ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°132 - Septembre 2010 - 20

Focus

Contemporary arts
By Aude BERTRAnD [03 BE]
tion within the art world, leading to a « lemon markets » effect. For exactly the same budget, you can find a more promising artist at a reknown fair (such as the Fiac or Frieze art Fair), or at a satellite fair. 3. Trust your own judgement. Your personal relation to the works is the key, not least because you will be the one living with them. l Though seeking professional advice can be very helpful, the decision should remain yours. Also, many trends are short-lived, all the more so as a multitude of movements and forms coexist. 4. Set yourself some rules. Even if you prefer buying works that you fall in love with rather than following a concept, at some point in time you will wish to give your collection a coherent shape. l Most great collections are sustained by a unique thread (e.g. focusing on a key topic or a type of medium). 5. Exchange and enjoy! You can easily learn from other people who are passionate about art. l Being part of a group when visiting galleries is an uncomplicated way to discover and talk about art. You can also opt for individual tours led by insiders or artists. l Meeting art lovers online is also enriching. For new collectors, I recommend independent-collectors.com, a platform run by people who are passionate & knowledgeable about contemporary arts. l

D.R.

ccording to a study conducted 2009, more than 4 out of 5 managers have no clue where to find contemporary works of art that would both match their tastes and wallet. So, Aude gives you here some advice as a consultant in contemporary arts…

1. Get your eyes « trained ». No matter how knowledgeable you are about modern arts, contemporary arts often require a new « grammar ». l Many collectors recommend spending at least one year seeing as much as possible, from major biennials to museum exhibitions, fairs, or gallery openings. l You can also start focusing on « graspable » forms of art, such as photographs or designers’ collectibles. 2. Do not compromise on quality. If on a budget, go for extra-limited multiples (e.g. prints with an edition of max. 10-15) ; larger editions can be as expensive, and are not likely to keep their value overtime. Alternatively, search for originals by young artists or graduates. This can be time consuming, but rewarding. l Accessible art fairs suffer from poor reputa-

The Alumni network in North Rhine Westfalia
As I was willing to represent our School and the interests of our alumni as well as possible, I got in contact with my counterpart in the German association shortly after taking on the delegate role for the NRW community at the end 2009. As it happens, Dusseldorf and its surroundings were the first German region where both former EAP and ESCP alumni associations joined forces to dynamise our community at a local level. Our aim now is to have, by the end of 2010, a structure up and running that is aligned with the service standards offered on an international basis, while responding to the expectations of the local community. Networking events: as a rule of thumb, our Dusseldorf « stammtisch » takes place at the Malkasten Bar, usually on the first Thursday every other month from February (even-numbered months). We plan for events in odd-numbered months to be based in Cologne as soon as an alumnus based there volunteers to coordinate them! There are other activities too, including cultural events that form part of our programme. Business events: these include company and topic-based meetings featuring key-note speakers, mainly hosted by members of our alumni network. Local career/people development events, inspired by the PEP Careers team, will be up-and-running soon, coordinated with the new ESCP Europe Alumni recruit in charge of career development and networking for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. ESCP Europe Berlin events: as the relationship with the Berlin campus deepens, we expect to host events to reflect the needs of our business school and its students (eg. participation in roadshows and other marketing events).

ESCP Europe Magazine N° 132 - Septembre 2010

http://www.independent-collectors.com http://www.independent-collectors.com

Table des matières de la publication ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°132 - Septembre 2010

Couverture
Zapping
Sommaire
Editorial
Personnalité du mois - Britt ECKELMANN
Focus - La symphonie allemande
Itinéraires
Entretiens
Vie du réseau
Évolution professionnelle
Voyages - Le rallye des gazelles
A lire
École - Meet ESCP Europe Entrepreneurs
Fondation
Vie étudiante

ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°132 - Septembre 2010