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Lorenz Helbling: is this a new wave of Chinese art?

Stefano Pirovano

Founder of Shanghart Lorenz Helbling explains why Chinese art is having a rebirth, thanks to a new generation of art collectors and their private museums.

Last week at Art Basel we sat down with Swiss born art dealer Lorenz Helbling, founder of ShanghART Gallery, to talk about Chinese contemporary art, which apparently is getting a second wind. According to the Art Basel Market Report, China’s millionaire population is rapidly increasing and now China has more residents with wealth above $50 million and more billionaires than any country bar the US. There are still no Chinese names in the top 20 artists by exhibition rank, but in 2016 China was the third country by art market share (18%), after US (29,5%), and UK (24%). Apparently the days of high speculation are over, and a new era of creativity is coming, with more awareness and knowledge about what contemporary art is, or should look like.

You were among the first European art dealers opening a gallery in China. More than a decade has passed since then and you are one of the few insiders who has the full picture. How would you describe what happened to Chinese contemporary art after the Ullens Collection sale at Sotheby’s in 2011?

Lorenz Helbling: Well, it was a long time ago. The Ullens were very important collectors at the beginning and they also supported my gallery. I remember they used to buy two, three pieces of art every month. There were many daring people around at that time, and energy, and some Western collectors were constantly buying for creating big collections of Chinese art. But effectively the Ullens’ sale represented the end of a period. During the last four years, especially for Shanghai, the openings of private museums have changed things. They collect, support, do exhibitions as it has never happened before in China.

Which are the main players at the moment?

Lorenz Helbling: The Yuz Museum, the Long Museum West Bund, and the new Shanghai Centre of Photography (SCôP) are getting a lot of attention. But there are also many active small spaces and artist-run spaces currently contributing to keep Shanghai art scene so dynamic and vibrant.

Is it better now or 10 years ago?

Lorenz Helbling: Shanghai art scene has always been vibrant. Even when I came in 1995 art was already around since the 80s. What really changed is the scale of the structure.

What do you mean?

Lorenz Helbling: At that time only a few people knew about contemporary art while now it’s full of exhibition spaces providing art people with culture and opportunities. The system has grown bigger and more stable.
Would you say that the basis of Chinese collectors has grown in Shanghai?
The collectors base is growing all over China, and they are getting more and more active. They have become aware of their role, and of the other actors on the stage. I think it’s a big change.

While navigating Art Basel last week we had the feeling that a new wave of Chinese art is about to come. There are more galleries focused on Chinese art this year, more Chinese artists represented by the top galleries, and their pieces look more interesting and updated with the international community’s standard – as, for instance, the group of sculptures by Wang Shang presented by Magician Space at Statements. And it is probably no accident that the Kunsthalle Basel this year, and for the first time during art Basel, is dedicating a solo show to a Chinese artist, Yan Xing. Would you like to comment on this?

Lorenz Helbling: China is a big place, and there are a lot of artists. What I would say is that there could be more Chinese artists in Basel. I agree with your outlook, things are getting better, but it’s also true that there is a lot going on in China at the moment that the international art community should know. Basel is still reflecting a very small portion of Chinese contemporary art.

At some point, around 2013, it seemed that international collectors were not interested any more in Chinese art. What happened since then?

Lorenz Helbling: At some point it looks like walls were build around Chinese art and curiosity about it dropped. But I think it was just a passing time. Things come and go and it must be said the Chinese art is still something very new. It would be, and it was, a big mistake considering Chinese art a trend to be followed. That, perhaps, would mean looking at China just from a Western perspective. Artists are not used to produce for the Biennale, or Art Basel. They do art all the time, and art is always around. Sometimes it may seem that if we don’t look at it it’s not there, but it’s wrong.

Would you say Western collectors are coming back to Chinese art?

Lorenz Helbling: Nowadays, I would say, the main role is played by art institutions. At the beginning they were mostly private who were able to buy even 50 works by the same artist and set huge collections investing minimum figures. Doing the same would cost you a fortune today. Now Chinese art costs as much as art from Lausanne, Paris, or London, and that is to be regarded as a positive news.

Is Chinese art getting more expensive also at art fairs?

Lorenz Helbling: It depends. People still know few names, and these names can be very expensive.

Contemporary African art is in high demand at the moment, and it is often compared to what Chinese art was ten years ago. Do you think the two phenomenon are comparable?

Lorenz Helbling: In terms of market effectively there are a lot of similarities. At some point all these people come and buy for speculating. From this point of view the process looks similar. But from the point of view of art itself it’s a different story, for China and Africa are incomparable geopolitical entities. In any case both shouldn’t be regarded as a opportunities to buy and sell works, but opportunities to discover sensitive talents who live in a very specific situation. One should be able to listen to what they have to tell. China had no art infrastructure 10 years ago, now it’s grown. Probably it will happen the same with Africa. Nevertheless from the point of view of an art collector the main question remains the same: how can I add something to what is going on in the world?

Lorenz Helbling: In 2011 we had an interview with Xu Zinshi. He told us that he felt less free in Berlin than in Beijing, where he currently lives. In Berlin he had to act as an artist for being accepted as an artist. While in Beijing he was free to be himself, and go painting with his easel on the river if he felt like that. Is the Chinese art ecosystem still so open minded?

Lorenz Helbling: Freedom goes in many directions. Probably in China there are still many ways to do art and creativity still has many possibilities in China. You can still go around with your easel. Nevertheless it must be said that showing works in a proper art space has become more difficult and tricky. The are new limits you should be able to handle.

How would you describe the art market in China?

Lorenz Helbling: It’s steadily growing, and I would add that people at the moment are more concerned about supporting each other and grow together than playing the money game. That is also what artists are asking to their dealers and collectors. It’s a totally new experience.

Do you think it still makes sense to give a gallery a geographic frame?

Lorenz Helbling: I don’t think so. Contemporary art is everywhere in the world, and China is a great place to do contemporary art.

How did Art Basel go for ShaghART?

Lorenz Helbling: So far so good, thanks.

June 30, 2017