The joint venture will also allow Sotheby’s to take advantage of a planned free port project that GeHua is developing within the Tianzhu Free Trade Zone in Beijing, which will serve as a tax-advantaged storage location and provide a platform for various activities. Sotheby’s will focus on auctions and selling exhibitions of non-cultural relics, travelling exhibitions and other related activities.
To celebrate the establishment of this joint venture, an historic first auction was held on Thursday, 27 September 2012 at The Millennium Hall of Beijing World Art Museum at the China Millennium Monument. A remarkable sculpture, Self and Self Shadow, by prominent Chinese artist Wang Huaiqing, was the sole lot offered in this historic firstauction to be conducted by an international auction house in China. Following this event, two themed exhibitions, held from 28 September to 7 October is open for public view in the same venue: The first, jointly organised by China Art Industry Expo and Beijing Gehua Cultural and Development Group andco-organised by Sotheby’s, is a special contemporary Chinese art exhibition, Recoding– 2012 Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition, that will showcase innovative works by contemporary Chinese artists; the second will be an exhibition highlighting Sotheby’s international presence, world-class expertise and important events from Sotheby’s more than 260-year history.
Discussing this joint venture agreement with Beijing GeHua Art Company, Kevin Ching, CEO Sotheby’s Asia, commented:“Sotheby’s has been committed to its Chinese clients for over 35 years. China and its growing class of collectors has been the single most attractive growth market for the company, and collectors from this region have become a significant force in our salerooms worldwide. Sotheby’s is pleased to be at theforefront of this unprecedented initiative, and to be the first international fine art auction house entering a joint venture company with a prominent Chinese state-owned enterprisepartner, Beijing GeHua Art Company. We look forward to the anticipated approval of our Joint Venture by the Chinese Authorities as it will enable us to bring our world class expertise, innovation and professional integrity to our clientsin China.We are excited by the possibility of operating in China and our future plans for Beijing include presenting a major auction event in 2013 as well as staging exhibitions of some of the treasures from around the world that Sotheby's is entrusted to handle.”
Commenting on this partnership, Mr. Wang Yudong, General Manager of GeHua Fine Art Company, said: “Beijing GeHua Art Company is very pleased to partner with Sotheby’s on this ground-breaking initiative. They bring the prestige of their international brand name and years of art world experience to the benefit of the collecting community and this project.”
Wang Huaiqing’s Self and Self Shadow
The auction on the 27th September comprised a single sculpture, Self and Self Shadow (2011–2012), by the internationally-acclaimed artist Wang Huaiqing, one of the leading figures incontemporary and modern Chinese art. Forged from aluminium alloy, Self and Self Shadow is athought-provoking and engaging work which bears testament both to the artist’s comprehension of the style and language of western art and to his reverence fortraditional Chinese culture. Born in Beijing in 1944, Wang Huaiqing is Director of the China Oil Painting Association and his works have been widely exhibited both in China and abroad in the USA, Australia and Germany.
蘇富比與北京歌華文化發展集團旗下之一家中國國有企業──北京歌華美術公司（下稱「歌華」）已簽訂一份合資經營合同。經中國政府有關部門批核後，合資公司將戰略性地加強蘇富比在中國大陸的長期發展，有助蘇富比進一步加強對中國大陸客戶提供之服務。此合資公司將名為「苏富比（北京）拍賣有限公司」，蘇富比將成為第一家於中國營商之國際藝術拍賣行；而作為此合資公司之控權股東，蘇富比將負責其日常管理及營運。
通過合資公司，蘇富比將可於歌華正在北京天竺綜合保稅區內開發的「北京國際文化貿易服務中心專案」（下稱「國際文化中心」）舉辦不同活動，包括使用享受稅務優惠的倉儲設施。蘇富比會集中舉辦非文物的藝術品拍賣、私人展售會、巡展及其他相關之活動。
與此同時，為慶祝此合資公司的成立，首場由蘇富比在中國境內舉行之拍賣於9月27日（星期四），假座北京中華世紀壇世界藝術館之世紀大廳舉行，而國際知名藝術家王懷慶之觀念雕塑《自己和自己的影子》將成為觸目的獨一特選拍品，見證首場由國際拍賣行在中國境內舉行的歷史性第一槌。
此外，為隆重其事，9月28日至10月7日期間也將特別呈獻兩個主題展覽。「再編碼──2012中國當代藝術主題展」由2012中國藝術品產業博覽會組委會和北京歌華文化發展集團主辦、蘇富比協辦，以及國家對外文化貿易基地作為承辦單位。該展覽將呈獻嶄新的中國當代藝術，參展的藝術家運用鮮明的創作手法，揉合視覺圖像和視覺文化資源，在新的視覺機制與觀看效果中創造出新意義。另一別開生面之展覽，則介紹蘇富比拍賣行在過去逾260年來的發展歷程、服務範圍，以及光輝業積和里程碑。兩者均不容錯過。
蘇富比亞洲區行政總裁程壽康表示：「蘇富比在過去逾三十五年來一直致力服務中國市場，而品味優越和實力雄厚的中國收藏家群體實為本公司之重點客戶。他們積極參與蘇富比世界各地之拍賣，地位舉足輕重。今次蘇富比與北京歌華美術公司之合作，對中國市場來說是一個開創先河的突破，我們十分榮幸能夠在這別具代表性之舉措中，先拔頭籌，成為第一家由中外兩家處於領導地位的機構合資經營的拍賣行。我們期待中國政府批核此合資經營合同，好讓蘇富比能夠與中國客戶分享我們的國際視野、專業知識及營運操守。同時，我們對於有機會在中國營商感到十分欣喜，我們將計劃在2013年舉辦一場重要之拍賣和一連串之展覽，呈獻世界各地藏家提供予蘇富比之珍品瑰寶。」
北京歌華美術公司總經理王昱東則表示：「北京歌華美術公司十分高興能與蘇富比合作進行此項嶄新的舉措。此享譽國際之拍賣明星，以及其多年來在藝術界之經驗，將有助我們發展此國際文化中心，並為藝術收藏家帶來莫大裨益。」
王懷慶所作的《自己和自己的影子》
於9月27日舉辦的歷史性拍賣，呈獻一件由國際知名藝術家王懷慶創作的觀念雕塑──《自己和自己的影子》。王懷慶為中國現當代藝術的領軍人物，此作品由鋁合金鍛造而成，配合燈光的調度，在平面與立體、實物與虛像間，創造出一個有趣的對話空間，為一件極為引人入勝的作品。它融合了藝術家對西方藝術在風格語彙上的理解，及其自我對中國傳統文化的反芻與創新。王懷慶於1944年出生於北京，曾任中國油畫學會理事，他的作品並曾廣泛地於中國、美國、澳洲與德國展出，廣獲國際藝術史評家讚譽。
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