Charles Saatchi wandering in the art world looking for creatives to invest in
On the eve of his gallery’s 20th anniversary and its complete reinstalment with paintings, Charles Saatchi answers questions on the record for the first time ever.
You have been described both as a ‘supercollector’ and as ‘the most successful art dealer of our times’. Looking back on the past 20 years, how would you characterize your activities?
“Who cares what I’m described as? Art collectors are pretty insignificant in the scheme of things. What matters and survives is the art”.
London Dada’s Art Axis comment on the Saatchi Gallery Visitors’ Forum, 28.1.06
Topic – What is the future of internet art?
“Internet art can also be art posted on the internet, it obviously doesn’t have to be digital art. For example Michael St.Mark’s New London Dadaists have a pilot website with online Dada journal ( 691) and a virtual online gallery displaying over 160 radical works defining this brand new and exciting art movement.
http://www.londondada.blog.co.uk ( Now our archive/invest site is at http://www.LondonDada.co.uk )
“Because London Dada’s parameters of subject matter are open and therefore challenging, there is no chance of the works fitting comfortably alongside Turner winners for example, and only a slim chance of being selected for exhibition by Mr Saatchi.”
“The Web is lightly censored; the upside of which is the potential to provide a far more dynamic and realistic expression of new art, accessible by millions. Indeed cyberspace may very possibly be the future medium for the expression of art itself, freed from the heavy shackles of staid tradition and rigid, conventional galleries representing an elitist arts establishment.”
Art Axis
* Shortly thereafter, by the summer of the same year ( 2006 ), Charles Saatchi had his own online gallery Saatchi Online up and running.
Entrepreneur Charles knows a great idea when he sees one, but I don’t know what kind of person would copy an art idea for personal profit without at least crediting the innovator, especially given that they claim to be inspired by originality in art.
LONDON DADA 
“What matters and survives is the art” . . . unless it happens to be in one of Mr Satachi’s warehouses presumably.
What I suspect matters to Mr Saatchi more is how much his cherry-picked collection has appreciated on his wealth audit each year. There’s the humanitarian dole-outs of a fragment of accrued money, the sponsorships of elitist organisations and the occasional gesture of public viewings, but let’s face it – assembling art collections has been the tax-dodger’s favourite for decades.
All praise to this movement then for putting art, wit satire and comment back in the public forum.
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Cheers Phil, there’s quite a good follow-up due with Work 169 too.
Your keen Dada intellect is missed.
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Good one !
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