"Call for Artists: The Art in Nature Fine Art Photography Show " 2008-09-04 until 2008-09-16

"Call for Artists: The Art in Nature Fine Art Photography Show " 2008-09-04 until 2008-09-16 Center for Fine Art Photography Fort Collins, CO, USA United States of America
(IMAGE After Storm, Huangshan Mountains, China, Leping Zha)

The Center for Fine Art Photography announces their call for entries for "The Art in Nature Fine Art Photography Show" - deadline September 16, 2008. The show offer $600 in Awards. The Art in Nature will illustrate all aspects of nature in its many tableaus: landscape, seascape, wildlife, floral, water, environment, and weather. The exhibition is open to all domestic and international, professional and amateur photographers working with digital or traditional photography or combination of both.

Information and online submissions at The Center for Fine Art Photography http://www.c4fap.org/ or email questions to cfe@c4fap.org .
Exhibition and Awards: With selection for this exhibition, artists and their work will be seen by an international audience of collectors, curators, art consultants and others who appreciate the fine art of photography.

Details on http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2008/09/04/35175.html

Art Buzz (Bangalore) Sheela Gowda

Art and media

(Nalini S Malaviya)

As I have mentioned in the past as well, art has emerged as one of the safest investment options, provided one does a thorough research. Media coverage of art and artists has also increased proportionally and it is common to see artists featured on Page 3. And, coverage of art shows is also a constant in dailies. A reader wrote to say he was compiling a list of all artists that have been covered in local newspapers as a prospective list of artists worth investing in, and here I would like to point out, that presence in the media and investment potential are two separate issues. What one needs to realise is that not all artists that are featured in local newspapers and publications necessarily make for a sound financial investment. Interesting art, brand value/seniority of the artist and sometimes strong PR could be the reason for featuring an artist or his/her work. In fact, it could be something as simple as filling up the designated page. Therefore, one may find that the media coverage of an artist could be unrelated to the quality or investment value of their art.

Having said that, artists who are featured often in the media, are those who are likely to be in the news for their art or for their performance at auctions. In which case, they are also those who are likely to make their mark professionally. Keeping track of artists and their exhibitions is an excellent way to familiarise oneself with the art scene. One can learn a lot about different genres of art, styles and trends. One can combine this information with research and one should be able to invest wisely.

Picture is for illustration purpose only

One also comes across the term ‘investment artist’ often. I feel that this is a much abused term and happens to be a very convenient phrase to sell art to unsuspecting buyers. That is why it is so important to empower yourself with knowledge about art. It not only helps you in making decisions regarding what to buy but it also enriches your life. One is able to better understand art in context with its times and relate to abstract concepts, as well.
Another great way to enhance knowledge is by visiting art exhibitions, the more one looks at art the more one connects with it.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art Buzz (Bangalore) Group Show

Focus shifts to upcoming artists

(Nalini S Malaviya)

There is renewed focus on young and upcoming artists as prices of established artists are climbing beyond the reach of most buyers. In general, mid-range and top bracket artists fetch prices in the range of multiple lakhs and crores, and this phenomenon is affecting the new buyer who would like to begin an art collection. Most buyers begin with an initial budget of less than a couple of lakhs. Hence it is no surprise that all eyes are on fresh emerging talent. Incidentally, new artists too price their works in the range of Rs 25,000 to 50,000, depending on the medium and size.

Art galleries are actively searching for new talent and promoting them as the next generation of investment worthy artists. While, this bodes well for the younger artists and the Indian art scene, it does have its ramifications.
Artists without a proven track record will be snapped up by galleries and may even be promoted aggressively. This, in turn can affect the market in the long run.
It also means that collectors and investors must conduct a comprehensive research before investing in new artists. Lack of artist’s history in term of previous sales and growth rate may detract a few buyers, but overall, attractive pricing may swing the deal in most cases.

On their part reputed art galleries will ensure that they tie up with promising artists, but on the other hand, fly by night operators are likely to be less discerning.
The advantage with established galleries is that have trained staff who have the ability to spot talent. Artists too will benefit from such associations, and this, in fact is a good time for talented young artists coming out from prestigious art schools. Many are offered sponsored shows even before they graduate out of art institutes. All this implies that the credentials of the promoting gallery becomes extremely important. Apart from the quality of the work, buyers will also be relying on the credibility of the gallery.

(Published in Financial Times)