2019-09-16 Bloomberg Businessweek

60

Jeff Koons, Gerhard Richter, and David Hockney are household

names with prices to match. The artist Vija Celmins com-

mands similar prices from a lofty collector base; Henry Kravis,

J. Tomilson Hill, and Mitchell and Emily Rales own work by

Celmins, as do corporate collections such as those of JPMorgan

Chase & Co. and the Cartier Foundation. But in contrast with

her peers, you might see her name and ask, “Who?”

“I’m not speaking in any kind of pejorative way, but

I’ve always thought of Vija as a niche artist,” says Laurence

Shopmaker, co-founder of Senior & Shopmaker Gallery in

New York, which will exhibit a group of Celmins’s prints from

Sept. 12 to Nov. 2.

That might change after the Met Breuer opens its fall sea-

son on Sept.  24 with a 120-object retrospective of her work, the

first in more than 25 years. The show, which features many of

Celmins’s hyperrealistic drawings, was initially on view in San

Francisco and Toronto, where it was met with uniformly posi-

tive acclaim. (“Why is this genius artist only now getting a show ©^ VIJA

CELMINS,

COURTESY

THE

ARTIST

AND

MATTHEW

MARKS

GALLERY.

PHOTO:

COURTESY

MCKEE

worthy of her art?” gushed the Washington Post.) Its reception GALLERY

in New York is expected to be similarly rapturous.

“She’s always been recognized as a fantastic artist,” says Met

curator Ian Alteveer, “someone curators and critics and artists

and a certain group of collectors have loved.” Her paintings

sell for upwards of $5 million and drawings for about $1 mil-

lion, placing Celmins, who’s now 80, at the very top of the con-

temporary art world and the top of the art market generally.

In November one of her drawings, Untitled (Long Ocean #5),

from 1972 will come to auction at Christie’s, carrying a high

estimate of $2 million.

Her success flies in the face of conventional wisdom about

the art business, which holds that to create a sustainable mar-

ket, hypersuccessful artists need the trifecta of institutional,

art dealer, and auction house support, all of which play off one

another. Instead, Celmins’s career offers a rare example of an

artist’s prices growing even as her process challenges all three

branches of the art world.

Although she resisted it, Vija Celmins has reached the pinnacle

of the art market. By James Tarmy

Billionaires Are Begging

To Buy This Art. Too Bad

ARTISTS

FALL CULTURE PREVIEW Bloomberg Pursuits September 16, 2019

60

JeffKoons,GerhardRichter,andDavidHockneyarehousehold

nameswithpricestomatch.TheartistVijaCelminscom-

mandssimilarpricesfroma loftycollectorbase;HenryKravis,

J. TomilsonHill,andMitchellandEmilyRalesownworkby

Celmins,asdocorporatecollectionssuchasthoseofJPMorgan

Chase& Co.andtheCartierFoundation.Butincontrastwith

herpeers,youmightseehernameandask,“Who?”

“I’m notspeakinginanykindofpejorativeway,but

I’vealwaysthoughtofVijaasa nicheartist,”saysLaurence

Shopmaker,co-founderofSenior&ShopmakerGalleryin

NewYork,whichwillexhibita groupofCelmins’sprintsfrom

Sept. 12 toNov.2.

ThatmightchangeaftertheMetBreueropensitsfallsea-

sononSept. 24 witha 120-objectretrospectiveofherwork,the

firstinmorethan 25 years. The show, which features many of

Celmins’s hyperrealistic drawings, was initially on view in San

Francisco and Toronto, where it was met with uniformly posi-

tive acclaim. (“Why is this genius artist only now getting a show ©VIJA

CELMINS,

COURTESY

THE

ARTIST

AND

MATTHEW

MARKS

GALLERY.

PHOTO:

COURTESY

MCKEE

worthy of her art?” gushed the Washington Post.) Its reception GALLERY

in New York is expected to be similarly rapturous.

“She’s always been recognized as a fantastic artist,” says Met

curator Ian Alteveer, “someone curators and critics and artists

and a certain group of collectors have loved.” Her paintings

sell for upwards of $5 million and drawings for about $1 mil-

lion, placing Celmins, who’s now 80, at the very top of the con-

temporary art world and the top of the art market generally.

InNovemberoneofherdrawings,Untitled(LongOcean#5),

from 1972 willcometoauctionatChristie’s,carryinga high

estimateof$2million.

Her success flies in the face of conventional wisdom about

the art business, which holds that to create a sustainable mar-

ket, hypersuccessful artists need the trifecta of institutional,

art dealer, and auction house support, all of which play off one

another. Instead, Celmins’s career offers a rare example of an

artist’s prices growing even as her process challenges all three

branches of the art world.

Although she resisted it, Vija Celmins has reached the pinnacle

of the art market. By James Tarmy

Billionaires Are Begging

To Buy This Art. Too Bad

ARTISTS

FALL CULTURE PREVIEW Bloomberg Pursuits September 16, 2019