Acknowledgements
The role of an auctioneer and that of a doctoral researcher are very similar in that, whilst they appear to be the work of an individual, in reality, neither can be conducted to the highest standard without the extensive support and professional knowledge of a team of colleagues. In that regard, my deepest thanks goes to Associate Professor Christopher Marshall as the principal supervisor of my doctoral thesis. This book and the thesis which underpins it could not, and would not, have happened without his support at every level during many challenging times. His vision, patience and faith in my project has been unwavering over the many years it has taken to complete this research and for that I will always be grateful. I was also very fortunate to have Professor Kate MacNeill as my co-supervisor, whose insightful commentary at key moments was illuminating and directional.
My colleagues at University of Melbourne have been exceptionally generous in sharing their knowledge, time, constructive feedback and technical insights. In particular, I thank Dr David Challis for his collegiality over many years; his perspectives within the field of art market studies have continually sharpened my own thinking. I express my gratitude to Dr Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios whose encouragement and enthusiasm launched me on my journey from auction house to academia. And my thanks are extended to Dr Mikala Tai who charted the path ahead of me and then illuminated the way with inspiration, motivation and snacks. I would also like to thank Caterina Marino, Dr Isabella Offner, Dr Callum Reid, Nur Shkembi and Dr Georgina Walker for their unwavering support, enthusiasm and encouragement over many years.
I acknowledge the privilege of receiving an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship to undertake this study and I express my gratitude to University of Melbourne for the award of a GRATS scholarship for my field research and conference participation in Hong Kong, Beijing and London. I also acknowledge funding from the University of Melbourne’s School of Culture and Communication through their Dynamic Peer Review Process. I thank Professor Peter Otto and Professor Clara Tuite for supporting me to secure this mentorship opportunity, and I am indebted to Professor Terry Smith, as my mentor, for his sagacious and discerning advice in reshaping my thesis into a manuscript for publication.
My interest in this field was initiated by my professional experience as an auctioneer in Asia. For this opportunity, and for their ongoing support of my research (including relentless questions), I am deeply grateful to the directors and staff of Larasati Auctioneers, especially Daniel Komala.
I would like to acknowledge the incredible resource of the Asia Art Archive in Hong Kong and the highly professional staff who accommodated my frequent visits and, at the end, my rummaging through the store cupboard to uncover inaccessible auction catalogues. To my peers and colleagues in the art world across the globe, I thank you for sharing your knowledge, insights and perceptions with me over many years. In particular, I thank all of my interviewees who agreed to take the time to respond to my questions and shed light in dim corners: John Batten, Cai Wenjuan (Tang Gallery), Dr Jane DeBevoise (Asia Art Archive), Feng Zhengjie, Michael Goedhuis, Henry Howard-Sneyd (Sotheby’s), Daniel Komala (Larasati), Marcello Kwan (Christie’s), Mee-seen Loong (Sotheby’s), Dr Lars Nittve (M+ Museum), Lu Peng, Laure Raibaut (Bonhams/Christie’s), Dr Iain Robertson (Sotheby’s Institute), Philip Tinari (UCCA), Jonathan Wong (Sotheby’s), Liu Xiaodong, and everybody who spoke to me off the record. Notable thanks go to Veronica Shen for her enthusiasm in helping me access information and interviewees in China and for her discerning translation during our meetings in Beijing that relayed so much of the art market nuances.
As a graduate art historian, I recognised the multiple intersections of my research with the fields of sociology and economics. However, I didn’t feel entirely at home in any of these schools. The inception of TIAMSA (The International Art Markets Studies Association) was a revelation, and I have been honoured to engage with my peers in this field through the TIAMSA conferences and the Journal for Art Market Studies. Indeed, it is the TIAMSA Lisbon Conference that led me to Brill. I am most grateful to Liesbeth Hugenholtz and Dr Christian Huemer for the opportunity to include my research in this esteemed series.
Whilst art market studies incorporate rigorous analysis of financial markets and social networks, at its heart is visual art and its artefacts. Any published research of this subject is given depth and meaning through reproduction of the artworks and their collateral. For this reason, I am deeply grateful to the artists, authors and institutions who generously gave permission for their work to be reproduced in this book: Fang Lijun, Lin Tianmiao, Liu Xiaodong, Ma Liuming, Sui Jianguo, Wang Guangyi, Xu Bing, Xue Song, Yan Lei, Yue Minjun, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Huan, Zhang Xiaogang, Dr Britta, Erickson, Bernard Fibicher, Andrew Solomon, Art in America, Christie’s, Larasati Auctioneers, Louisiana Museum, Sotheby’s and The New York Times.
The collation of image material for publication could not have happened without the assistance of Wang Lijie, and I thank her for her efficient expertise in corresponding with artists in China on my behalf. In putting the final touches to the publication, I thank the team at Brill, especially Ester Lels, as well as Dan Connolly for his indexing skills.
And finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank my family, for whom this research and publication journey has been an integral part of their lives as well as my own – Richard, Riley, Freya, Lucy, Sandra and Suzanne. I simply could not have done this without you.