Chinanews client, Beijing, August 21 (Reporter Song Yusheng) The 2020 spring auction will be almost two months later than in previous years. In Beijing, China Guardian was one of the first auction companies to open this year's spring auction, but the time has passed after Liqiu.
During the five days from August 15th to 19th, more than 4,500 works of art were auctioned on Guardian, which is also regarded as a signal for the auction house to resume work since the new crown pneumonia epidemic. Many people hope to observe the market's reaction.
China Guardian's 2020 spring auction site. Photo by Song Yusheng from China News Service
Cultural relics and art auctions under the epidemic
“Cultural relics and art auctions pay attention to rhythm. From the beginning of the year to the end of the year, we will arrange the auction time in advance. For example, the Guardian has a time chain called "schedule". What you do every day and what you do every month will advance step by step. Interlocking. This year changes every day. The time of offline exhibitions and auctions has been adjusting. We have made two or three plans to deal with them at the same time."
Hu Yanyan, director and president of China Guardian, recently talked to the media about the situation in the field of cultural relics and art auctions this year.
This is certainly not an isolated case.
Under the epidemic situation, in the first half of 2020, all domestic cultural relics and art auctions will have to change the established rhythm.
Ou Shuying, deputy secretary-general of the China Auction Association, told reporters from Chinanews.com that the usual domestic spring auction season started in May and June, and this year has moved back 2-3 months, and even some auction companies have cancelled the spring auctions. Because it is too late to prepare for the next autumn auction.
Disrupted market rhythm is bound to have an impact on the transaction amount. At the same time, for auction companies, operating costs are increasing.
"Due to the impact of the epidemic, some auction companies are subject to very obvious restrictions on the collection of lots. Items cannot be delivered or collected, and cannot go overseas. Therefore, the speed and efficiency of the collection of lots will be affected. Even if it is an auction, the safety is First, the auction house’s organizational requirements are also very strict, and the cost of security has also increased."
The "Analysis of the Operation of the Auction Industry in the First Half of 2020" issued by the China Auction Association in August pointed out that the auction business of cultural relics and art was greatly affected by the epidemic. The turnover in the first half of the year was only 688 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 81.99%.
"spring is coming"
By the time the spring auction restarts in August this year, the epidemic is still a difficult topic to circumvent. Such influences are everywhere.
At the auction site of China Guardian, everyone except the auctioneer is required to wear masks. At the same time, pre-shows and auctions require appointment to enter, temperature measurement and health code scanning.
In addition, the first lot of the Guardian Spring sale also specially arranged the calligraphy of "Mountains and rivers are different, the wind and the moon are in the same sky" written by Japanese painter Higashiyama Kaii in the 1970s. Compared with the specific price, its symbolic meaning is more important.
And if you look at the final result of the auction, the belated spring auction under the epidemic is still remarkable. The evaluation given by Ou Shuying was "the first great victory" and "exceeding expectations".
This is true at the scene.
Guardian's "Spring Is Here" auction site. Photo by Song Yusheng from China News Service
Take Guardian's spring auction "The Twentieth Century and Contemporary Art Night Market" "Spring Is Here" as an example. According to reports, this work is the work of the famous contemporary Chinese painter Zhou Chunya. It was completed in Chengdu in July 1984. It was taken by collectors to Luxembourg in January 1985 and collected for 35 years. This is the first time it has appeared at auction.
That night, the bid for this work started at 9 million yuan. After the bidding reached 12 million yuan, the buyer's price was increased to 18 million yuan. After that, many commissions refused to give each other, and the price rose from 20 million yuan to 70 million yuan. The hammer fell for 75 million yuan and the transaction was completed with a commission of 86.25 million yuan.
Ou Shuying believes that this shows that the market has a very strong desire for investment and collection for the well-circulated auctions. "We can feel this warm atmosphere."
This year, the total turnover of Xiling Yinshe spring auction reached 1.099 billion yuan. The total turnover of China Guardian's spring auctions exceeded 1.5 billion yuan, which greatly exceeded the total reserve price.
Ou Shuying said, “It should be said that this kind of market performance is very good under the situation of the epidemic. Although there may not be the 100 million yuan lot or superstar lot that was mentioned in the early years as a blessing to the market, But every lot is worthy of scrutiny, and the quality is guaranteed. In terms of academic and artistic value, the overall is remarkable. So I feel that the overall market stability is actually better than last year."
She also said that the closed Xiling and Guardian spring auctions have played a role in stabilizing market confidence.
Photo courtesy of China Guardian
The future of art auction
At present, epidemic prevention and control has also become normal.
However, the original habits and trading patterns of cultural relics and art auctions have been changed to a certain extent. Each auction company is also making corresponding adjustments.
At the Standing Council of the China Film and Television Association that just passed, doing a good job in epidemic prevention and control and ensuring safety were put forward as the industry's top priority.
Ou Shuying told reporters that safety is the primary prerequisite for conducting any business at any time, and that he "will not relax at all."
At the same time, the epidemic has also caused more auction companies to pay attention to online auctions and accelerate digital transformation. According to statistics from the China Auction Platform, in the first half of this year, the number of online auctions increased by 47% year-on-year.
"We see that before the outbreak, some auction companies may still think that online auctions are an option; but since the epidemic, online auctions have become a necessary option and a necessary action."
Ou Shuying believes that although online auctions cannot completely replace the needs of traditional offline auctions for tasting and communication, "the promotion of corporate efficiency and model changes through digital transformation may accelerate the acquisition of a power of innovation, reform and development. One thing is worth looking forward to."
In addition, judging from the situation of this year's spring auction, auction companies with better transaction data have given a relatively stable answer through academic guidance value, professional services and a high degree of market sensitivity.
Ou Shuying said that when the market becomes more rational and collectors become more and more savvy, only this kind of correct values and stable and solid service will enable the company to go further. (Finish)