The collector

Hi, I’m Josep, In life we cannot limit ourselfs to a single goal, which is why I’ve decided to do the things I craved and could fill my need for knoweledge and experimentation. I spent in the past 14 years working an international experience in the automotive sector, building Brands in different Groups in the areas of Marketing, Commercial and After Sales in several European countries (Catalonia, France and Italy), diversified Brands (Seat, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo), in the HQ and subsidiaries, always with economic and image troubles. My leadership was based on the force of character and determination on one hand, and the capacity to motivate and make my collaborators responsible on the other. Open-minded, systematic vision and ability to fast thinking and reacting, ability to break the predefined schemes and to give value to people. Middle 2005 I decided to quit Fiat Auto for new challenges. In three years the CEO and the organization rules changed at least 3 times, too much, mainly for go to worst. I lost my beliefs in this company despite a huge salary. After this break and the death of my father who worked very hard from 14 to 72 years old. More than 10 hours a day and a few week ends and few holidays. He grew up us and an automotive dealership, all his life. His pension was a half of his salary after paying all his life the maximum. After six month retirement a hearth attack finished with his life. My mother received as widow a half of the half of the salary. Thanks Public Administration, 58 years of contributions against half a year full pension. I was 45. I also dedicate all my life to the companies which I worked for, I had success in my jobs and a very good salary, but... Then I decided it was time to dedicate my efforts to my thoughts and my likes. There is only one life to live. Two years later, in 2007, I decided to dedicate my time to things I like, mainly I started a collection of contemporary art, focused in Chinese contemporary art and I started an activity of consultancy, communication and proposing marketing projects. Since 2010 Owner of the company dedicated to develop and promote marketing projects for the automotive, environmental projects, educational, contemporary art... Such: www.ecocarnet.es with partners like Shell, BBVA, Fiat, DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico), CNAE (confederación nacional autoescuelas). And a Brand positioning for Blizzard (ski). Furthermore, in 2010, I started to promote Chinese contemporary art organising exhibitions with the friendship started with Lü Peng. From 2011 to 2015 I ran a web art gallery in order to introduce Chinese contemporary art in the West: www.artantide.es In 2013 I conceived, created, designed and marketed a Chess Game regarding The Succession War of Spain approved by The Comission of Tricentenari of Generalitat de Catalunya and Education Department: www.escacs1714.cat In 2013 I organised the biggest Chinese contemporary art Exhibition outside China in Arts Santa Mònica Barcelona with MOCA Chengdu: www.artsantamonica.cat and video. In 2014 I organised a Chinese group contemporary exhibition in Gallery Dolors Junyent in Barcelona. Exhibition Website created by me. In 2014 I moved to London in order to find new opportunities and challenges. In 2017 I started to promote various Chinese artists, building their website as well: www.artistshengqi.com and www.chenqiuchi.com.

The Origin: how become a collector accidentally

I know, I know, my narrative is not from a “curator” point of view rather from a collector and an initial commercial point of view. Let me say an enthusiast collector. But this need not detract at all the value of the collected and the public interest of this set of exceptional works. I received the Christie’s catalogue for the auction on Nov 25, 2007 and I registered because I wanted a Yue Minjun if the price were to be within my budget. Turning the pages over and over again for several days I realized The Sanya collection and the explanation attached, but I believed this would be very expensive, considering the Christie’s estimated price. The auction confirmed me that Yue was unaffordable, but regarding the Sanya collection… I was surprised there was not a big interest during the auction. The auction started with bad signs, one hour delay in Christies live due to excess of public. That means only one thing: too much interest, bids too high. In fact, despite a fair budget, I only can bid at the beginning of the lots. I lost the Yue's, the Tang's... The Sanya collection approaches but my chances were very few, all the lots before reached a very high prices, the lot before, an oil on paper by Zhang Xiaogang, reached 1.800.000HKD, plus auction fees, plus shipment, plus import taxes... The Sanya collection contained at least two very nice Zhang's, one Yue Minjun face smiling, Wang’s, Zeng’s lines, Zhou blossoms, Mao Paternalism, Ye birds... and despite there were in ink, the price will be high, I thought. The bid started, one click, answer, another click, I thought now will start the war, nothing, a voice “one”, the amount in green in my screen, again “two for internet bidder”, pause, ????, estrange, “third for internet bidder”. It was mine!!! Where was the mistake, I told to me. 28 works, greatest contemporary artists, color ink, traditional tools... I did not understand why so few interest, I had to wait for receiving the works in order to be sure I did not make a mistake. Which? I do not know, but someone sure. They arrived, no mistake, on the contrary, the works arrived framed, and they look much nicer than in the catalog's picture where they were altogether attached in two pages as drawings of a child. Then the problem was that I waited for 28 pieces of paper and I received 28 framed works, where to put them? Where to storage them? Well, that's another history. I do not understand this lack of interest because of several reasons: The honorable purpose of the sale; The idea of the collection; The works are by the most valuable contemporary artists; They are unique and rare works because they are painted by contemporary artists with traditional tools; They are unique because they link contemporary and tradition; They are unique and rare because the artists never did that and probably never will do this again; Someone who would like to support the idea could bid for the woks. Well, the only reason I can think of is that people only want to speculate, to buy recognizable works and in canvas support. They do not think at long term and about the intrinsic value of the works. Despite all this, I think it is a very good business; the works of Zhang Xiaogang alone could get a big price. The lot before was an oil on paper (52x76cm) sold at 1.800.000 HKD (160.000€ or 230.000$) plus 20% buyer’s premium. Any small piece of paper of Basquiat, Warhol or Picasso is valued hundreds of thousands of US dollars. Until I receive the works at home and see them I would not believe the price I paid for them. And considering it is largely the higher price I ever paid for a painting. Anyway, I wanted to go deep about that even before receiving the paintings because I would like to know who painted what because not all the works were recognizable and any label was attached. Three works of Zhang Xiaogang were very recognizable, one Yue Minjun with a smile face also, Wang’s for his let’s say easy work, Ye Yongqing for his traditional work, Mao Xuhui for his scissors, Zeng Fanzhi for his lines and Zhou for his early landscapes, other less. My idea is to maintain the collection with all the information and materials, and the “spirit” which drove the gathering first and the collection afterward. On top of this I would like to buy, step by step and depending on the budget available each year, one work from each one of the artists* who went to the gathering. I believe “the Sanya Collection” could be an exhibition per se. But thinking about that, I told myself why not to suggest Lü Peng to do something more and take advantage of the great idea of the gathering and sold the works all together like a Collection: “the Sanya Collection”. To do something more to help him also in to rise founds. Why not to write a book about your Sanya gathering? I very much liked the description in the catalogue and the answers from the artists, therefore why not to explain it in a book. A book containing an explanation of the works, but also with the travel comments and landscape descriptions, the ideas emerged during the gathering, the situation of the artists in the art world, their opinions and thoughts, asking them for contributions, anecdotes, their experiences in this world which is changing so fast and so positively for them… I think you had a unique opportunity to share a trip experience with the most important contemporary artists, all together. Capitalist market moves very fast and probably they will never meet again like this. A book between an “on the road” novel, a critic research and an art book. Once received the collection I can affirm that it has been a great acquisition, the works framed win in quality and become more powerful, to see the fragility of do so by ink much more. Each work has something in se, but the interpretation of the Zhang works with traditional tools is extremely qualitative. The exercise of Yue Minjun ahead of smile faces is also appreciated (a curiosity, the work was prepared to hold in vertical, probably it’s difficult to understand if you are not familiar with his work and see it from away), the Zhou blossoms, the watermelon of Zeng... Each work is great per se, but the whole is magnificent, unique and rare. I’m sure, the value of each work separately is bigger than the whole collection, but that’s the difference between speculate and become a collector**. Thanks to Mao Xuhui, Wang Guangyi, Wu Shanzhuan, Ye Yongqing, Yue Minjun, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Xiaogang, Zhang Peili and Zhou Chunya for maintain this spirit of a generation of Chinese painting. And thanks to Lü Peng for maintain them linked. JSC. December 2007. *Note in 2012: It has been impossible because of the high prices achieved by each of them. ** Note in 2015: I decided to auction most of the works of The Sanya collection to my regret but maintaining one of the best works of each artist. That was due to family circumstancesin order to cash in, but also for other two motivations: first, during three years I tried to exhibiti all the collection around the world by free, but no one seemed interesting; second, I decided to create a small market for ink works by contemporary artists that usually do not work this mèdium, so the best way was to put in the market this works. The results were encouraging with more than acceptable results; let’s see if in the future the market has been created.

The collection

Interview 2008 Do you have a really strange collection, in one hand you have works from USA artists and in the other hand Chinese contemporary, is there a link? Of course there is a link; despite now is changing a little bit. I started with pop surrealism from USA; I liked very much their colours, their cartoon style and the issues they paint. Then, I did not have the idea to create a collection; only buy some works I liked. That’s why I tried to buy a Wang Guangyi, because I liked him so much from a lot of years and I liked his social/politic content. It was at that time, regarding the magazine Juxtapoz that I adapted a concept: “To think is contagious. Infect brains”. Going forward researching works matching this concept I discovered a mine in the Chinese contemporary works, then the next step to start to buy Chinese contemporary was easy. You can find the same worries across the planet. Tell us something more about this concept? I always liked the works of art as a tool for thinking about the different issues than surrounded us. Beginning by the Guernica and following with others. The art as a way to personal growth. And more you will growth; much more society will be free. And consequently, more you will contagious other people to think by themselves, more the society will be free. Therefore: infect brains! How did you start collecting? I really started in 2005 when I left the company I used to work for a sabbatical year, which now became undefined in the time. I started with pop surrealism from west coast USA and after a few months I got the opportunity to buy the Wang Guangyi. After that, one thing follows another and collecting became a passion and a full day work. What previous experience do you have as a collector? At the beginning, when I was young in the 90’s I was more attracted by ancient books, specially art books. I also thought I could not afford paintings. Just before I bought two sculptures works multiples of Rodin and Modigliani, my first’s works. When I moved to Italy I collected books. Afterwards in France beginning 2000’s I started to buy each year an artwork at Montparnasse air fair in order to help artist in some way. I also bought an excellent and funny sculpture by Saint Silvestre in 2000, “le coq pecheur”. But I bought my first “big” painting, the Erro at Art Paris 2003 to Sonia Zannettacci. My biggest artwork investment ever, then! (7.000€) Can you tell us how, when and why you began collecting Chinese contemporary art? Since the first exhibition in the FIAC in 2000 or 2001 I was very excited by the works of Wang Guangyi. His colours and his social/political taste attracted me very much. But at this moment I liked art, follow exhibitions at Museums and art fairs, but I never thought to buy an artwork. It seemed to me so strange to pay such amount of money for “a piece of paper”. If I thought to this “such” amount today, it is ridiculous! How did you go about collecting? At the beginning, I did not know anything about the inside of art world. I noticed through Internet about an exhibition of Wang Guangyi at Urs Meile Gallery in Luzern. So, with my wife planned a flight in order to be there at the very beginning of the exhibitions in order to be the firsts to buy a work. I had a budget to put there like an investment. We discover that we were “innocents”. All the artworks were sold before the starts of the exhibition. Madness!!! In reality only one was on hold, the one we liked and much important, fit the budget. After a few days without calling us I called them and we discover we could do the business. A big Wang Guangyi, black background with a big Mao conducting a crowd. Incredible! After that, a lot of Internet, a lot of articles and a lot of mails in order to be in the pre-lists. The last was at auctions, mainly Christies because is live! System is really good. But I will prefer to buy directly and avoid such amount of commission plus Import VAT too excessive. Why to pay import VAT? Did you travel to China? Yes, several times, including Tibet in 2007. And it remains exciting for us to see the speed of development in this country. Moreover of the feel of people in this growing environment. How did you conduct research on the artists? Home made. Internet and Internet again and magazines to search what I like. Of course, I continue to snoop around in art districts such as 798, Dashanzi in Beijing or Moganshan Road in Shanghai and I visit exhibitions and art fairs. Was it difficult to collect? Did you buy at auction? Did you buy from art galleries? It is difficult to collect the greatest now, there are not exhibitions and where there are the works are sold out, moreover than crazy prices. Young artist are easy to buy directly at galleries. Regarding auctions I tried but also the prices are at each time bigger and bigger, moreover than buyer premium’s and import taxes that make the artwork at least 30% more expensive than the bid. Because of that I try to avoid auctions if it is not something really special. Can you tell us a little about what appealed to you about the artists you selected? At the beginning the first rule of thumb is that we only buy what we l ike and if linked to social/politics matters. That’s the centre of my pop surrealism collection and all the Chinese works bought until the Sanya collection. Did you collect in an organized way, or simply pieces you liked? In other words, were you trying to collect in a strategic pattern or not? As I mentioned it was strategic in the first phase, only works I liked with social/politic content and trying to find this kind of work by artist I liked. An example is the work of Xiong Lijun who normally did works without content but I found this particular work who matched both interest, the artist I liked and the content of the work. I wanted to do the same with Zhong Biao from the same exhibition at Frey Norris Gallery, but finally I decided to buy a very classical work from him, despite other works were more political, “the chairs is weak”. I’m collecting only Paintings, I do not understand the value of photography despite I could like very much the work and we do not have space for sculptures. The only exception is the suicide book of Cai Guo-Qiang, something to special to loose. Somehow in a second phase we ended up with a collection which includes various masterpieces of today’s established artists but with l esser known artwork, that’s The Sanya Collection. I still do not believe to have the opportunity to buy this collection! Today, the collection includes works from more than 30 artists. We really like all of our pieces and most of them surround us in our home every day. What have you now decided to do with your collection? Are you showing it in Europe? Making it available to exhibitions? Are you putting any of it up for sale? The first thing was to put it online. I had not a wealthy economic situation to build or buy a place to show it, so I decided to do it online, collecting lot information around each work and artist. Of course, one day I would like to exhibit it. As a whole but also as parts, for example The Sanya Collection as a whole. And I believe I’ll do that in the future. I’d like to do in Europe in order to approach China to western, but that will be more difficult. In May we assist to a conference in the Fundació Miró hold by Ulli Sigg, they attend less than 20 people!!! Such an opportunity for so less people, Chinese art is still ahead from western culture. In any case, I am not anymore linked to a piece of land. Any day I could be in one place or another. Who are some of your favourite artists and why? Well, there are many of them. Here are some examples: I like Wang Guangyi or the freshness of Xiong Lijun or the kids of Yin Kun. I like the special techniques of Duan Jianghua, any work of The Sanya collection because how it has been made. Or take the great idea of the book from Cai Guo-Qiang…the list goes on and on. Regarding pop surrealism I appreciate very much the cynics by Ron English, and the works of Ausgang that gives movement to the subjects. All are favourites, if not I will not have it, isn’t it? How was the Sanya Collection acquired and why did you choose these works? Regarding the Christies site I noticed the works of the Sanya but were very bad presented, all together and very small. Only when I received the catalogue I could appreciate the works, and the most important, the history behind. The estimates were very low from my point of view. In this action held on November 2007 there were a drawing by Zhang Xiaogang that I went really interested, but I thought that maybe any other will noticed the works because the bad presentation. In fact, I lost the Zhang Xiaogang and following the entire auction through Christies live! I believed that the price of the Sanya collection will rocket. I start to bid, once, twice… and the works were mine. I could not believe, and I did not be sure until I received the email confirmation. I thought to receive 28 piece of paper and I received two boxes of 300kg! All the works were framed and they looked really great, much greater than the photo in the catalogue. Why this works? Just read the history behind, the firsts works made with traditional tools by the greatest contemporary artists, a link between tradition and contemporary, a traditional look to contemporary forms. Moreover than be the opportunity to ad the biggest names to the collection than will be impossible by acquiring his oil/acrylic works too expensive for me. Does the acquisition of these works mean you are moving in a new direction? I’m not sure which direction, but yes they moved me. With this acquisition I relegate the spirit of the collection to a second range. Tell us a little about the works? Each work is great, you can really see the strokes of the painters and in some cases the contemporary subjects translated by using the traditional tools, like the works of Zhang Xiaogang. Why Photo? (Added later on) I’m still asking this question, and why at this moment at the end of September 2008. The markets supported the biggest and deep drop after September 11th 2001, and I’m buying photo! Well, normally when markets crash and consequently I lose money I buy. It is not sense because I lose twice, but in some way I need to satisfy myself, so I buy art! Why photo? I discovered Lydia Venieri in a magazine, afterwards I decided to take a tour to Grace and Priscilla which works I knew from two years ago and I was flashed with the link between them. Then I decided that I could start a section of photography in my collection based in the aim of the whole collection: politics and social issues. I believe the three matches perfectly in this aim and make stronger the whole collection. It’s also curious that the three are women. It seems that women are more sensitive to these issues than men. I’m really happy to have the opportunity to contact them directly, exchange mails and have them in my collection. Did you sell any earlier works to make these new acquisitions? No. I want to keep my collection intact and growth it. Are you continuing to collect Chinese contemporary art? Yes. But I am still not sure in which direction. Moreover, until now, the exchange rate between the dollar and the euro help us very much. I do not know in the future if this really helpful tool will continue in the future. But as always it is a double side, if you are i n the selling position your works will be valued more. I would like also to collect a few works from Indian, Vietnamese, Russian, Latin-American or USA painters to complete wisdom of the world. Sitges, 2008 After a long period without buying any work, I started again in 2017. The friendship with Sheng Qi opens my appetite for new works. I decided as well to recollect all the information dispersed in several websites and concentrate it in this book. The works are rigorously ordered by order of acquisition and there are the ones remaining in my collection. Unfortunately some works have been sold in order to cash in to maintain my journey in life without a fix work. You’ll have a clear idea of the evolution of my thoughts at the end of the book, because I don’t try only to show works, but the evolution (or not) of my thoughts, my likes and so on. In fact, all the comments have been wrotten when the works have been bought. London, 2017