Crypto-Rich Collectors Are Putting Up Their NFTs as Collateral to Get Cold, Hard Cash. But Is It Actually a Good Deal?

The Art Detective

Crypto-Rich Collectors Are Putting Up Their NFTs as Collateral to Get Cold, Hard Cash. But Is It Actually a Good Deal?

Banks have charged clients as little as one percent for art loans. An NFT-backed loan can come with a rate of more than 100 percent.

By Katya Kazakina, Jan 23, 2022

The Art Detective

Emerging African Artists Have Amassed Nearly $65 Million at Auction Since 2019. Some of Them Don’t Even Have Galleries Yet

Artists such as Ismail Isshaq and Emmanuel Taku are igniting bidding wars at auction before they've even had a major New York gallery show.

By Katya Kazakina, Jan 13, 2022

The Art Detective

Sotheby’s Owner Patrick Drahi Stands to Make a Fortune Off an IPO Just Two Years After Taking the House Private. How? By Being Ruthless

Cost-cutting, smart financial plays, strong branding, and very good timing helped make Sotheby's an extremely listable asset.

By Katya Kazakina, Dec 20, 2021

The Art Detective

NFT Collectors and Museums Have a Novel Problem: How Do You Deal With Art That an Artist Can Change at Will?

The allure of Beeple's latest work is that he can makes alterations to it whenever he likes. That can be a problem for some.

By Katya Kazakina, Dec 10, 2021

The Art Detective

‘It’s a Trial by Fire’: How Dealers Spooked by Speculators at Art Basel Miami Beach Decide Whom to Trust—and Whom to Sell to

With demand for artworks far outstripping artificial controls on supply, dealers get their pick of the litter when it comes to collectors.

By Katya Kazakina, Dec 3, 2021

The Art Detective

‘The Underbidder Gets F-cked’: How Murky Financial Wizardry Thwarted the Crypto Dreamers and Other Bidders at This Week’s Auctions

A mysterious thing happened to a number of top lots this season: the final price was less than the auction house initially recorded.

By Katya Kazakina, Nov 19, 2021

The Art Detective

‘You Feel Lost’: Blue-Chip Veterans Bemoan the Current Contemporary-Crazed Market, Where Banksy Sells Better Than Monet

Ever since the high-stakes auctions began in New York this week, the most burning question has been: is the time of blue-chip art over?

By Katya Kazakina, Nov 12, 2021

The Art Detective

Revealed: The Biggest Consignors to New York’s $1.4 Billion Fall Auctions, From Eric Clapton to a Former Enron Executive

Plus, which major collector is selling some works with his name attached and flipping others anonymously?

By Katya Kazakina, Nov 7, 2021

The Art Detective

Christopher Wool Used to Be the Market’s Most-Wanted Artist. Now, His Auction Sales Have Sunk by 85 Percent

Seven works by Wool are hitting the block in the upcoming November evening sales in New York. But the correction has already arrived.

By Katya Kazakina, Nov 1, 2021

The Art Detective

Art Fairs Have Survived Cancellations, Travel Restrictions, and Budget Cuts. Now They’re Facing a New Challenge: Brain Drain

Top executives at Art Basel, Frieze, and the Armory Show have decamped this year, adding to concerns about the future of the business model.

By Katya Kazakina, Oct 22, 2021

The Art Detective

Mark Rothko’s Abstract Art Has Fallen Out of Fashion. Here’s How a Cohort of Industry Players Is Working to Revive His Market

With a new show at Pace and two major works heading to auction, the appetite for art by the Abstract Expressionist is being tested anew.

By Katya Kazakina, Oct 15, 2021

The Met Eyes the Sale of Picasso’s First Cubist Sculpture as It Works to Claw Its Way Out of a $150 Million Revenue Shortfall

We reveal the priciest work that the Met is considering selling.

By Katya Kazakina, Sep 24, 2021

‘The Demand Is Off the Charts’: At the Independent Fair, Young Figurative Painters Steal the Show (and Draw Mile-Long Wait Lists)

Independent offered a peek at the dynamics shaping the broader art market today.

By Katya Kazakina, Sep 10, 2021

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The Art Detective