El online art has become almost the only way to continue with the business of Auctions and galleries, in these times of pandemic. And although digital sales continue to be a minimal percentage of the 62 billion dollars that the market moved last year, the truth is that digital platforms have become a basic tool for survival.
En De Salas We wanted to know how the sector is at the moment, and we have spoken with two of the most important auction houses and online art platforms in our country, secret y Arrow.
Mercedes de Miguel, director of Segre Auctions, was very clear when she spoke to us: “our assessment, despite everything, is very positive, since we have not noticed the complicated moments we are going through. We believe that an important part of this is precisely that people spend more time in property and values ​​having it to his liking, seeing things he likes, and a piece of or a piece of furniture are always elements that dress. The same as with jewelry, understood more as an investment than intended for regular use.”
And he knows of what he speaks. Segre was born 19 years ago, as a spin-off from Castellana 150, and at the time it was a pioneer in putting works by and craftspeople that were still exhibiting in galleries , something that had not been done until then. “The numbers support us as the most important in Spain, according to data from the commercial registry".
The other reason why since secret They believe that they have not noticed the pandemic is their experience in the virtual world. “We have been working for years online, so our clients have continued to receive all the material that was necessary for the pieces that were going to be presented. Although it is true that it is not the same as seeing them ,, people are used to this type of way of working and have not felt strange" because outside .
“We have already carried out three post-pandemic auctions, in person, although with a strong digital and telephone load. We are clearly talking about an international market. In secret We have three catalogues, covering painting, Arts decorative and furniture and jewelry. In total we do 7 of each a year, lasting 3 days, that is, 21 auctions a year.”
Arrow was born as a fair that approached the contemporary to people, using commercial spaces. In fact, Arrow means Fair for the Liberation of Commercial Spaces towards Art, and has been held in the shopping center for almost 30 years Arturo Soria Plaza.
Names like Ouka Leele, Eduardo Arroyo placeholder image o Antonio López whose mission was to support all emerging artists who used this fair to make themselves known. Almost 12 million visitors guarantee its success, as it says Jose Luis Aguirre, director. Knowing the market, five years ago they became a platform for online art, “and the little office we had took the form of a mini gallery with which we participated in international fairs.”
“We present accessible and affordable with a single click. Art contemporary Spanish global and for everyone. We are like the proletariat, selling works by emerging artists. We like to say that we democratize the , bringing it closer to people who do not visit galleries or museums. I truly believe that we are doing very important cultural work.”
“For us it made all the sense in the world to move to the digital platform, which is something like the shopping center of the 21st century, and which has become more acute in these times of pandemic. So, being five years ahead has meant that we have not only maintained our position but also increased sales. online".
JosĂ© LuĂs agrees that spending more time at home has made people value their Home and want to feel comfortable, including furniture and even , which undoubtedly beautifies an environment. Hence sales have increased. But in his case, as he clarifies, "not so much as a form of investment, since our works are low-priced, but as a way of betting on a more beautiful home." In fact, he clarifies that so far this year, "we have sold 152 works online and last year at this point 99, and throughout the year 117. And the highest works have been Plaza of Spain from Javier Ramos for 11.000 euros, and also Artificial Intelligence y Azar, by Alberto Carvajal, both at 10.500 euros each.
But above all, because he thinks that people have lost their fear of buying anything digitally, something that confinement has forced us to do. “In the end, not being able to go out, you have to buy things that you might not have considered otherwise, like clothes, furniture and of course, ”. Another way to democratize it.
Be that as it may, the reality is that the It continues to work, it continues to sell and therefore, it is a business worth betting on. And in De Salas, lovers of , we are happy about it.
Gala Mora
DESALAS Lifestyle
