Foundation of New Zealand's Award for Patronage speaks volumes of their understanding of the vital role that Patrons play. We look forward to joining with them and the Arts Foundation on May 8 in Auckland," said Neil Paviour-Smith, Managing Director, Forsyth Barr.

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Webb's was established in 1976 to bring to the New Zealand market a higher level of professionalism in the selling of works of art in all categories by auction. Since that date the company has grown to become a leader not only in selling fine art but also in the specialist fields of decorative arts, jewellery, estate, household effects and wine under the hammer.

Webb's auctions are a great place to learn about the markets for art, antiques and collectables. Webb's conducts more than one hundred and fifty sales each year from its salerooms off Broadway, in Auckland. The sales attract art and antique dealers and collectors from all over New Zealand, and frequently buyers from locations abroad.

Artless

Artbash is calling for a new name (on the basis that the current one screams of negativity. This point is disputed by John Hurrell, who feels the site is an "even balance between critique and celebration". And then he suggested "the pashin' art people".)

New name for Artbash? - Artbash website

The Bashers should check out this article on ThinkVitamin.com which recommends a process for naming a digital product that involves constraints, time, user-testing and one-syllable names starting with a hard consonant ....

How to name your company - ThinkVitamin.com

All white!

Following on from yesterday's Clean | Fresh | Pure | Angus - 'Pure' is an exhibition at New York's Sean Kelly Gallery, featuring all-white works by a range of artists, from Duchamp to Callum Innes via Joseph Beuys and Jenny Holzer.

Possible one-word New Zealand group exhibitions I have thought of:

• Tidy
• Straight
• Sexy (small show)
• Funny (smaller show)
• Angry
• Bitter

Image: Iran do Espirito Santo, Water Glass, 2006/07. Solid pure crystal.