Page 10 - JOAMay2021

World Marketplace News

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – A couple saw NYT – Global sales of art and antiques in 2020 were estimated to have
brushes and paint cans in front of a paint- declined by 22% from the previous year, according to the latest annual
splattered canvas at a gallery in a Seoul shop- Art Basel and UBS Art Market report. The 359-page report, the most
ping mall. So they added a few brush strokes, comprehensive analysis of the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on the
assuming it was a participatory mural. Not quite: international art trade to date, found that combined dealer and auction
The painting was a finished work by an house sales totaled $50.1 billion, their lowest level since the financial
American artist whose abstract aesthetic riffs on crisis of 2009. “It could have been a lot worse than it was,” said economist
street art. The piece is worth more than Clare McAndrew, the author of the report. “The second half of the year
$400,000, according to the organizers of the
exhibition that featured the painting. The art-
work is displayed with paint cans, brushes and
shoes that the artist used when he worked on
it, one of the exhibition’s organizers, Kang
Wook, said. “There were guidelines and a
notice, but the couple did not pay attention.”
The artist, JonOne, said he was disappointed and
angry that his work had been “defaced,” although
some people have said the publicity could work
in his favor. “Art should be religious,” he said. was better for a lot of people. There was a huge shift to online sales,
“You don’t paint on a church.” The restoration and some galleries in Asia came back really strongly.” The report found
could cost about $9,000, he added, and the insur- that online sales of art and antiques reached an estimated high of $12.4
ance company may find the couple partially liable billion in 2020, double the previous year. 61% of the 365 fairs
for the cost. “But we are concerned,” he added, planned for 2020 were canceled but that the majority of those
“because there are many comments saying that scratched events had offered either online viewing rooms or some
the artwork should not be restored, and other digital alternative. As a result, dealers reported making 22% of
remain as it is.” their annual sales from fairs, including the online viewing rooms,
The part of the large painting affected by the vandalism about half the percentage that they were taking from fairs in 2019.

ABC7 – Police are searching for the
FOX NEWS – Italian police say they have recovered a 1st century suspects who stole a three-feet-tall
Roman statue that was stolen from an archaeological site in 2011 and Stormtrooper statue from outside a
found in a Belgian antiques shop by business on Long Island. The statue was
two off-duty Italian art squad police offi- stolen from Blast from the Past on 125
cers. Two members of the art squad’s West Main Street in Bay Shore on
archaeological unit were on assign- April 1. The statue, which is valued to
ment in Brussels when they took a be between $300-$400, has been
walk after work in the Sablon neighbor- replaced with an R2D2 figurine and a
hood that is known for its antiques Freddy Krueger character. The investi-
shops. They spotted a marble statue in gation into the stolen Stormtrooper is
a shop that they suspected was from ongoing as of press time.
Italy, and confirmed their suspicions
when they cross-referenced the work
with a database of known stolen antiqui- CENTRALJERSEY.COM – The Historical Society of Princeton
ties. The “Togatus” statue, featuring a (HSP) will present its first-ever virtual house tour from May 15
headless Roman wearing a draped toga, has a value of $120,000. It was through June 15. This signature event will feature on-demand, multi-
stolen in November 2011 from the Villa Marini Dettina archaeological media content for participants to navigate at their leisure throughout
site on the outskirts of the capital, the statement said. the entire month. Each house will host an in-depth portal where
participants can dive
into videos showing
JAYSBRICKBLOG.COM – LEGO has officially revealed the next descriptive details,
series of Collectible Minifigures featuring iconic Looney Tunes charac- room by room,
ters. Each of the finely crafted, highly detailed LEGO minifigures comes with spotlights on
in a sealed ‘mystery’ bag with one or more accessory elements to add the house’s history,
to the action and distinctive furnish-
fun, plus a collec- ings and artwork,
tor’s overview leaflet. remodels and rest-
The choice to do orations, and architectural features. Houses participating in the tour
a Looney Tunes include a c. 1770 house that features a remarkably well-preserved
minifigures series is large hearth fireplace with beehive oven, hand-hewn beams, and
quite an interesting half-timberwork. The 19th century dining room showcases a Delft tile
one by LEGO, as fireplace. You can buy tickets at princetonhistory.org or click here.
these characters aren’t
the household names
that they used to be, THE GLOBE AND MAIL – On trend for pickers linked to home
but with a new Space Jam movie and rebooted animated series, per- designers: glass Murano mushroom lamps, “pastel eighties South Beach
haps it’s time for Bugs Bunny and the gang to reclaim the limelight. Miami version of art deco,” chenilles of the 1950s and hippie boho,
bold textiles – think yards of deadstock corduroy in hazard orange.

8 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles