Publications.
A Modern History of China's Art Market
This book explains the radical transformations from the end of the Cultural Revolution, when a market for art and artifacts did not exist, to today.
The book is divided into three sections: Part I examines how the art market in China was suspended during the Cultural Revolution, restarted, grew, and expanded into its current scale. Part II analyzes the distinctive value system of the Chinese art market where the state-run art system including academies, artist associations and museums co-exist with an independent market-oriented system; and traverses the most significant policies that drive decision-making and market structure. Part III explores the driving force of art creation by telling the stories of five contemporary artists across three generations.
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TEFAF Art Market Report 2019
"The increasing importance of the Chinese Art Market has been an acknowledged constant over many years now. The pace and scale of its growth, however, is something that was less foreseen. The fact that the Chinese Art Market overtook that of the US in 2011 according to the TEFAF Art Market Report 2012 might have surprised many.
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The increasing Chinese interest in the art world became clear not only through the release of data on international art transactions but also it could be tracked by the impressive growth of museum and private collections, the obvious result of the tremendous economic success China was experiencing.
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Major art fairs and auction houses became the natural hunting-ground for the growing Chinese demand for acquisitions but were also becoming an important source of knowledge and inspiration. In recognising this, the authorities in Beijing reached out to TEFAF in 2011 to explore the possibility of establishing the first major international art fair, in partnership with Sotheby’s (Beijing) Auction Co. Ltd (a joint venture between Sotheby’s and Beijing GeHua Art Company), in mainland China. Despite the best efforts of all parties to make this happen, ultimately there proved to be too many obstacles at the time to ensure that this would be a commercially viable venture. During this process, however, TEFAF was introduced to Professor Kejia Wu, who was key during, the sometimes complicated, negotiations with the Chinese authorities. Professor Wu proved to be a very effective and solid partner and a strong relationship developed that has endured. Professor Wu is an established expert on the Chinese market and it is in this capacity that TEFAF invited her to write this edition of the TEFAF Art Market Report."