Wildlife Photographer of the Year shines a light on the environment

By in Photography

Wildlife Photographer of the Year shines a light on the environment

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Where: Royal B.C. Museum, 675 Belleville St.

When: March 1-June 2

Admission: Included with regular museum admission ($18 adults; $11 seniors/students/youth; children five and under free)

MIKE DEVLIN

Times Colonist

When the Royal B.C. Museum opens its new exhibit on Friday, it will be an illuminating experience for thousands of museumgoers — in more ways than one.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year will occupy the majority of the museum’s third floor until June 2, giving thousands of guests the opportunity to view the work of top photographers in an entirely new light. The travelling annual exhibit, developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London, England, gets special treatment when it arrives at the Victoria institution, which takes the unusual step of presenting the 100 selected images backlit using lightbox technology.

“It brings the photographs to life,” said Tracey Drake, CEO of the Royal BC Museum. “It provides an opportunity to really illustrate the power of the photography. I’ve seen [the exhibit] in other organizations, and it feels flat. This is incredible, and because of the impact of these images and the stories they tell — climate change, environmental conservation — the backlighting helps them leap off the wall.”

The museum made a bigger investment in the exhibit this year by purchasing the lightboxes it rented during previous years. Drake said the museum is committed to staging the exhibit “for many years to come,” which made the purchase a shrewd one heading into its 10th instalment of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

“The reason why a lot of the other organizations that take this exhibit do not do it in this way is because of the cost,” she said. “You acquire the exhibition, but if you want everything that goes with the technology, it’s extra to rent [the lightboxes] and extra to ship them. So it’s a commitment. But we’ve always bought into that because we felt it was a better experience for the museumgoer.”

The exhibition meets at the intersection of photography, science and art. The photos, culled from more than 45,000 international entries each year, represent some of the best of the world, which puts pressure on the institutions selected to host the exclusive exhibit. As such, the images on display are printed overseas, on a transparent, synthetic material known as Duratrans for quality purposes.

When backlit with a light source, the imagery is illuminated with staggering clarity, according to Victoria’s Garth Lenz, who is among the participating photographers this year.

When presented in this manner, the work of Lenz, Mark Williams of Jordan River (who has two photos in the exhibit), and the remaining photographers seems digitally manipulated. But nothing could be further from the truth, according to Lenz.

“You have to send the judges your original file, because they are looking for a number of things. For instance, if you did a lot of the things you’re not supposed to do — such as goose the image in Photoshop, or crop something out — they can tell that immediately.”

Lenz has been involved with the exhibit twice previously, and never takes the opportunity for granted. To have his work showcased alongside “the best of the best” is a wonderful opportunity for the local landscape photographer, whose work has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, including Time, The New York Times, Esquire, and The Guardian.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year gives him the chance to learn about new photographers and reconnect with established ones. “If you’ve been doing this for a while, and making the rounds from time to time, as I have, you end up knowing lots of people,” he said. “I probably know 10 or 15 of the photographers.”

Mark Williams of Jordan River has two photos in the exhibit, featuring an Arctic fox in one photo and beluga whales in the other (Williams, whose photos were taken in Nunavut, was said to be in Antarctica this week and was not available for comment.)

Lenz’s photo — an aerial shot of the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine near Salt Lake City, Utah — features no animals, which is acceptable per the contest’s rules. The photos in the exhibit need only showcase the diversity of the natural world, wildlife or otherwise. His image of the largest open excavation on Earth certainly qualifies.

The photo is one of the last to capture the mine it its former state; two landslides, which occurred months after the image was shot, cratered a massive section of the mine, resulting in the largest non-volcanic slide in North America’s modern history.

The environmental impact of such a site, which poses a significant health risk to wildlife and human populations in the area, pushed Lenz’s image into the category of photojournalism, which is one of the foundations of the exhibit.

“Some of the photography is quite jarring because it’s telling the story of where we are as a society,” Drake said. “But if you understand the language that comes with the photographs, and the language behind the image itself, these are really important stories to tell. It helps you understand the issues of climate change and global warming.” mdevlin@timescolonist.com

Facing the Inferno: Kari Greer’s Wildfire Photography Enlightens I…

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Facing the Inferno: Kari Greer’s Wildfire Photography Enlightens I…
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Kari Greer, a seasoned photo documentarian, brings the vivid and complex world of wildfire photography to the Old Capitol Museum in Iowa City through her exhibit ‘Facing the Inferno.’ This showcase, running until May 10, 2024, delves into the dual nature of wildfires, portraying both their devastating force and the unexpected beauty they can unveil. Greer’s work, deeply rooted in her experiences as a firefighter and photography student, offers a unique perspective on the vast landscapes and human efforts surrounding wildfire control.

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From Firefighter to Photographer

Greer’s journey into wildfire photography began in the 1990s, merging her firefighting background with her passion for photography. This combination allowed her to capture the essence of wildfires from an insider’s perspective, focusing on safety, knowledge of firefighting protocols, and health precautions against smoke inhalation. Her work emphasizes not only the destructive power of wildfires but also the human resilience and efforts to combat these natural disasters.

Educational Impact and Resonance

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The exhibition, initiated by Roger Rowley of the Moscow Contemporary in Idaho, has toured for about five years, highlighting the educational and aesthetic value of Greer’s photography. It resonates with the ‘Living with Smoke’ initiative at the University of Iowa, focusing on the impacts of smoke and respiratory infections in the Midwest. This thematic alignment underscores the relevance of Greer’s work to current environmental and health concerns, particularly in regions like Iowa, where smoke from distant wildfires affects air quality and visibility.

Exhibition Details and Offerings

‘Facing the Inferno’ not only showcases Greer’s stunning wildfire photography but also offers educational opportunities across multiple disciplines. The exhibit’s tenure in Iowa City until May 2024 provides a platform for discussions on environmental science, public health, and art. By capturing the harsh realities and unexpected beauty of wildfires, Greer’s work encourages a deeper understanding and appreciation of the challenges and strategies associated with wildfire management and the broader implications of smoke on health and the environment.

The exhibit ‘Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer’ at the Old Capitol Museum serves as a poignant reminder of the dual nature of wildfires and the importance of education, awareness, and preparedness in the face of natural disasters. Through Greer’s lens, visitors are invited to explore the complex relationship between humanity and nature, fostering a greater appreciation for the efforts to protect and preserve our environment amidst the challenges posed by wildfires.

Illuminating Whiskers Exhibit: Masculinity Through Photography at …

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Illuminating Whiskers Exhibit: Masculinity Through Photography at …
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The ‘Illuminating Whiskers’ exhibit, a collaborative effort between Juliane Troicki and Christine Peck, offers a profound exploration of masculinity, storytelling, and empathy through the lens of photography. Opening on March 1 at the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, this unique showcase pairs black-and-white portraits of diverse men with their personal narratives, challenging stereotypes and fostering a sense of belonging.

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A Fresh Perspective on Masculinity

At the heart of ‘Illuminating Whiskers’ lies the intention to redefine masculinity. By focusing on facial hair as both a literal and metaphorical frame to introduce the subjects, Troicki and Peck aim to highlight the importance of being remembered and the role of facial hair in crafting a man’s story. This exhibit not only offers a platform for men of various backgrounds to share their experiences but also seeks to break down the barriers of traditional masculinity, encouraging viewers to engage with the narratives and empathize with the subjects.

From Concept to Reality

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The collaboration between Troicki, known for her narrative-driven approach, and Peck, a skilled photographer, began in 2019 with the Illuminating Project. Initially focusing on women, the project has now expanded to include men, reflecting on what it means to be a good man across different cultures and professions in Wisconsin. The exhibit showcases the diversity of male experiences, from a Santa Claus to a business owner, a priest, and even a curling enthusiast, each story shining a light on the multifaceted nature of masculinity.

Community Engagement and Impact

‘Illuminating Whiskers’ is more than an exhibit; it’s an experience designed to foster community engagement and understanding. With the portraits and narratives presented side-by-side, viewers are invited to connect with the subjects on a deeper level, sparking conversations about masculinity, identity, and empathy. The exhibit, running through April 12, offers a free and accessible space for these important discussions to take place, promising a memorable experience for attendees.

As ‘Illuminating Whiskers’ opens its doors to the public, it stands as a testament to the power of photography and storytelling in challenging societal norms and fostering a sense of belonging. By spotlighting the diverse experiences of men in Wisconsin, Troicki and Peck invite us to reconsider our perceptions of masculinity, inviting a deeper understanding and empathy towards the stories that shape us.

2024 OnePlus Photography Awards Launch: Big Prizes, Global Call fo…

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2024 OnePlus Photography Awards Launch: Big Prizes, Global Call fo…
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On a groundbreaking day for mobile photography, OnePlus unveiled the 2024 OnePlus Photography Awards (OPA) in a prestigious collaboration with the International Photography Awards (IPA). This initiative, announced on 29 February 2024, not only promises to elevate the smartphone imaging experience but also aims to bring together the world’s most creative minds in photography.

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Revolutionizing Mobile Photography

The 2024 OPA seeks to redefine the boundaries of mobile photography by offering an inclusive platform for photographers worldwide. By integrating the expertise of OnePlus imaging product specialists with the discerning eyes of the IPA jury, along with the esteemed Hasselblad ambassadors and masters, this year’s awards are poised to set a new standard in the competition. The collaboration underscores a shared vision between OnePlus and IPA: to harness the power of smartphones in capturing extraordinary moments.

Incentivizing Creativity with Unprecedented Prizes

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OnePlus is determined to ignite the passion of photography enthusiasts by announcing an array of enticing rewards for the 2024 awards. The stakes are higher than ever, with a grand prize of up to US$10,000 and a complimentary OnePlus device awaiting the Photo of the Year winner. This substantial prize pool is designed to motivate participants from across the globe to share their unique perspectives and artistic talents through the lens of their smartphones.

A Call to Action for Photographers Everywhere

The launch of OPA 2024 marks an exciting opportunity for photographers, from amateurs to professionals, to showcase their skills and creativity. With the competition now open for entries, OnePlus encourages participants to seize this moment and make their mark in the world of mobile photography. This year’s awards not only promise recognition and rewards but also an unparalleled platform for photographers to connect, share, and inspire.

As the 2024 OnePlus Photography Awards draw near, the anticipation builds for what is set to be an extraordinary celebration of talent, vision, and innovation in mobile photography. This collaboration between OnePlus and IPA, backed by the legendary Hasselblad, is a testament to the evolving landscape of photography and the endless possibilities that lie within the reach of our smartphones.

Entries for the 2024 OnePlus Photography Awards are now open, calling on photography enthusiasts worldwide to ‘Make the Moment’ with smartphone cameras

By in Photography

Entries for the 2024 OnePlus Photography Awards are now open, calling on photography enthusiasts worldwide to ‘Make the Moment’ with smartphone cameras

This is the fourth consecutive year that OnePlus and IPA have collaborated to host the OPA

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 February 2024 – Global tech brand OnePlus today launched the 2024 OnePlus Photography Awards (OPA) in partnership with the International Photography Awards (IPA) — the global platform that encourages photographers to discover and share artistic creations — together bringing premium smartphone imaging experiences to more photography enthusiasts worldwide.

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How Auctions Became the Ultimate Form of Art Market Theater

By in Art World News

How Auctions Became the Ultimate Form of Art Market Theater

This article is part of the Artnet Intelligence Report Year Ahead 2024. Through in-depth analysis of last year’s market performance, the new edition paints a data-driven picture of the art world today, from the latest auction results to the artists and artworks leading the conversation.

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On the seventh floor of Sotheby’s New York headquarters during a blisteringly cold night January, a glamorous crowd clinked champagne flutes and traded air kisses. They weren’t there for a high-stakes auction. Instead, they had gathered to celebrate a new Broadway musical about the life of the 20th-century artist Tamara de Lempicka. After the performance, actors pretended to be Sotheby’s staffers taking phone bids. Auctions have often been compared to theater for their drama and staging. That night, Broadway found itself inside an auction house, and Sotheby’s became a stage.

It was an apt metaphor for the current state of play in the auction business. Four years after the pandemic transformed insular evening sales into extravaganzas streamed live online, the industry has never been more theatrical. Tens of thousands of viewers tuned in to watch the marquee November sales, conducted by specialists in professional hair and makeup and recorded by roving video cameras worthy of a major broadcasting company.

The cast of the new Broadway musical “Lempicka” attended a launch event at Sotheby’s auction house in January. Courtesy of Kevin Doan.

The cast of the new Broadway musical “Lempicka” attended a launch event at Sotheby’s auction house in January. Courtesy of Kevin Doan.

That’s far from the only element of the production that is carefully stage-managed. “The auction room is more than ever before a public room for private transactions,” said the lawyer Thomas Danziger, who advises clients on high-value art deals. “It’s more like a Broadway performance than a traditional auction.”

A variety of factors, including a softening market and changing legal requirements, have united to make it increasingly difficult to discern what’s going on not only behind the curtain but also in front of it.

Prologue

Auctions’ lack of transparency is the stuff of urban legends and everyday reality. Every decade, it seems, brings a major scandal. In the 1980s, the corporation Cristallina S.A. sued Christie’s for setting the reserve—the secret minimum price sellers will accept—for several Impressionist paintings above their high estimates and then lying in the press when the works failed to sell. In the 1990s, an investigation into collusion between Christie’s and Sotheby’s toppled their chief executives and sent Sotheby’s then-owner, A. Alfred Taubman, to jail.

For decades, New York legislators sought to impose restrictions on auctioneers—specifically, on their use of the phantom bids, known as “chandelier bids,” claiming they could harm consumers. But auction houses persevered. After all, they’d been using the bids since at least the 19th century to build momentum in the room and protect the consignor.

The past decade has been a mixed bag for transparency. Know Your Client standards and anti-money- laundering regulations in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom mean that sellers can no longer hide behind advisors, trusts, or limited liability companies because auction houses must identify the ultimate owner of an artwork. In 2016, New York City—home of the biggest art market in the world—told companies to disclose fees paid to third-party guarantors when reporting final prices.

Sotheby’s marquee evening sales have become streaming productions worthy of a major broadcasting company. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.

Sotheby’s marquee evening sales have become streaming productions worthy of a major broadcasting company. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.

Two years later, a window into the health of the market closed when Sotheby’s was acquired by telecom magnate Patrick Drahi’s BidFair USA. Since then, the world’s three largest auction houses—Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips—have been privately owned and not required to publicly report extensive financial results on a regular basis.

One of the biggest changes came in 2022, when New York City repealed a number of longstanding regulations on the auction industry, including the 2016 net price disclosure requirement. The changes, which went into effect over the past two years, removed restrictions on “chandelier” bidding past the reserve amount as well as requirements for marking guaranteed lots in the catalogues and setting estimates above the reserve. Auction houses also no longer required a license to operate. The move was framed as a citywide effort to boost small businesses after the pandemic; auction houses have claimed they did not lobby for the changes.

When the New York regulations were repealed, a chorus of voices raised concerns that auctions would become a Wild West. The Big Three houses say that they have, by and large, not changed their behavior. So far, auctioneers “seem to be acting as if guardrails are still in place,” Danziger said. “The big auction houses are steered like ocean liners, not speedboats, so any changes are slow to happen and are incremental in nature.”

The potential impact of these changes, and exactly what they involve, remain murky. But even fine-print adjustments can have profound consequences for the trade, for money made and lost. So we took a closer look at the sleight of hands occurring at different phases of the auction process. Here’s what has happened in the past and what could change in the future.

Act One: The Withdrawals

Onstage: The sell-through rate of a sale appears strong.

Backstage: Works are withdrawn if they look like they won’t sell—even in the middle of the auction.

The image of Sotheby’s global chairman Brooke Lampley delivering a pair of white gloves to an auctioneer at the end of a sale has become increasingly common in recent seasons. In November alone, Lampley awarded this symbol of auction perfection (when every lot finds a buyer) twice. But auction houses have many strategies to create the appearance of success, including withdrawing lots instead of letting them go unsold.

Auction houses are increasing their reliance on withdrawals to boost their sell-through rates (the ratio of sold to unsold works). Sotheby’s in particular has been using this strategy, and its unexpected announcement of withdrawn lots in the middle of a sale has sparked gasps and murmurs. “We realized there wasn’t a big stigma,” one auction house executive said. “If you know 99.9 percent that something isn’t going to sell, why keep it in?”

In May, the house withdrew the cover lot of the Now sale, Yoshitomo Nara’s Haze Days (1998), estimated at $12 million to $18 million, midway through the auction. The work accounted for more than a third of the sale’s original low estimate of $42 million.

Six months later, Sotheby’s withdrew eight lots, jointly estimated at $19.8 million, from its Modern art evening sale. As a result, the house was able to report a solid sell through rate of 94 percent (as opposed to 74 percent if those lots had failed to sell, according to Artnet News calculations). Christie’s said its withdrawal rate has been about 4 percent in the past few seasons, compared with 2 percent in 2018. Sotheby’s said it does not track its withdrawals.

For the players in the deal, there’s almost no downside. Consignors usually pay a fee to pull an item, but they are more likely to be able to resell the work later without the black mark of auction failure. And auction houses can erase the work from internet price databases, the auction house executive noted.

The danger is that this practice can create deceptively bullish auction statistics. The houses “are crafting a narrative that makes the art market look better than it is and their performance better than it is,” said the art advisor Wendy Cromwell.

Brooke Lampley, Sotheby’s global chairman, delivered white gloves to auctioneer Oliver Barker after a successful auction in Las Vegas in 2021. Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Sotheby’s.

Brooke Lampley, Sotheby’s global chairman, delivered white gloves to auctioneer Oliver Barker after a successful auction in Las Vegas in 2021. Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Sotheby’s.

Act Two: The Bidding

Onstage: A work attracts a flurry of bids.

Backstage: There may be less demand than you think.

Auctions are about ritual, gentility, and decorum. Auctioneer Jussi Pylkkänen always wore a purple Savile Row tie while presiding over an evening sale; Christopher Burge would down one shot of Scotch whiskey before taking the stage. Auctioneers have their lines, formally addressing prominent colleagues bidding in the room as “sir” and “madam.” (When a well-known buyer doesn’t have a paddle, the auctioneer will assure them, “Not to worry, we know who you are.”) And the players have their places: the Nahmad family of collector-traders is in the front row; the Acquavella clan is usually up in the skybox.

The repeal of the New York regulations meant that auction houses had more flexibility to stage-manage not only the evening’s script but also the bidding process. Previously, auctioneers were allowed to “chandelier bid” up to the reserve in an effort to stir up energy. You’ve seen it: an auctioneer opens the bidding below the low estimate and proceeds with a concatenation of bids, staring intensely into the distance. Those bids are not real. (Until 2022, the outcome of the Cristallina case in 1980 also assured that the reserve was set at or below the low estimate.) Insiders don’t get confused by it, but it can be misleading to newcomers. “You are replacing straightforward commerce with theater,” Danziger said.

Since New York City did away with restrictions on chandelier bidding in 2022, there’s nothing legally stopping auction houses from getting more creative. Technically, more than one specialist could execute a third-party guarantee, legal experts said. That means that instead of pulling the bids off the chandelier or from phantoms in the back of the room, auction-house employees can playact as a chorus of bidders, even though they are representing only one. The result—a fake bidding war—would make demand look deeper than it is.

imageUntitled (Bacchus 1st Version II) (2004), on November 7, 2023. Christie’s Images Ltd. 2024.” width=”1024″ height=”856″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-4-1024×856.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-4-300×251.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-4-50×42.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-4.jpg 1274w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>

Auctioneer Georgina Hilton sold the top lot of Christie’s 21st Century Evening Sale, Cy Twombly’s Untitled (Bacchus 1st Version II) (2004), on November 7, 2023. Christie’s Images Ltd. 2024.

Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips explicitly denied engaging in this practice. But a group of insiders who frequently place bids at auction said that they are proceeding on the assumption that it is happening and are accordingly skeptical of the depth of demand for certain—especially high-priced—works. Another person, who was involved in the consignment of a record-setting painting in November that ended up selling to the guarantor, recalled watching the flurry of bids and wondering to himself, “Are these real?”

Act Three: The Disclosures

Onstage: Financial arrangements are revealed in an orderly, timely manner.

Backstage: It’s a lot more chaotic.

Whether glamorous or modest, auctions typically start with housekeeping rules recited by an auctioneer. Those rules would normally be found in fine print and indicated by mysterious symbols in the back of the catalogues. Under the now-repealed regulations, the announcements were rote, mandated by the authorities, who saw them as key to leveling the playing field for buyers and sellers. If you listened carefully, you’d hear the rules on chandelier bidding, reserves, and, in the past decade, an ever-growing list of last-minute third-party guarantees and withdrawals.

Where once there was consistency in how Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips disclosed key information to market participants, now there’s cacophony. In November, for example, every house sang its own tune.

At Phillips, the auctioneer listed the withdrawals ahead of the sale but not the latest third-party guarantees (those were mentioned just before the lot came up on the block). Meanwhile, Sotheby’s instructed its audience to consult the online auction catalogue for the latest changes, which is not exactly user-friendly for those focused on the proceedings.

Christie’s continued its longtime practice of announcing last-minute third-party guarantees from the rostrum before the evening auctions began. But the house failed to update its online catalogue with 14 such conversions made before its 20th-century and 21st-century evening sales.

Most of those lots sold on a single bid (presumably purchased by the backers) and fell below the low estimate, a sign of little interest and reduced reserve levels by the sellers. Information like this is key to market participants, yet the presence of third-party guarantors would be unknown to anyone checking Christie’s website during the sale or afterward. A spokesperson said the house’s disclosure practices had not changed as a result of the New York reforms. She noted that while salesroom announcements offer the most up-to-date information on third-party guarantees, “it generally has not been our practice to retroactively update our website with these late guarantee adjustments after a sale concludes.”

Act Four: The Final Prices

Onstage: The winning bid is assumed to be the price.

Backstage: Auction houses no longer have to reveal the final price paid for a work of art.

Ever since third-party guarantees began popping up at auction, the art trade has been complaining that such transactions are pure theater—private sales executed in front of a live audience. Third-party guarantors, many argued, had the unfair advantage of knowing the reserve price. Why? Because in these cases, the irrevocable bid effectively becomes the lowest figure at which an artwork can sell, or the reserve. Guarantors also often get a financing fee for offsetting the risk of either the consignor or the auction house, if it provided an in-house guarantee. That fee amounts to a discount—sometimes in the millions of dollars—if the backer ends up buying the work.

imageSelf-Portrait as a Heel (Part Two) (1982) sold to its third-party backer at Sotheby’s in November for $42 million. Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Image.” width=”1024″ height=”764″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-5-1024×764.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-5-300×224.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-5-50×37.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/Artnet-IR-YA24-Cover-Feature-Image-5.jpg 1274w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Self-Portrait as a Heel (Part Two) (1982) sold to its third-party backer at Sotheby’s in November for $42 million. Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Image.

In 2016, New York City mandated that auction houses record prices net of fixed fees on guaranteed lots sold to third-party guarantors. The final prices reflected the hammer price plus buyer’s premium minus the financing fee. It was a transparent, if cumbersome, process.

With no legal restrictions on that front anymore, Christie’s and Phillips decided to go back to reporting gross figures—the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium. Sotheby’s, meanwhile, still reports prices net of fees paid to third-party guarantors. This allows us to figure out, for example, that the backer of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s $42 million Self-Portrait as a Heel (Part Two) at Sotheby’s received a $3.1 million fee in November.

While Sotheby’s approach is the most transparent, the divergence among the three biggest houses has the potential to create confusion, yielding different results depending on where you shop. The fees tied to guarantees may also distort the real value of the objects in a market where auction prices serve as vital tools for assessing appraisals for and loans against comparable works, experts noted. In February, Sotheby’s announced plans to overhaul its fee structure, adding to the inconsistency across houses. “You can no longer compare apples to apples by looking at auction results,” Danziger said.

Epilogue

The houses have claimed to be committed to transparency—while doing their best to make the auction process as smooth and seamless as possible to achieve the best results for their clients. “No one is to gain from greater opacity,” said Bonnie Brennan, Christie’s president of Americas. “We all benefit from transparency in our business.”

And yet changes are being made, quietly, in small print—and in real time. Some of the moves, like the new language on reserves, are hard to spot. Others, like Sotheby’s new fee structure, are broadcast with a megaphone.

The stakes are especially high now. Worldwide fine art auction sales dropped by almost 13 percent last year, with the largest contraction at the top end, where complex financing deals often take place. Sales of art worth more than $10 million dropped by almost 40 percent in 2023. This season, many investors are sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see how the contraction plays out. Auction houses can’t afford to let negative optics alienate them further.

New clients, especially Mainland Chinese buyers, millennials, and Gen Zers, are attracted to auctions because of their perceived transparency and fairness, said Michael Plummer, who advises investors. “They also want the comfort that the price they pay is fair market because there was someone bidding against them,” he said. “If we start to undermine this faith in the system, it can go pear-shaped.”

It’s too early to know which new auction strategies and rituals will stick, what new ones are still to emerge, and which will be challenged by buyers and sellers. One thing is clear, however: the show will go on.

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Major London Photography Exhibition By Edward Burtynsky Reveals Human Impact On The Planet

By in Photography

Major London Photography Exhibition By Edward Burtynsky Reveals Human Impact On The Planet
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Renowned Canadian photographic artist and filmmaker Edward Burtynsky has taken over two vast floors at London’s Saatchi Gallery to present Extraction/Abstraction, the largest exhibition of his 40 year career. His remarkable photographs and films of global industrial landscapes represent his dedication to bearing witness to the impact of humans have had on the planet.

The blockbuster photography exhibition is curated by Marc Mayer, former Director of the National Gallery of Canada and Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. It features 94 of Burtynsky’s large-format photographs as well as 13 high-resolution murals and an augmented reality (AR) experience. The exhibition is organised into five main sections: Abstraction, Agriculture, Extraction, Manufacturing & Industry, and Waste.

Burtynsky’s photographs and films are awe-inspiring, beautiful and often painterly but they also show how humanity impacts the planet and the environmental consequences of industrial processes. The examples are both arresting and shocking: severe erosion caused by mining in the Ankara Province in Turkey; a river turned lurid orange caused by nickel tailings from mining in Sudbury, Canada; damage created by the oil industry in the Niger Delta, Nigeria; and wrecked ships just left to decay in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Burtynsky invites viewers to look at places that exist beyond our common experience, places that satisfy our wants and needs in the present while they determine the future of our habitat. Paired with the serious ecological concern that drives Burtynsky’s creative process is an equally compelling exploration of the strangely beautiful marks industry leaves on the canvas of the Earth. In addition to the art, visitors can see the fascinating “Process Archive,” featuring Burtynsky’s journals, cameras and equipment tracing his navigation through each of the technological shifts in the photography that have occurred over recent decades.

A presentation of Burtynsky’s most ambitious project to date, the European premiere of Burtynsky’s multimedia piece In the Wake of Progress. This 22-minute experience, co-produced by legendary music producer Bob Ezrin (known for his work with Pink Floyd, Andrea Bocelli, Peter Gabriel, and many others), immerses the viewer in the story of human industry’s impact on Earth, told through artistry and scale, urging us to rethink our legacy and seek a more sustainable future. Forty years in the making, In the Wake of Progress combines the most powerful photographs and film footage of Burtynsky’s career, choreographed to a compelling award-winning original score.

In addition to enjoying the mastery behind the arresting images, the exhibition can be viewed as yet another environmental wakeup call to change our ways. As Edward Burtynsky says: “I have spent over 40 years bearing witness to the ways in which modern civilization has dramatically transformed our planet. At this time, the awareness of these issues presented by my large format images has never felt more urgent.”

Edward Burtynsky’s photographs are included in the collections of over 80 major museums around the world including the New Orleans Museum of Art & Contemporary Art Center, Louisiana; the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.; and the National Gallery of Canada. Burtynsky was also a key production figure in the award-winning documentary trilogy Manufactured Landscapes (dir. Jennifer Baichwal, 2006), Watermark (dir. Baichwal and Burtynsky, 2013), and ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch (dir. Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Burtynsky, 2018). All three films continue to play in festivals around the world.

Burtynsky: Extraction/Abstraction until 6 May 2024, Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY Opening Hours: Daily 10 AM – 6 PM Tickets: Adults £19.50

A special preview of the Saatchi exhibition will be at Outernet, next to Tottenham Court Road station until 3 March

Edward Burtynsky — New Works is at Flowers Gallery, London W1, until 6 April 2024

“Daydreaming: Niki Butcher’s Hand-Painted Photography” exhibit comes to the Marco Island Historical Society

By in Photography

“Daydreaming: Niki Butcher’s Hand-Painted Photography” exhibit comes to the Marco Island Historical Society
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The Marco Island Historical Society is preparing to host an exhibition of works by Florida-based artist, conservationist, historian, educator and documentarian Niki Butcher titled, “Daydreaming: Niki Butcher’s Hand-Painted Photography.”

Butcher’s approach starts with her own black and white photographs, and then adding vibrant, often pastel oil paints in a way she says allows her to transform “landscapes into dreamscapes and reality into fantasy.”

The more than 60 works featured in the exhibition span more than five decades of Butcher’s creative output. This show comes after last year’s publication of her debut book titled “Daydreaming,” which contains images included in the exhibition.

For six decades, Niki has been married to fellow photographer Clyde Butcher, whose long been known for his large-scale striking black and white photographs of South Florida’s pristine wild spaces.

This latest exhibition runs March 12 through June 8. There will be an opening reception March 14 from 4:30 – 6 p.m. including an artist meet-and-greet and book signing. The exhibition will be free and open to the public to experience.

We’ll get a preview of the exhibit in a conversation with the artist herself.

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