A full capacity crowd celebrated
the launch of the BHBA’s Committee For The Arts (CFTA) “Expert Eye…”
series for artists at Sotheby’s in Beverly Hills. A reception hosted
by CITRINE Restaurant welcomed artists, attorneys, dealers, art
experts, critics, gallery owners, scholars, entertainment experts and
others for a festive and highly informative evening. The event
provided a forum for leaders in law and the business of art to dispel
myths and share insider secrets for visual artists and their
representatives.
The symposium, “Expert Eye for the Art Guy: Leaders in the Business
and Law of Art Share Insider Secrets,” featured a distinguished panel
of experts including Rick Wolf, Senior Vice President and Managing
Director of Sotheby’s West; Thad Stauber, General Counsel, Los Angeles
County Museum of Art; Marc Selwyn of Marc Selwyn Fine Art; Nancy
Escher of Escher Associates, Fine Art Appraisers; Katja Zigerlig, Fine
Art Underwriter, AXA Art Insurance Corporation; Matthew Schwartz,
managing partner Sussman & Schwartz; and Matthew Swanlund, Esq. of Van
Etten Suzumoto & Becket, LLP.
Following opening remarks by Irena Raskin, CFTA Chair, Christopher
Conway, LACMA’s Director of Development and Program Moderator
continued held a spirited art trivia quiz and awarded LACMA gifts.
Panelists provided extensive detail about the nature of the art
market, connoisseurship, the working relationship among artists,
dealers and museums, details of exhibition contracts and gallery
agreements, fine points of copyright law, understanding insurance and
appraisals, VARA (Visual Artist’s Rights Act) and more. Question and
answer sessions delved deeper into the business of art. Guests
received art resource materials generously donated for the evening.
“As in any business, expert advice is usually costly and often sought
out late in the game. CFTA aims to provide a resource of street-wise
information for artists. Instead of only telling an artist that a
well-drafted contract will protect his rights, we also confront the
fact that an up-and-coming artist has no leverage in contract
negotiations and that frequently deals are made with a handshake
according to well established industry standards,” said Raskin.
Formed twenty years ago, the CFTA offers legal and business-programs
and publishes manuals for entry-level artists, (visual artists,
writers, musicians and actors) and their representatives. The CFTA is
made up of attorneys representing almost every field of law; and an
integral part of the CFTA is the Advisory Board made-up of leading
artists, dealers, studio executives, auctioneers, professors, museum
curators, record producers, and managers.
The “Expert Eye…” series continues with programs planned for
early 2004. To learn more about the BHBA Committee for the Arts and to
get involved, go to
www.bhba.org/Committees_Sections/CFTA.htm |
