Art is stolen for other reasons than the usual profit. “The theft of major paintings is essentially illogical. Contrary to popular belief, high-profile pictures are rarely stolen to order, and the resulting publicity means that they are impossible to sell on the open market. In reality, they pass through a number of hands fairly quickly, and for a variety of reasons…”
Tag: 04.07.03
The ABC’s Elusive Chairman
Australian Broadcasting Company chairman Donald McDonald is something of a mystery. He gives few interviews, preferring “to decline to comment”. But its been a turbulent time at ABC, and McDonald decides to go public. Why take such a difficult job? “I was a child of the ABC in that it was a big window in my life. It never occurred that anyone would ask me to be chairman so I just said yes. Why not? Why not follow your intuition?”
Small French Auction Houses Beating The Big Players
“When the French Parliament threw open the auction business to competition in 2001, ending a 500-year government monopoly, it seemed certain that the big winners would be Sotheby’s and Christie’s. The two giants dominate the global market, with more than $2 billion in annual sales each, and have been eager to establish a firm foothold in France. Yet to everyone’s surprise, it’s private local dealers such as CalmelsCohen, which was founded only last year, that are grabbing the lion’s share of the spoils. And investors betting on the liberalization of the $600 million French market for fine arts are lining up to back these upstarts.”
How “The Pianist” Lit Up The Oscars
How did a film that only grossed $20 million come away with big Oscar wins? “As usual in Hollywood, marketing and politics played just as big a role in this success story as the evident quality of the film.”