Pop Quiz on Selling Artwork in Korea

Summer’s almost over, and as kids go back to school many of our clients and friends are heading to Asia for Frieze Seoul.  We assume that you will have done your homework before boarding your flights, but just to confirm that everyone is prepared for the fair – and as a nod to Korea’s famously difficult exam culture – we are springing a pop quiz on an important topic: how to sell artwork in Korea. 

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Restoration Drama

Beware of botched repair jobs that can’t be undone and wind up devaluing works of art.

In the art world, those who forget the past are destined to repeat it — often for the benefit of a bored court stenographer. This is especially true in the area of art restoration, where mistakes by prior owners can haunt those down the line. Continue reading “Restoration Drama”

Deal Or No Deal

The appeal – and the legal and ethical complications – of buying a museum piece.

Although we tend to view professional conferences as occupational hazards (like long hours and short-tempered opposing counsel), the one on the sale of museum property sounded promising. Deaccessioning is a hot topic, thanks to the need for increasingly cash-strapped museums to find ways to balance their budgets while trying to stay out of the papers—or court. Depending on where one sits, deaccessioning is either the unethical removal and sale of public treasures or a useful means of refining a museum’s collection. Continue reading “Deal Or No Deal”