LumDimSum 1-on-1 with Mr. AAB: Tom Pattinson
Posted: May 11th, 2011 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Art, LDS Interviews, Special Events, Upcoming Events | Tags: 798 Art District, Affordable Art Beijing, Agua, Bespoke Beijing, Chen Yu, Dali Courtyard, Gongka, Guo Hongjie, Island 6, Kong Lingnan, Ma Weihong, Mesh, Migas, Salud, Shengqi, The 798 Space, Tom Pattinson, Yang Rui | No Comments »
“Buying your first artwork is a bit like a first tattoo or first hit of smack.”
- Tom Pattinson, AAB Founder & Director
Affordable Art Beijing 2011 is upon us with doors opening this weekend for 2 FULL days of non-stop art mania.
From 10AM on May 14 until 6PM on May 15, there will be around 900 works of original Chinese contemporary art for sale. From small prints to large oil paintings, hand-painted sculptures and photography, each piece of art has been hand-picked from the 12,000 works that were originally submitted.
With a wide range of emerging Chinese artists, styles and price (from as little as RMB 200 to a maximum cap of RMB 20,000), there is something for everyone.
“I personally am very excited this year as the quality of work is truly exceptional and I’m going to be very jealous of many people who snap up some beautiful works.”
Whether you are an avid art collector, someone curious in the development of emerging Chinese artists or just out for a fun day of “window shopping” for art, stop by AAB this weekend and who knows, maybe something will catch your eye and you may even catch the art-bug!
Six years strong, AAB Founder and Director Tom Pattinson gives LumDimSum the inside scoop to how AAB first came about, how it’s influenced China’s art world and why he’d rather spend money on buying a piece of art over going on a holiday trip!
Name: Tom Pattinson
Age: 32
Nationality: British
Occupation: AAB Director / Media man
Company Name: Affordable Art Beijing / Bespoke Beijing
Years in Beijing: nearly 9 in total
LumDimSum Goes 1-on-1 with Mr. AAB, Tom Pattinson
LDS: As the founder of AAB, what inspired you to start your own art fair in Beijing? How did AAB first come about?
I’ve always had a passion for art and when I moved back to Beijing in 2005 found myself getting very much into the contemporary Chinese art scene. At the time my office was in 798 and we’d see some incredible art on a daily basis but it was mostly out of my price range at the time. For Valentines Day in 2006, I bought my girlfriend a painting from a friend who had a gallery specializing in emerging artists and it went from there. I realised that there were affordable artists out there and there were obviously more people like me who were keen on starting a collection but with a limited budget. Two months after Valentines Day we held the first AAB in 798.
LDS: Since it’s beginnings to today, how do you think AAB has impacted the art industry/culture in China?
Before AAB there was very little in the way of an emerging art market in China. Galleries and events very much focused on the more established artists. However, I think AAB has really helped create a new market for emerging and mid-level artists and have proved that this can be done. There are many galleries and also the major art fairs also have introduced more affordable sections which benefits not just those artists but helps deepen the art market in China as a whole. We now really have a bottom-up art market in China rather than just a top down market.
LDS: As with the start of any new venture, I’m sure there have been many obstacles and unforeseen nuances along with unexpected rewards. What have been the most absurd challenges and what has been the most rewarding aspect of AAB?
There was a time where people thought selling affordable art was a stupid idea, a lot of galleries and art experts were not that sold on the idea and even artists weren’t too sure but after the success of the first few years a lot of people wanted to be involved.
The main challenges are generally those with putting on a major event in China – agreements, partners, prices – all can suddenly change for no reason and costs can spiral out of control. We’ve also had a lot of people, companies and organizations from across China pretending to be us. I’m pleased that now after 6 years there are many galleries and events that focus on emerging artists and affordable art because this benefits everyone – both the buyers and the artists – but we’ve had people pretending they are us and selling low quality work at high prices which obviously could affect our reputation.
For me, the most rewarding aspects are getting to know some incredibly talented artists and seeing their careers progress. Of course good artists will always do well but I like to think that AAB gives them a step up on to that ladder of career artists.
LDS: When did you first develop an interest for art?
My mother has always been artistic and taught art – she still paints and teaches art today – and we used to go painting together from a very young age. I did art at GCSE and A-Level at school and was considering studying fine art at art school – but ultimately I’m not talented enough to be an artist. But art has always been a part of my life, if not as an artist then as an art lover at least.
LDS: Would you consider yourself an avid art collector?
Buying your first artwork is a bit like a first tattoo or first hit of smack. It does become addictive and you realise how you spend money changes. If it’s a choice between an art work and a holiday then the holiday might be put on hold for a while. I buy works because I like the look of them or they make me laugh or because I like the artist or because they’ll fit in the right corner of my house but not really because I think they’re going to be valuable. I now try to have an annual art budget, which I will spend on art but no more otherwise it can get a bit silly.
LDS: What are three attributes of a great artist?
An original style, an idea that is relevant and new technique/skill.
LDS: In your expert opinion, what does it mean to be an artist?
I’d firstly certainly not call myself an expert there are a great many experts in this city of which I would not class myself as one. But I think anyone can be an artist. An artist is someone who expresses themselves, their thoughts, their views on society or their own lives. This can be through music, writing, art or any other number of mediums. An artist should be able to express a point, make a statement or capture a moment – a feeling – and translate it to appeal to a wider audience.
LDS: Who is currently your favorite artist of all time and why?
My favourite artist is normally the artist whose work I have just bought or a great show I’ve just seen so it could be any number of artists. I’ve got a big thing for Kong Lingnan right now. I did a show with her before Christmas last year and she’s showing at the UCCA at the moment. She’s also a lovely person as well as a great artist!
LDS: What kind of art do you proudly display on the walls of your home?
I’ve got a weird mix of things I’ve picked up over the last five or six years. I have a Shengqi painting, a LED work from Island 6 and an excellent collage from Gongka all in our living room, but pride of place in our house is a work we’ve dubbed “the Big Baby”, by a young artists called Guo Hongjie.
LDS: Is there any kind of art you shamefully admit to have a weakness for?
I’m currently into dark humour works. Things that are a bit cheeky, a bit dark and a bit evil. Not sure if that says something about my current stage of mind but I think I like the fact that some of these young artists are producing light-hearted works that have a bit of an edge to them rather than a lot of sappy nonsense we’re often forced to suffer.
LDS: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and particularly with Chinese contemporary art, how do you gauge what pieces are worthy of making it as a participating piece in AAB?
Good question. It’s partly experience of knowing what is popular and what will sell to our audience, it’s partly what I personally like and it’s also a bit of luck. We had around 1,000 artists apply to take part this year, which made it much harder to pick out the best artists. There are three or four in our team and we all look through them together. There are at least three rounds of checking before we make a final decision. Some artists are easy to pick, some are also easy to reject but there are many who are stuck in the middle and it’s difficult to decide whether it is excellent or just very average.
Over 2 months, nearly 15,000 art works, three or four rounds of selection we finally manage to pick out our favourite 1,000 art works.
LDS: How will this year be different from past AAB fairs?
We’ve increased the maximum price from 10,000 RMB to 20,000 RMB – this is mainly to ensure we can retain some of the best quality art work in the emerging art market. 10,000 RMB six years ago used to go a lot further than it does today.
LDS: Which artists are you most excited about this year?
There are dozens of them that I have my eye on but we have picked Yang Rui as our poster girl this year – I’m a big fan.
LDS: Have there been one or two artists who have consistently sold the most pieces?
Chen Yu’s laquered flowers are always very popular and so is Ma Weihong’s Cultural Revolution inspired works are too. Both sell very well and prices are still reasonable, although creeping up year on year.
LDS: What is the most unexpected/ridiculous art purchase you have witnessed at one of AAB’s art fairs?
A couple of years ago we had a huge sculpture work made up of six human-sized feline-faced sculptures. They were pretty scary and not something I’d have in the corner of my house. These huge monsters stood in the corner of the venue for the weekend glaring out and I thought that no one would be interested in them. But then someone bought the whole lot and shipped them off to a restaurant in Germany. It’s then you realise that actually there really is something for everyone at AAB.
LDS: What is the ratio of newbie artists vs. AAB artist veterans?
75% new I would estimate. Many of our artists grow beyond us, which is great, so we always have to find new talent.
LDS: What is the ratio of art pieces you genuinely like vs. pieces you select for the general public?
The vast majority I actually like. There are a small fraction that aren’t as suitable to my tastes but this is because my tastes are permanently changing and evolving. But I want to make sure that there is something not just for everyone’s budget but also for everyone’s taste too.
LDS: About how many people do you expect to rush through this 2 day fair? And what percentage of these people will actually purchase an art piece?
I hope to see up to about 8,000 people come through over the 2 days. I would expect about 4oo people to buy works so that’s only a small percentage. But it’s not just about the sales. It’s great for visitors to see that art doesn’t have to be expensive or exclusive but something they might be able to afford. It’s also great for the public to interact with the artists who are often present and just have a fun day out.
Thousands turned up last year with a massive line outside, selling an average of 2 pieces per minute in the first few hours of the fair. This year, be smart, get there before the crowds and do your research ahead of time!
LDS: You like to cook, if AAB was a dish, what would it be?
A nice, fresh bouillabaisse – nice and exotic with fresh and high quality ingredients, but can never really be made the same way twice.
LDS: Of all the places in the world, why have you chosen Beijing as your home?
It’s about as different as you can get from suburban UK and there is so much to do here.
Every day I think of a new idea, a new thing I’d like to do and to be involved in the creative industries and art world is wonderful. We really are in a place and time that we’ll be able to look back on in years to come and say “I was a part of that”.
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*For a taste of the range of artwork you can expect to see this coming weekend, click here for previous LumDimSum Article: AAB’s 6th Annual Art Fair
LumDimSum Super Sweepstakes:
Get on the invite-only guest list for AAB’s VIP Preview Party on Friday, May 13. All of the art will be on display and these guests get first dibs! LumDimSum is giving away 4 pairs of tickets, email me directly for your chance to win! kristen@lumdimsum.com
AAB Art Fair 2011 Event Details:
- Date: Saturday, May 14 – Sunday, May 15
- Time: 10AM-6PM
- Location: 798 Art Space in 798 Art District (see below for map)
- Website: www.affordableartbeijing.com
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