Whitewall has the pleasure of introducing to you Carrie Clyne, who will be acting as our Chinese Art Expert. She’s lived in Beijing for three years, was the director of Chinasquare Gallery in New York, and now runs an art advisory service. The Chinese art market has exploded in the last decade, and it has seen some ups and downs and changes in the past year. It’s a lot to wrap your head around – but don’t worry – that’s why we’ve brought in Clyne.
WHITEWALL: How did you first become interested and involved in Asian Art?
CARRIE CLYNE: My first trip to Asia in high school initially sparked my interest and it has blossomed into a passion over the years. I’ve been involved in Asian art ever since.
WW: You were a Fulbright scholar from 2004-2005. How did living in China shape your knowledge of Chinese contemporary art? Did you get to develop a relationship with artists during your stay?
CC: Yes, I met many artists during my Fulbright grant and I continued living in Beijing after the program, reluctant to leave behind the local culture and contemporary art scene. I was in Beijing at a pivotal point in the art movement and had access to artists, curators, the 798 Art District, as well as the then emerging Cao Changdi. I developed relations with artists, many of whom I am still working closely with today, and witnessed their rise onto the world stage.
WW: You were also the director of Chinasquare for some time. Was it difficult working with and representing Asian artists while being based in New York? Was there a common misconception of contemporary Chinese artists that collectors had when coming into the gallery?
CC: Well it is New York City, the hub of the art world. The vibe here is like nowhere else. The misconceptions that were commonly held years ago are less prevalent today. Artists shouldn’t be grouped into one category just because of their geographic location or how tricky their names may be to pronounce. Contemporary Chinese art covers many topics and while Political Pop and Cynical Realism are well known styles, contemporary Chinese art is not all political. It does not merely portray the cultural revolution, politics, or ethnography. It’s diverse, challenging, and continues to reinvent itself as each artist paves his or her own way.
WW: How do you think the boom of the art market has affected Chinese contemporary art?
CC: It has distinguished investors from collectors, a distinction that’s been a needed and healthy shift. The media tends to highlight the extremes of the market, especially when a few artists command huge prices. But there has been steady growth, strong and stable growth of not only quality artists but the whole art scene, which is flourishing and continues to do so despite the volatility of the financial markets.
WW: The Chinese art market exploded in 2006/2007 and now seems to be experiencing a bit of a backlash. What do you say to collectors who are wary the value of contemporary Asian artworks?
CC: You should never be wary of collecting what you love!
WW: For a collector who is interested in Asian art, but can’t make the trip to Asia, what recent art fairs would you say offer a fair representation of Asian artists?
CC: Good art is good art no matter where it’s from. Asian artists have been incorporated into Western Gallery’s programs not only because Asian art is a huge segment of the market but ultimately it cannot be overlooked. Of course the main fairs like Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, Frieze, and The Armory Show display art from all over the world, including Asia. But if you are interested in emerging Asian artists that are not yet shown at art fairs, it helps to have someone on the ground with a strong network, who understands the language, and can spend significant time visiting studios and schools.
WW: How do you see the current economic climate affecting the contemporary Chinese market? The contemporary auction market?
CC: The Chinese art business model continues to adapt and expand. Despite the current economic climate, China has an insatiable thirst for art and culture, the Chinese government has been a long time supporter of China’s 5,000 year history of art and culture. The Chinese government’s new focus on art is pumping money into cultural projects, museums are popping up all over, and arts and cultural education programs are increasing. The growing upper class is forming a collector base that is still largely untapped while current connoisseurs and collectors’ tastes are maturing. Collectors of antiquities are now expanding to contemporary works, some even broadening to well-known Western artists. Chinese contemporary art is international – the world collects it. It has been integrated into Western museum exhibitions and has found its place in permanent collections of all major museums. The Chinese art market is full of tremendous opportunities, many of which have yet to be fully explored.
Carrie Clyne has an art advisory service focusing on curatorial projects, emerging artists, and private sales. Carrie advocates Chinese art as an integral part of every contemporary collection and assists her clients in building and diversifying their acquisitions. Lately she has also been working with Asian clients to grow their collections of Western artists. She was the Director of ChinaSquare Gallery, New York where she focused on increasing the visibility and access of Chinese contemporary art to a Western audience. Carrie was a Fulbright recipient and lived, worked, and studied in Beijing for three years. Currently she divides her time between New York, China, and wherever art takes her.
