Owning a
Picasso or Chagall may seem like a distant dream, but an upcoming art auction
will have such art works up for grabs at a reasonable price.
Susanna
Strem, owner of Vancouver-based Chali-Rosso Gallery, is hosting an
international fine art auction in Whistler this Saturday. It will feature
signed lithographs, etchings and sculptures from art greats including Pablo
Picasso, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, and Henri Matisse.
“It is a
great opportunity even just to come, look at the pieces, look at the artwork,
and see that, yes these are available,” said Strem.
“A lot of
people are surprised by the availability. That they can own a Dali, or even a
Picasso, or a Chagall, and these pieces are absolutely gorgeous.”
The most
expensive pieces are valued at $30,000. A total of eight pieces are also valued
above $20,000, but the average price is around $3,000 to $4,000. The most
expensive pieces will be those by Picasso and Chagall.
“We have
art work in every price range. And it is all original art work,” said Strem,
adding that the affordability comes partly because the gallery purchased the
art directly from private investors, eliminating the need for dealer and
brokerage fees.
“They come
from private collections from all over the world. We have quite an extensive
network of private collectors in Europe and in the U.S., so that way we can
keep our prices very competitive because we cut out the middle man.”
Because of
authenticity issues, Strem was picky about which pieces to include in the
auction, making sure that all come from reputable sources.
Industry experts authenticate all art
works, and the gallery will provide certificates of authenticity to patrons
upon purchase.
“This is a
really great opportunity to buy original art work by these artists in an
affordable price range,” she said.
“These
artist’s paintings are in the millions, at least $500,000 and over, and these are
original pieces that are still in an affordable price range. The investment
value is absolutely phenomenal.
“So for
these, the prices will just go up and up. The question is how much. I would say
the priority (on purchasing this art) should be aesthetical value, but the
investment value is also a bonus.”
Four
high-value Picassos and four high-value Chagalls will be available at the
auction.
The
Chali-Rosso Gallery opened up three years ago, but Strem has been in the art
business for many years, working mainly from Europe.
She chose
Whistler as the location for this auction because of the town’s reputation as
international.
“First of
all, these artists are very international, and Whistler is an international
resort with an international crowd,” she said.
“I think it
is a perfect match.”
Cotemporary,
international and local artist’s work on paper and canvas will also be up for
auction this weekend, with work coming as far away as Europe, South America,
and Africa.
Some of the
artists being represented are Victor Vasarely, Karen Hollowell, Carlos
Monsalve, Endre Szasz, John Laing, Itzchak Tarkay, Peter Max and Jean-Paul
Riopelle.
Approximately
100 people are expected to show up at the free event, which will be held at the
Cheakamus Room in the Hilton Resort and Spa. A “Wine and Cheese” preview will
take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by live auction from 6 to 8 p.m.
For more
information, visit www.chalirosso.com/whistler/auction.htm
