Charles Saatchi is an Artoholic
My Name is Charles Saatchi and I am an Artoholic is a book-length interview with one of the most influential collectors of contemporary art today. Here are three examples of the entertaining and unpretentious way he talks about the art world and his role as a collector and gallery owner.
Saatchi made his fortune with his advertising firm Saatchi and Saatchi. They helped elect Margaret Thatcher with the slogan: Labour Isn’t Working. Asked if he was a Tory, Saatchi quipped, “I also threw myself into the Health Department’s Anti-Smoking campaign…puffing away happily as I wrote. How sweet of you to think that advertising copy is written from the heart."
On Saatchi Online he provides free, unregulated space for artists to display their work. When asked about the quality of the art, he replied, “They’re as good and as bad as you would see on any tour of contemporary galleries"… "[But] it’s a lot less intimidating looking around online than having some creepy gallery person patronizing you.”
A final thought from this avid collector: “Art is not investment"… "Just buy something you really like that will give you"…"pleasure over the years. And take your time looking for something really special, because looking is half the fun.”
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