|
|
Post by denada on Feb 9, 2016 9:43:46 GMT
www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b752bdf0-ce5f-11e5-92a1-c5e23ef99c77.html#axzz3zf5ttDSY
The art gallery that turned Banksy, the graffiti artist, into a bankable commodity for collectors has received a “seven-figure” investment from a Qatari magnate.
Steve Lazarides, a former photographer turned street art gallerist, said he would use the investment from Wissam al-Mana to move his Lazarides Rathbone gallery from Fitzrovia to Mayfair and to start selling screen prints of street art online.
“I have spent every single penny we have made in this gallery to reinvest and to try to grow it,” he said. “We now have a manufacturing business making screen prints and we have developed our whole ecommerce business. Now we need investment to grow them to what they are capable of.”
But Mr Lazarides would not comment on whether the market for street art is still booming. At the beginning of his relationship with Banksy, Mr Lazarides sold the artist’s screen prints for just £25 each. In 2014, the same prints had risen in value to tens of thousands of pounds.
Mr Lazarides said: “We have had up years and we have had down years. Anywhere between £3m and £5m in terms of turnover. It has been the same for 4-5 years. It is almost entirely dependent on what kind of shows you put on.”
He said his projected move to Mayfair did not run counter to the edgy vibe of the work he deals in.
“These guys [artists] have never been anti-capitalist, they are pro-human rather than anti-capitalist.
“They do not have a strong smash-the-system outlook on life. Even if your paintings are selling at the low end, for £3,000 to £5,000, you have already moved way out of the smash-the-system end of the market.”
“It is about protest, it is quite often political, more political than anti-capitalist. Even Banksy isn’t really anti-capitalist,” he said.
Mr al-Mana is reportedly a billionaire and is also the husband of Janet Jackson, the singer. He owns the al-Mana group, a family company with retail, property and media interests.
Mr Lazarides said he met Mr al-Mana when he visited one of his galleries one day and that his investor was interested in the “visceral feel” of the art he sells. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2016 12:26:27 GMT
Interesting concept and an interesting upmarket move!! Particularly after downgrading the other year
|
|
|
|
Post by dot on Feb 9, 2016 12:49:30 GMT
Agree - it's an interesting story and development for SL. Still haven't made the trip to his place on the south bank. I'd speculate as to how many people who knew of the orig place have in fact gone south for a visit. Like many gallerists with large lists - failure to keep old customers on the list has not helped his further adventures at all imo. Mayfair ? ah - yes near Andipa ? ..perhaps not too close eh ? still good luck SL if you're reading - swear if you like  not unknown !! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2016 15:43:54 GMT
Interesting concept and an interesting upmarket move!! Particularly after downgrading the other year Not sure they downgraded Johnny, I was really impressed with the Editions gallery and I'd say it's a better space than Greek St. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2016 18:40:07 GMT
Investors want profits above everything, I can only assume that's why banksy cufflinks and tat were for sale at the show, diamond encrusted gwb earrings to come to mayfair?
|
|
|
|
Post by urbnomadny on Feb 9, 2016 21:06:19 GMT
Nice move for Lazarides.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 12:14:25 GMT
Interesting concept and an interesting upmarket move!! Particularly after downgrading the other year Not sure they downgraded Johnny, I was really impressed with the Editions gallery and I'd say it's a better space than Greek St. May be wrong phrase!! Just kinda meant moving from pure originals and big shows to editions not specifically about the space etc what they said at the time about the market etc this seems a reverse. So just saying bit weird over such a short period but good luck to them |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2016 18:49:51 GMT
Can someone explain to me how this is progress?
Imo he sold his soul to the investors....
Investment and art is never a good combination.
|
|
|
|
Post by dot on Feb 10, 2016 19:23:58 GMT
dropped by today - i never go up there much. all shut - nice. it was a welcome not unknown to me. things can only get... oh reminds me of cool Britannia.. was there an equiv for stree tart ? have we arrived there ? does anyone here envisage a visit to mayfair for the opening ? would it hurt / irk you ? questions... today for me ... from my other half was wtf is it shut... .. .. right why is there no rodrigo thread here... SORT. |
|
|
|
Post by nonconformist on Feb 10, 2016 19:27:48 GMT
We'll probably see another sealed pack of Banksy prints that they weren't aware of when they move
|
|
|
|
Post by adman on Feb 11, 2016 8:39:31 GMT
dropped by today - i never go up there much. all shut - nice. it was a welcome not unknown to me. things can only get... oh reminds me of cool Britannia.. was there an equiv for stree tart ? have we arrived there ? does anyone here envisage a visit to mayfair for the opening ? would it hurt / irk you ? questions... today for me ... from my other half was wtf is it shut... .. .. right why is there no rodrigo thread here... SORT. They were still hanging the show yesterday... |
|
|
|
Post by vikingsurfer on Feb 11, 2016 11:24:09 GMT
The highest money makers for galleries are prints.
Low cost to produce, pay a signing fee and you have a HUGE mark up. Galleries have unique works / old masters to draw in the clients and the profit margins are much smaller. The real money comes from the graphic editions.
|
|
|
|
Post by nonconformist on Feb 11, 2016 11:41:31 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by mojo on Feb 11, 2016 14:37:48 GMT
Qatar is playing monopoly with London .... and it's winning.
Laugh now but one day they'll be in charge.
|
|
|
|
Post by dot on Feb 11, 2016 15:51:06 GMT
Qatar is playing monopoly with London .... and it's winning. Laugh now but one day they'll be in charge. i hear you - many think this, i doubt it however. some things for ... many against. ..anyone going there.. for the world cup... ? corruption ? no ! beer ? happy go lucky ? eh no. FAR FROM IT. |
|
|
|
Post by mojo on Feb 11, 2016 16:39:27 GMT
Qatar is playing monopoly with London .... and it's winning. Laugh now but one day they'll be in charge. i hear you - many think this, i doubt it however. some things for ... many against. ..anyone going there.. for the world cup... ? corruption ? no ! beer ? happy go lucky ? eh no. FAR FROM IT. Last time I was in Doha for a transfer the flight got held up for 2 hours while a Qatari 'businessman' was removed from the plane for attacking two London ladies after they objected to him referring to them as western whores ...charming! The world cup is going to be one massive culture shock |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 7:22:48 GMT
i hear you - many think this, i doubt it however. some things for ... many against. ..anyone going there.. for the world cup... ? corruption ? no ! beer ? happy go lucky ? eh no. FAR FROM IT. Last time I was in Doha for a transfer the flight got held up for 2 hours while a Qatari 'businessman' was removed from the plane for attacking two London ladies after they objected to him referring to them as western whores ...charming! The world cup is going to be one massive culture shock Ha ha yep your so right been there many times not a nice place in my view. Way too small for a World Cup and not set up for it at all. Although one good thing is all the games will be in the same place as opposed to making you trek all round whatever place it is in. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 7:56:04 GMT
i hear you - many think this, i doubt it however. some things for ... many against. ..anyone going there.. for the world cup... ? corruption ? no ! beer ? happy go lucky ? eh no. FAR FROM IT. Last time I was in Doha for a transfer the flight got held up for 2 hours while a Qatari 'businessman' was removed from the plane for attacking two London ladies after they objected to him referring to them as western whores ...charming! The world cup is going to be one massive culture shock Arguably the World Cup might improve these cultural differences. That's what happened in Korea during/after the Olympics in '88 as it was the first time that a significant amount of westerners came to visit at the same time. Never been to Qatar, so won't comment about the place until I've seen it firsthand. |
|
|
|
Post by ouroboros on Feb 12, 2016 9:27:06 GMT
utter shithole. A city without pavements, as no one walks anwhere. Business aside, you never meet a Qatari, merely see them speed past in their Rangies or Hummers. The F2F interaction is only with Indian Sub continent workers.
|
|
not unknown !! 
