CHELSEA PATRON HAS DISCOVERED A PASSION FOR ART COLLECTIONS THANKS TO NEW FIANCÉ

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

Roman Abramovich, the forty-year old businessman of Russian origins, seems to be tired of dealing only in real-estate properties, yachts and football teams (for Chelsea he has so far spent a billion dollars). As for many Russian oligarchs, Abramovich’s new “toy” is art. Indeed, on 12th June 2008 the super-billionaire inaugurated in Moscow a new gallery centre, event that attracted to the Russian capital great names of worldwide art, such as the famous art gallery owner Larry Gagosian, director of the Tate Modern and of the Hermitage, but also many VIPs of the International Jet Set.

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

Art Basel has started and the buyers have arrived. However, the Americans are missing. This seems to be the biggest complaint on behalf of operators. The American public has stepped aside and given way to the Europeans. It is not a change that affects the number of transactions, but rather an actual geographic shift of the market. This does not worry all the art gallery managers, some of whom have proven to be indifferent with respect to who buys the works. Also because many of the participants are too busy calculating their business volume to worry about the nationality of the buyers.

New York auctions have given us some exciting news. In particular, two very important new records: Francis Bacon has realized the highest price ever paid for a work of contemporary art and Lucian Freud has become the most paid living artist in the world. However, after the adrenalin stirred up by the important results, the time for questioning arrives. Who might be the mysterious buyer of the fantastic paintings sold in New York? What will become of them? Public exhibition or private viewing?
Some of these questions may have found an answer. Indeed, within the circle there are rumours about a few names, and it seems that the buyer of the two masterpieces of contemporary art sold in the last days has been identified.