Art on Board (#12)

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[ ART ON BOARD ]

H S I N I F O T O PH

Regardless of whether they are classic or contemporary, original fine art photographs have carved out their rightful place in the art world. And now they’re winning over the market too 92

Opening photo, David Yarrow, The Don, Amboseli, Kenya 2017, on show at the Spazio Ersel, Turin. Right, Man Ray, Noire et Blanche, Paris, 1926. The model is the famous Kiki de Montparnasse. Below, left, David Yarrow, Jaws, False Bay, South Africa 2011, from the book La Natura selvaggia (Rizzoli). Right, David Yarrow, The Wolf of Main Street, Ghost Town, USA, 2015

by Micaela Zucconi

P

hotography is the new big thing at the moment both in terms

currently running at the Casa dei Tre Oci in Venice (Photographs

of exhibitions and auctions. The ArtTactic Photography Market

1934-1954, until 25/2/2018). Its 250-plus photographs detail the life

Report reveals that in the first six months of 2017 there was a 21.95

and career of the great Swiss neo-realist photographer who was one of

per cent jump in sales on the same period in 2016. The trend is

the leading lights of the Magnum Agency founded in 1947 by Henri

being driven by Phillips, Sotheby’s and Christie’s whose latest

Cartier-Bresson and Robert Cappa. The exhibition takes in Europe,

photography auctions racked up an impressive $19.3 million between

Asia and the American continent including the villages of Peru where

them. Excitement is building for the upcoming sales from Christie’s

Bischof was killed in a car accident (www.treoci.org).

which began in October in a New York and will continue online in

Scottish artist David Yarrow brings a unique perspective to wilderness

December, January and April next (www.christies.com). Photographs

and is renowned for his fine art photographs of animals as well as

from The Museum of Modern Art spans more than 400 photographs

portraits of remote societies. His large black-and-whites of tigers,

from the MoMA collection signed by iconic early 20th century and

lions, elephants, zebras and rhinoceroses have an almost metaphysical

post-war photographers of the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred

beauty thanks to his unique technique. One of Yarrow’s works, which

Stieglitz and Edward Steichen. The works are expected to fetch

had a starting price of €16,000 to €21,000, recently sold at Sotheby’s

between €6,000 and €20,000 euro apiece. Darius Himes, International

for around €65,000 (Mankind, 2014). The Nella Natura Selvaggia

Head of Photography di Christie’s, explains: “Buying one of these

exhibition in Turin (Spazio Ersel, from 27/10 to 24/11) features 15 or

works means buying a piece of the history of photography”.

so photographs from his recent trips to Nigeria, Kenya, the Congo,

The work of Werner Bischof (1916-1954) is in the MoMA collection,

Yellowstone and North Korea (davidyarrow.photography).

although it isn’t going under the hammer. A large retrospective is

Marco Beretta’s work, on the other hand, ventures into the spiritual.

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[ ART ON BOARD ]

©Werner Bischof/Magnum Photos

©Werner Bischof/Magnum Photos

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In fact, his phtographs of Buddhist monks first brought him

and has been shown both in Italy and abroad, as well as featuring

to international attention. His passion was sparked after a life-

at the MIA Photofair 2017. Beretta’s black and white analogue

changing travels through Tibet and Nepal. Beretta has been

photographs are archival pigment prints on Fine Art paper which

exploring the East for over two decades now with just his

should survive for 150 years. Average prices for large format

Hasselblad for company, capturing all aspects of the lives of the

photos are around €5,000 (www.marcoberetta.it).

monks. He takes his photographs in complete silence in remote

So what should potential collectors look out for? Mariolina

mountain monasteries, the quiet broken only by the monks’ own

Bassetti, Chairman Italy, Head of Southern Europe Post-War &

chanting and prayer bells. Spiritus, his latest project, is an almost

Contemporary Art at Christie’s, advises buyers to simply go for

mystical documentation of the monasteries of Laos and Burma,

images that move them without thinking about investment returns.

Top, left, Marco Beretta, Spiritus. Myanmar, 2009. Right, Marco Beretta, Sleeping Monk, Myanmar, 2009. Opposite, left, Werner Bischof, Breast with Grid, Zurich, Switzerland, 1941. Right, Werner Bischof, Harbour of Hong Kong, 1952. All on show in Venice.

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