Over the past few days, I have enjoyed attending Asian Art in London (AAL), which is always a focal point of the year. Whether you are an arts professional, a seasoned collector, or a complete newcomer to the world of Asian art, AAL offers a multitude of valuable experiences for everyone.
As an Asian art valuer, I always make sure to attend as many Asian art fairs as possible to assess current market trends, widen my knowledge of objects outside of my specialties, meet new colleagues, and, of course, enjoy some world-class Asian art! This year, I attended Asia Week in New York, Printemps Asiatique in Paris, and AAL, which is currently running through 8 November. Over a 10-day period, AAL celebrates galleries from all over the world, local Asian art auctions, and, for the first time ever, a full-day symposium on various Asian art topics at SOAS, University of London. While all of the Asian art fairs I’ve attended have been very successful, Asian Art in London is unique because it is the oldest, currently celebrating its 27th year. This is the third year I’ve attended, and thus far, 2024 has been my favorite. Here are three highlights from my experience this year:
The Asian Art in London Gala
The annual gala was held at the V&A this year, where guests networked, learned about the winners of each of Asian Art in London’s prize categories, and were able to view the Asian galleries outside of the hustle and bustle of opening hours. I enjoyed attending a curator-led tour of the Japan collections, particularly the kimonos on display. One of my favorite kimonos was a bright and bold contemporary work by Ueoka Taro, which was a striking juxtaposition placed next to the traditional kimonos.
Ming Gu Gallery’s Lecture with Artist Li Chevalier
This year, Sotheby’s is hosting several gallery participants from AAL. Ming Gu Gallery, a contemporary gallery specializing in East Asian art, very kindly invited me to attend a lecture with Li Chevalier, the artist of the gallery’s solo exhibition Unveiled Silence. As an antiques specialist, I greatly benefitted from learning more about contemporary Asian art trends and techniques. Chevalier has led a fascinating and international life, reflected in her mixture of Chinese and Italian art techniques. Her career began in music, rather than art, at the age of 15, when she joined the Chinese army as an opera singer. She has since lived in Italy and France and often works in the UK. Today, her work remains heavily influenced by music, poetry, and a multicultural identity. This is demonstrated in her painting In der Fremde (In a Foreign Land), named after Robert Schumann’s Lied. [1]
The SOAS Symposium
As a SOAS alumna of both the Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art and the MA in History of Art, I was excited to attend SOAS’ first ever symposium for AAL, Asian Art: Objects in Focus. I attended to learn more about the specialist topics offered, but also as a Travel Hands volunteer guide for a deafblind participant, as I frequently provide museum tours for this organization. SOAS has a very engaged alumni community, so it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces. Two major recurring themes across the lectures were provenance and dating, topics that are always at the forefront of an Asian antiques valuer’s mind!
My favorite lecture was Dr Johnson’s Chinese Teapot: Tracing the History of a Celebrity Object by Professor Stacey Pierson. This keynote presentation explored the fascinating and complex provenance of a teapot at the British Museum that had been incorrectly labeled as having been owned by Dr Samuel Johnson, the British lexicographer. Professor Pierson raised important questions about the implications of naming an object after a famous person or place, a term called “provenance branding”. She cited other examples such as the Hope Diamond and the Benin Bronzes. In the case of the Dr Johnson teapot, the issue extended far beyond a single object, as many stylistically similar teapots were also misattributed. Going a step further, auction lots of similar teapots (such as here and here) that had no contact with Dr Johnson at all often still include reference to this celebrity somewhere in the listing.
As valuers, we employ the same provenance research skills when assessing objects. The correct provenance is crucial when determining values, and, as Professor Pierson’s lecture demonstrated, it’s important not to automatically assume that the provided provenance is accurate! I learned so much from the various case studies at the SOAS symposium and was very grateful for the invitation from the SOAS-Alphawood Diploma in Asian Art. I hope the symposium will become an AAL tradition in future years!
Asian Art in London runs through Friday, 8 November. You can learn more about the events offered here.
You can learn more about Ming Gu Gallery’s current exhibition Unveiled Silence here.
You can learn more about the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art here.
You can read Professor Pierson’s article about the Dr Johnson teapot here.
[1] Some examples of her previous similar paintings are here and here.
To arrange a valuation of your Asian Art call us on 01883 722736 or email [email protected]
Originally from San Francisco, California, Ashley Crawford is an experienced Asian art valuer and provenance researcher. Her specialties include ceramics, Buddhist antiques, Indian miniature paintings, Southeast Asian art, and musical instruments.