Contemporary art consultancy
I am a consultant working as an advisor in the sale and purchase of all branches of contemporary art paintings, prints, photographs and sculpture. I specialise in what I like best – contemporary painting and photography. I also have my own gallery (see next page).
I can advise on what’s hot and what’s not, when to buy and sell and what parts of the art market are best for your purposes. You could be an individual, company or gallery and buying for pleasure, investment, profit or image. Whether you need a work for a corporate lobby, art for investment or simply a nice painting to match the curtains, I can help. Please see my website for full details of what I do professionally as a consultant as well as the website for High House Gallery.
This blog is my way of ensuring that I keep as up to date as possible with the contemporary art scene. You will find an assortment of observations and musings on the (mostly London) art world where I will provide personal reviews of the latest exhibitions, fairs and auctions with some recommendations as to what not to miss. I will also to try and identify emerging new talent – although I will also be keeping some names to myself!
I want to emphasise that I am not an art critic and for deeper and more intellectual reviews of exhibitions you may wish to also take a look elsewhere – I’ll try and provide links to the important critics and publications.
All comments gratefully received!
Akickupthearts
a kick up the arts 
Thank you for this very interesting blog.
Interesting posting regarding Podenare Montinare.
I would like to offer my view on him and would be grateful for your response.
His work speaks to me because it reflects the reclusive nature of this artist. The muted colors of grays and muddy reds evoke the emotions and madness of a painter who has been in self-imposed exile creating pictures in a frenzied loose style. My imagination runs wild with his story: I imagine that he sees the world in gray and muddy colors because he rarely goes out and sees old decaying stone walls; the wallpaper is peeling off; the red carpets are threadbare and faded. Perhaps the nature of the discovery of his paintings creates this response of fascinating mystery and ambiguity with his work.
On a deeper level, I feel his sadness in those colors, and his feeling of solitude in the unfinished and stark figures; the repressed emotions show in those sketchy disembodied people, showing distaste and fear of the outside world. Unlike Van Gogh who was an optimist despite his difficult life who still managed to paint in bright vibrant tones, this artist is a pessimist to the extreme and it shows in his painting.
These are big questions, but is not “good” art supposed to procure an emotional response to the viewer? Whether it be distaste, horror, sadness, awe…it that not what art is all about? And it is such a personal thing.
I recently saw some original work by Cy Twombley. I could not figure out what makes his work reach out. Perhaps you could enlighten me on this.
Your thoughts?
Lisa M.
Hi Lisa
Many thanks for your response – and well put. It is always difficult when there is a ‘back story’ behind the artist. At what point does the story become more important than the work. How much should we allow it to influence our response and feelings to it?
My view is that a work firstly should be able to stand alone without explanation or elaboration. What would you think of PM’s work if you knew nothing about him? My view is that it holds no real interest and diplays little talent. No extra information changes this. If the work drew me and fascinated me then his, very interesting and emotionally resonant story would add to the work and could make it truly fascinating.
With PD I find it disturbing that a fund manager with personal, significant, financial interest is promoting and marketing this story. He is deliberately pushing this ‘back story’ in order to make the artist more interesting. It has to some extent worked in that people are viewing the works through ‘tinted’ spectacles. It needs to be viewed for what it is.