10 minutes and $5,000

SGGP 16/05/2023 09:18

Perhaps even more appealing than Vietnamese art auctions on the international stage, artist N. (living and working in Hanoi ) posted images of the artwork he wants to sell on his personal page for $5,000.

Visitors at the art exhibition

In less than 10 minutes, a collector placed an order, and more than 12 hours later, the post selling the painting by artist N. received nearly 6,000 likes, almost 300 shares, and over 400 comments inquiring about purchasing it, even though the artist announced the painting had been sold. Remarkably, the painting was sold on the artist's personal page without any extensive advertising or promotion, both in person and online, as professional auction houses typically do before auctions.

While it's encouraging that artists' paintings are selling well, many questions remain about the current state of the art scene in the country. It's easy to see that many exhibitions in Vietnam lack visitors; if there are any, they are mainly people within the art community, students from art and architecture schools, and a small number of collectors… The number of people who truly care about, appreciate, and enjoy painting can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

In some cases, large-scale exhibitions with lavishly decorated spaces attract a large number of visitors, even with an entrance fee, but the reason for their appeal lies beyond the artistic aspect. It's simply that taking photos in these art-filled spaces is seen by some as a way to "position" oneself and assert one's status.

Furthermore, there's another unpleasant reality: when it comes to painting, many people still prioritize the material value of the artwork, such as the price tag of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars, over appreciating the content or feeling the artwork itself. In fact, there are quite a few instances where ribbons are attached to artworks at exhibitions simply because of a casual exchange of words. To assert their wealth, many "collectors" are willing to attach ribbons even before seeing the artwork, and sometimes, after buying it, they don't know what to do with it because they lack the ability to appreciate the work.

Nevertheless, 10 minutes and $5,000 for a painting can be seen as a positive sign for the art market, as the public is gradually becoming more interested in the visual language through color, lines, etc. Especially noteworthy is the information that many collectors involved in these art purchases are young people, even from Generation Z. They not only possess the vision of professional collectors but also proactively engage in in-depth learning about art. These are also encouraging signs for a professional art scene, where appreciating beauty will not be just about fleeting numbers.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/10-phut-va-5000-usd-post689847.html