Very early in my collection days (so that’s like what, about a year ago?) I got the work “48.085″ by Rudolf Reiber, consisting of 49 drawings, showing the stellar constellations above the artist’s roof window, as recorded in black ink on white paper in 49 nights.

A highly inaccurate method, reminiscent of the good old days when guys like Keppler were having a go at that sort of thing. Also reminiscent of the desire of man to “count the stars in the sky”. Also very appropriate to accompany my collection of Science Fiction literature …

It was now on loan for a show at the Hospitalhof in Stuttgart in Germany – and I missed it. Maybe the effect wears off after your third loan or so, but I’m really sad I couldn’t make it. Anyway, here is a picture, provided by Rudolf just a few minutes ago, and I had to share it:

And I love the way the 49 drawings (hung in 7 x 7) are streched across that corner! This just might be a way how I can fit them in my appartment in Ulm after I have moved! I will measure those walls on the weekend …

I love it when I see a work of art that grabs my attention, as it happened with the following works by Oliver Scharfbier (seen at the Zone B booth at Contemporary Istanbul, as mentioned before):

Visually attractive, maybe a trifle decorative at first sight. So what. I then bought a surprise art bag from them, which includes one of his works. And out comes nothing like I have seen before, but a work that deals with words and language and that is self-referential in a way I can appreciate.

This piece is #2 of a multiple of 15 pieces by Oliver, especially made for this “kunst-tüte” edition. Each has been made individually and each is slightly different (I guess, not having seen the others).

The text says: “Auch immer das gleiche ist nie das selbe.” (Even more of the same is never exactly the same.)

Maybe not very deep or world changing, but I can put that sentence into a very nice relation to other works of art I own and even things I do myself, so I’m expecting this piece to last for quite a while. (Actually, I should maybe create an exhibition at Independent Collectors titled “True Zen Sayings” … )

OK. Off to a dinner now … ;)

My first day in Istanbul led me through a customs-couple searching what little luggage I had at Stuttgart airport, an almost empty (40 passengers) Airbus of Turkish Airlines whose inside panelling was making squeekie noises and a limousine ride through maniac traffic to what must be one of the poshest hotels I have ever been to.

I expected Istanbul to be different than most places I have visited in recent years, but when I looked out my window and saw this dude standing at the edge of the roof with his shopping bag, I had proof of my theory.

Off to the artfair (-> link) where I was greeted by a busy but nevertheless charming Jasmine who gave me my luxurious VIP package. I met one of the IC members who was attending, spoke to Fiza Akram from Canvas (-> link) and naturally I had a look at the art.

I could jump to a preliminary, not too charming conclusion, but I will have look again today and report back with pictures. I have seen at least 4 or five things that made me go back and in the special “Berlin section” of the Fair, I overheard the guys from “Zone B” (-> link) talk about their “Kunst-Tüte”.

I went back later and talked to them about it. It’s a series of surprise bags, each featuring one item of a 15 strong multiple by an artist from their gallery. The only thing you know, when you buy it, is the artist and the price: EUR 80.-

I bought one with a work by Oliver Scharfbier (-> link), whose name sounds like a drink I would like to try, and whose black/white/red “paintings” on display at their booth had caught my eye earlier (images will follow).

So here is the “Kunst-Tüte” in the hotel armchair. I will open it tonight …

I haven’t heard about their gallery or the artist before but I like the idea of buying something, not exactly knowing what it might be. True, it might not be the most original idea on the planet, but in the environment of Contemporary Istanbul last night it was the one thing that grabbed my attention in it’s lightness.

“Pleased to meet you … ” is a series of conversations I have with other collectors and members of Independent Collectors. These conversations happen via e-mail, skype, phone or in real life and will therefore be a bit different each time. A new conversation will be published every month.

The first conversation was conducted by e-mail with Christian Pfaff from Hamburg, who has spent over 86% of his life as a collector already … and he is just 44 years old at the time of writing!

“To administrate an addiction is not a style.”


Hallo Herr Pfaff, where are you right now?

At the moment I’m sitting on a roof terrace in Kathmandu, Nepal, thinking about my soon ending six months time-out and the return to Hamburg. Every 5 or 6 six years my wife and me use a time of a half year minimum just to recharge and enjoy.

This sounds like a good plan. Has anything shown up on your “art radar” in the places you’ve visited this time? In contrast to your usual dwelling place Hamburg?

Since my travel brought me from Canada and Alaska to Nepal and Thailand, I had the opportunity to meet some artists and visit galleries. I accidentally found a very interesting gallery in Ottawa, Canada, called “Le Petit Mort” (→ link) which is showing contemporary local works not specified in any media. The owner Guy Berube does a fine job bringing an exotic variety of artists together. However, I liked the paperworks of the young upcoming Ottawa artist Graham Robinson who creates lots of his sculptural artworks with cardboard. I bought three of his recent works.

“I don’t buy shares from a soccer club, I’m in for the games!”

I’d be scared to have the works sent to me by mail from Canada. In fact, I even worry when they’re shipped within Germany… aren’t you afraid something could happen to them?

I travel as often as it is possible and of course I’m always looking for art related places and buy art there. Shipping this works sometimes can be really funny and most ends up at the main customs office in Hamburg. I recall receiving a big work on canvas from Asia without receipt. The officers were more interested in the old movie posters I had put in the package to stuff the thing. I’m still waiting for the fragile cardboard works from Canada. So far no sign that they’ve reached anywhere. I’ll pray for a while.

While we keep our fingers crossed that they will arrive unharmed, could you tell us about your style of collecting: Charles Saatchi or Ronnie Biggs?

My style of collecting isn’t either methodical or going for the big catch. Coming from a family with creatively gifted but also neurotic personalities, art always was part of my daily life. My aunts collected reliquaries from catholic saints or created costumes. One even studied with Wilhelm Baumeister. My cousins faked antique furniture or made stamps from little newspaper classified ads. One family member ended up in jail for the forgery of train tickets in the post WW2-time. It’s no wonder that I started collecting art (and doing art by myself) very early. But my access to the art world is a very direct one: I collect what I like. I don’t care for big names or the show. I appreciate the whole picture, meaning I like to meet the artist, I like to know more about his works, his opinions and about him- or herself. Investment and stockbrokership is definitely not my cup of tea. It never was. And even now with a nice little collection the thrill doesn’t come from the gain of worth of the one or the other piece, but the story every picture tells. Back to the question: I was never a strategic collector in the way Saatchi did it. This way of administrating an addiction is not my style. The Biggs Thing – preparing for the one and only chance – is neither my approach. Why wait for only one artist or even one work?

“Does the work evoke feelings, does the artist? That’s what we are talking about.”

Since you mention thrill, I just cut in here quickly, if I may. The thrill in collecting, how much of it is coming from the nightly walks you take around town, when you are armed with … well, what are you armed with? I heard some interesting stories about that from you in Berlin a while back.

The thrill about collecting is not about buying, even if i must confess that it gives me sometimes a kick to see the red dot. I like good concepts, interesting ideas, craftsmanship and most important a authentic attitude from the artist or the work. I like humor in this sometimes so bureaucratic and stiff intellectual scene. Off course there’s also a „hunting part“. Walk through studios, art spaces – looking for a good catch, looking for an eye-opener or even for a good laugh. I appreciate that very much. Since i’m also in interested in the off-side like street-arts i sometimes stroll at night through the streets looking for the newest, coolest stickers, tiles, tags and whatever – try to scratch, cut or peel them of or find out what the next big thing of 56K or other guerrilla artists is. I can remember doing it by myself ages ago, so it’s both, fun and thrill…

You seem to rather not talk about the saw (or do I just think you mentioned a saw?), so let’s talk about some of your favorite artists from your collection… name three:

4000 (Thomas Egeler), Hamburg, Germany – unbelievable
Christian Junghanns, Hannover, Germany – my pop art revolutionary
Andy Warhol, still – I love the shoe drawings he did in the NY Times


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… PART 2 can be found in the Independent Collectors discussion forum, where you’ll find out why Pfaff is collecting “4000″ instead of Jonathan Meese, how the glamorous part of the art world compares to his own, what the question was that I haven’t asked him, and some more.

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And since I don’t want to leave you with such a stub, here is PART 3 of the interview …

Talking about personal and emotional attachment to artworks … Imagine your house is on fire and you can rescue just one piece from your collection. Which one and why?

The question which piece of art I would rescue from my collection in case of the big fire somehow reminds me of that long unnerving trial I had to undergo to be allowed to do the social service instead of the military duty: “Would you shoot a terrorist who’s trying to kill all kids in a kinder garden?”. Usually it’s not about the final answer but about the way you got to it … It’s really hard to decide: the Picasso or the first drawing of my son? More than about every single artwork I think about my diverse collection as a whole. Still, there’s one work I really appreciated for the last twenty years or so. It is a small still life by 4000. That little piece of shitty wood was just perfectly right at the time it was painted. It shows simple things: a bottle, an apple,a table, a small book, no more no less – acrylic, black and white. The splintered piece was given to me by the artist in a melodramatic situation at an early grey Hamburg morning after a furious opening. It’s an artwork perfectly made for me. I changed the hangings in my house constantly for the last decades. The still life stayed.

I could keep this going but I have been intruding in your holiday long enough … to finish off, do you have a question for the next collector?

If your house is on fire and you’ve rescued all the pictures, which one would you put back in the fire because you don’t like it but would want to have the insurance pay for it?


This is a great question!Thank you Christian for your time, your stories and your pictures!


Feel free to comment on this conversation in the comments or the discussion forum at Independent Collectors. Throw in some more questions, I will forward them to Christian every once in a while, if he doesn’t read and answer them automatically.

Picture credits: lottegandaki

Let me explain. On June 1st 2009, Christian and me started with the same edition by Jonathan Monk and the idea was to trade art for art for a year and then find out who did “better”.

There are 2 1/2 problems with this.

The first problem is that with art it’s so important to actually see the work “in the flesh”.

The second problem is that collectors give away art only reluctantly.

The remaining half problem is that trading in the art world is far from being a high speed business. It takes time, time, time. Some of us do have that time, others don’t. Which would be alright if it didn’t need to fill a weblog, where frequent updates are required.

Which is why, after many heated discussions, we have decided to call the duel off.

…

BUT: I have decided to keep trading. I love the exchange with other collectors who are offering me works. It’s tough to give something away. I have always been of a rather jumpy nature, however. Therefore I will allow myself to keep the trading going AT LEAST until May 31st 2010. So do keep the offers coming. Right now I’m (un-) willing to give away two issues of “Plages”.

One question remains: Who has, objectively, won the duel? I traded twice. Christian didn’t trade at all. Christian still has a rare Jonathan Monk edition and I have two issues of “Plages” …

…

What will happen now: The blog will feature regular reports by myself, the type some of you already know from my time as “The Upcoming Collector”. I will also try and “interview” collectors on a regular basis (Christian Pfaff will be up first, to be posted on the weekend.) And there will be other stuff, too.

Thanks for sticking with us! And welcome (back) to:

“The Upcoming Collector”

I have already told you about the latest offer I have received for the multiple by Günther Uecker: 4 editions of “Plages” to choose one from (→ read the story here). After overcoming my reluctance to part with the Uecker, I have notified the collector in question (who wishes to remain anonymous) that I would in fact trade for two of the issues, No. 81 and No. 112.

After some back and forth and after overcoming even more reluctance, the offering collector agreed to the trade. So after just five and something months, the Collectors’ Duel sees its second trade!

After living with the Uecker multiple for a while, I’m now very eager to get my hands on those magazines, as what I have seen in pictures and after actually touching another issue really inspired me. And it fits better with my collection, as I have decided to move a bit more into the direction of art that has to with literature and printed paper. Not a new dogma, but I really want to actively explore this angle. A decision that was in part inspired by this trade. So: Thank you!

And you know what?

You are actually one of the two people who participated in the duel! Because after this post, the duel as such will be prematurely terminated. So your’s is the last trade in the Collectors’ Duel!

What lead to the decision and why you can still make offers … will be revealed in the next post! (It’s called a cliffhanger, I’m told.)

Just when we got a bit nervous and were about to decide that such a duel probably doesn’t work in the world of art, I got an offer to trade my Uecker multiple for the same Uecker multiple (see the comments in the last post). I thought this was hilarious and if the multiple would have been in the same condition as mine I would have accepted.

After that offer I discussed with Christian and we agreed to call the whole thing off. “Bury it like grown men would”, as Wilhelm Schürmann put it.

And then, out of the blue, I receive another offer that is very tempting … let me explain:

A collector who wishes to remain anonymous for now offered me four issues of “Plages” to choose from. If you allow me to quote from the mail I received:

“‘Plages’ is an art/artists’ magazine which has been produced since 1968 by Roberto Gutierrez, an Argentinean artist who emigrated to Paris in 1963.”

Different artists are invited to participate in the creation of each edition.
Each edition has a different theme.
It is published 4 times a year at 1000 copies or less each.

“After the editions have been printed, the participating artists rework their page in each copy to produce little collages or small original artworks which are unique to every single copy. The original artworks within the copy are usually signed by the respective artist. Each copy of the magazine is like a treasure box of surprises and delights, not only for the little artworks to be found in each one, but also for the actual format of the magazine itself.”

On offer for me are #55, #58, #89 and #112. I’m most interested in #81, the “anniversary edition”, see below:

And I also like #112. The latter because of a particular work in it: “there is an envelope attached to one of the pages in the magazine…on it is written ‘to be opened only after my death’ by Gèrard Bignolais – in the meantime he has died, but I have not opened the envelope…Roberto Gutierrez told me that he believes there is an invitation to Bignolais’ funeral inside!”

So what am I supposed to do? I like them both but I’m supposed to choose only one from them. If I could get the two issues I guess I would fall for them, not only to keep the duel alive but because I like work that deals with books, literature or printed publications in general …

Any thoughts from you out there, to help me make up my mind?

Wow, do we get a lot of pressure from people, as to why nothing is happening in our trading challenge!

Let me put it this way: A lot is happening. But some people who are making offers do not want the offer to be published. Which is a pity, but fair enough. We also talk to people about our trading adventure and we’re keeping our eyes and ears open for opportunities.

The thing is that while we are willing to trade, we’re also very picky. You all know how it is. If an artwork doesn’t really convince you, you hesitate. And if in doubt, you don’t buy. It’s the same with trades. It’s only natural therefore that we don’t make a trade every week.

But what can we do to make this adventure a bit livelier?

I could repeat that we’re currently offering a multiple by Günther Uecker and a very rare and beautiful edition by Jonathan Monk for trade. But I guess you all know that. I for my part expected Christian to get a number of offers for his Monk, now that’s the only one available. I was holding myself back to give him time to catch up, and to see in which direction he is going. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that? Maybe I should make him an offer? I’m almost 100% sure he wouldn’t trade it for anything in my possession, though.

Here is what we’ll do: Christian and I will actively pitch the works to a few people now; let’s see what happens.

And to all those who “complained” about the lack of activity here: I dare you to make an offer we can’t refuse. How’s that for a challenge?
.

Dear Tommi, congratulations on your first trade! The “Do-It-Yourself” hammer by Günther Uecker really is a nice piece and this first transaction breathes life into our one year long bet.

What’s the status now? I’m behind. Which is a disadvantage. On the other hand, of the two Monks, only one is left. And I have that one. Which is an advantage for sure! We’ll go separate ways from now on. It’d be a strange coincidence if a fellow collector would want to trade with both of us now.

I’ll be waiting for an offer I can’t refuse, one that makes it easy for me to part with the witty Monk edition forever. And for all of those who are still holding back, I have two good arguments why they should make me an offer right now.

First: The Monk edition is obviously a very rare one. Much more so than Tommi and I had anticipated. A little while ago, when we were shooting the first Art Expedition in Berlin (which will be published at Independent Collectors in July), we had the chance to talk to Jonathan about it. He told us that he had simply used all blank pieces of paper he had at hand at the moment. And he guesses the number to be around eight. It’s not a 100% definite fact but an educated guess by the artist himself. And eight is not a very big number, is it?

Second: My trade offer is not only a beautiful small work of art; it will also mark the beginning of this unusual bet, forever. It may be that our project doesn’t attract a lot of attention. But maybe it will. Who wants to look back and regret not having made that first trade? Back then when the first object was still available? Only Christian Pfaff (who is trading with Tommi now), and one other, still unknown collector (maybe it’s you?) will know that they have been the fastest ones.

Dear fellow collectors: We’re willing to trade!

On offer are an early Uecker from Tommi and now only one young Monk from me. Modern or contemporary art, which rocks your boat?

This is a dangerous post. Yes, I have decided to accept Christian Pfaff’s offer to trade my „A Piece of Paper. Folded. Until Now.“ (2008) by Jonathan Monk for the multiple „Do It Yourself“ (1969) by Günther Uecker, provided that the Uecker is indeed an original.

Thanks to the help of Melanie Bono (see comments to the last post), I have now been able to contact a gallery in Germany who might be able to help certify the piece. I contacted them by E-Mail today and will give them a call later on. But let’s assume it’s an original for now …

What made me say “yes”?

Gut feeling, really. But since that would make a very poor and unrevealing comment, here is more …

Both works are editions of unknown quantity (although Jonathan guesses the number of “pieces of paper” to be around eight) and both offer a direct relation between the collector and the artwork. In Jonathan’s case the artwork reveals itself fully only after direct intervention by the collector, Uecker invites the collector to use the hammer for a similar purpose: make art.

The funny thing is that I have seen some of Uecker’s works in a gallery in Bamberg, Germany, without being impressed (see below, far left). This offer, however, made me have a look for more things Uecker had done and I found the TV and piano, which not only impressed me visually (see below middle and far right).

In these and others of his “nail-works”, the nails become almost like an organic life form growing over or out of such objects. I like that. The nails, pointed, hard things, become seemingly soft, which they actually do, as the fakirs’ beds of nails very effectively illustrate. This gives room to a lot of interpretation that could be read into these artworks. But I’m not going to do that.

I read that Uecker’s multiple “Do It Yourself” was the artist’s attempt to undercut the common notion his work was just a bunch of nails, hammered into various surfaces. One source describes it as his comment, “that, who ever wanted another nail work, repeating something previously accomplished by Uecker, should do it himself”.

I personally like the reduction, the minimalist appearance and the fact that in an emergency you can always use the artwork to either hang other artworks or whack it over an intruder’s head without damaging it. It’s also almost a reply to Jonathan’s “piece of paper” (and the characteristic reaction some conceptual art seems to get, at least according to contemporary art lore): “I could do that.” or, as it happens in the case of my mother, who keeps telling me when seeing what kind of art I collect: “You should do that yourself.” And she is right, of course. One has to do things. At least that’s my opinion. I’m looking forward to welcoming this reminder into my home. I’ll have it on a wall, beside my spirit-level and a spanking pedal.

Melanie asked my why I decided to trade a very contemporary piece for something from before I was even born. Easy: I like the concept, which, in a sense, makes “Do It Yourself” a more contemporary piece than some of the very decorative stuff you see at art fairs.

So, if it turns out to be an original (something we all expect it to be), this is my first ever art trade. For now, that is. Because, as you might have guessed, “Do It Yourself” by Günther Uecker is my next offer.

(To trade, comment or email: brem@independent-collectors.com)

PS: Check out Ueckers “Terrororchester”. I like that piece as well. Hardly any nails involved, though.