Weekly updates:

Art
Posted by

Weekly updates


For those who follow the art blogs around the internet, Hung-Hei Yung is probably better known as sleepboy, one of the art enthusiasts behind the renowned, Arrested Motion, a site dedicated to art events, the work of all artists both established and emerging, and giving exposure to those who might not otherwise find it. We sit down for an extensive interview with Hung-Hei to get some inside knowledge on art collecting, the state of today’s art scene, why he started Arrested Motion and what advice he has for budding collectors.

Why the fascination in art? Why do you collect it?

Other than the aesthetic value of surrounding yourself with things you enjoy, I truly believe that the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is true.

A painting or an art object can express abstract and complex ideas just by having someone look at it. That is the true power of art – the emotive nature of its existence that can connect with so many people on so many different levels.

Having these unique and thought-provoking pieces around me makes my life interesting and reminds me other things are important in this world besides the daily grind.

I read somewhere that one of your earliest pieces, a Kozyndan, was an impulse buy. How did that purchase become an addiction?

Yes, I really was not into art when I was younger, at least not on a conscious level I think. I always thought of it as something that was interesting but nothing that connected with me on a personal level.

One day, I was on Sawtelle St. in West LA and came upon one of the Giant Robot stores where Kozyndan was having a show. Just seeing that art was not just landscapes, or abstract shapes, or portraits of people I didn’t care about opened my eyes to a new world. The piece was a humorous take on the SARS virus, something that was quite the hot topic in the Chinese community at that time.

That’s what great about the new art movements – the artists create work that speaks to the younger generation I think. They are honest on what their influences and interests are and express it through their work despite what the art schools and teachers might tell them.

I believe I must have an addictive gene somewhere as I have always collected one thing or another when I was growing up so that naturally led to my “addiction” with collecting art.

Many people put much of their money in property or shares. Why do you think art is a good investment?

I don’t particularly think art is a good investment per se. Certainly, if you pick the right artist and get in at the right time, your money can multiply at a much faster rate compared to more classic investment vehicles.

If your goal is to increase your net worth with purchasing art, more power to you. With anything, there is risk so you also have to be cognizant of the fact that you could lose a lot of money too.

I would say choose art that you really like no matter what the future worth may be within the confines of what you can afford. If years from now, you still love it as you walk by the piece in your home, it was a good investment in my book. As you become more attuned to the market, perhaps you can achieve the best of both worlds and buy something you love and see it increase in value as well.

Do you think some collectors only see the future monetary value of a piece and does that even matter to the artist?

Some collectors do for sure. But, I would hope that they also enjoy the piece aesthetically. There is so much art out there, why not choose something you like as well something that will retain its value.

I’m sure in a sense it does matter to the artist as that is how they make their living. Hopefully, they aren’t just churning out things to make money while not progressing as an artist or trying new things. But, they are human too and have families to support so you can’t really blame them as any other profession would require you to produce what the market wanted.

Collecting art seems to involve a lot of research and keeping an ear to the ground. How do you personally decide what to buy? Do you keep an eye on up-and-coming artists who you think will be the next big thing? How do you predict that? Or is it more a case of buying what you like?

Actually, I think that most casual collectors don’t do a lot of research. They just see something they like and then they buy it if they think that the price is reasonable.

I think that I am just like any other collector, I find something that speaks to me and then I go about seeing if I can pay for it. As the walls in my house have become more and more filled with art, my purchases have really slowed down as I have more now than I can ever display, I think.

Because of the money I have spent already, I think nowadays I naturally think about whether an artists has staying power before a purchase although there are times where the prices aren’t exorbitant where I just purchase it because I like it regardless of what I think the artist’s future is. This is certainly a progression and a pattern that I see other collectors following.

I certainly keep my eye on up-and-coming artists through going to shows and the internet. I don’t think there really is a good way to predict things, although you can perhaps judge things by talking to other collectors, seeing what kind of people are behind the artist, what future shows they may have planned.

What do you think about the state of lowbrow, underground and street art today? The market is super-competitive and there are so many great artists out there, how difficult is it for an emerging artist to ‘crack the scene’?

Well, I think there is certainly an oversaturation at the moment. Every day I’ll see things that look like something I’ve seen before, either vaguely or specifically. I think that is a testament to the influence of the current movement on young artists today. Emulating art that you like is not something new, but hopefully they eventually find their own voice.

Although there seems to be an ever-increasing supply of artists entering the scene, there are also more galleries, websites, and companies looking to get into the action so in a sense it’s not hard to “crack the scene” as you say, the problem is whether an artist can be successful long term.

I’m sure with enough persistence, an artist can get into some group show or receive some publicity on some website. I think the talented ones who have unique imagery are the ones that succeed.

There are obviously big name artists who can sell their pieces for hundreds and thousands of dollars – how does this impact the rest of the scene or prices across the board?

It can only be a good thing if we are talking about the so-called “low brow” or “urban art” scene. If there are artists out there that command top dollar, then that will only elevate and give hope to the artists below them. I mean, there will always be different price points, but the fact that the ceiling continues to rise for the more established artists is certainly good for the movement.

Do art prices fluctuate, like shares? What affects these fluctuations? What affects the value of a piece?

I believe that they certainly do when you are talking about big name and high-priced artists, especially in the secondary market. It fluctuates based on the economy and their popularity probably. In the lower echelons, not so much – I don’t really see an artist lowering their prices.

Once you get to a certain level and then don’t sell consistently anymore at that price – in a sense, there is no going back. You will anger collectors who previously bought your pieces if you lower your prices, yet you can’t sell at current prices. It really becomes a dilemma. That’s why in my humble opinion, it’s important for artist to take the slow and steady route in terms of pricing in my opinion.

What makes a piece valuable?

I guess in simple terms – who the artist is and what the demand is.  And, whether that is considered a prime example of their work.

You’re well known for being one of the dudes behind Arrested Motion. Tell us about the idea of it. Why was it important for you to start AM?

At that time, there was really a great community of collectors that had developed and really not that many good websites out there that covered art the way I would have liked.  For example, I was always searching for photos from show openings but never finding much, or the images I was able to find were of poor quality.  I think my search was just was a by-product buying art without actually seeing the piece in person.  It really helps to see a photo of it hanging on the wall as opposed to just scans.  Also, I believe there were certainly some artists I really believed in that were under-reported on at the time that deserved more attention.

Is AM a full-time job for you?

No, I actually have a day job as do most people at AM. This is essentially a hobby for us so it allows a lot of flexibility for what we write about and how we run the website.

Can you tell us a little bit about Artchival? What’s it about and who is it for?

Artchival is a forum associated with the website where collectors, artists, and gallerists can interact and discuss the art world. Again, there just weren’t many active forums out there at the time discussing the “low brow” scene although there were some nice street art forums out there. Other popular topics include sections where members can share their collections and the marketplace where collectors can sell or get help in locating pieces that they want to buy.

AND some really quick questions:

Favourite artist? I would have to say Josh Keyes although it is hard to pick favorites.

Coveted piece? I take this to mean a dream piece regardless of price. I would have to say a Yoshitomo Nara painting.

Piece you’re yet to acquire? I would like to follow up on some commissions I have talked to some artists about.

Mr Brainwash is… Ambitious

Best city to experience art? I live near Los Angeles and it’s pretty good.  New York and London are pretty equivalent though I think.

Any advice or tips for budding collectors? Take your time to learn about what artists you like and make your purchases carefully.  A common conversation with a new collector is how they just bought everything they could and ended up regretting it (I was guilty of this myself).  Take time to focus in on your favorite artists are and wait for the right piece to come along.

In his spare time, Hung-Hei Yung runs Arrested Motion and The Artchival. See more of Arrested Motion at their Facebook page.

Images Courtesy Brandon Shigeta: Website / Twitter