A code of silence surrounded the departure of Charles Ninow and Simon Bowerbank until a press release was issued last week and details of their new venture emerged.
The new gallery and auction house, Bowerbank Ninow will be located in the contemporary gallery hub of K’Rd, surrounded by such stellar galleries as Michael Lett and Ivan Anthony.
Although the idea to combine an auction house and gallery is uncommon but not new (Mossgreen in Melbourne and International Art Centre in Auckland have combined the two for a number of years), the pair are opening with a point of difference.
In anticipation of the Artist’s Resale Royalty Act being passed as law in New Zealand at some stage in the future, they will pay a voluntary 2.5% royalty to living artists whose work they sell at auction. The idea is admirable. Both Bowerbank and Ninow have fine arts degrees from Elam and have experienced first hand the difficulties that artists face to make their work a commercial reality. Their recognition of this, by giving back to the artists, marries both the primary and secondary markets and gives each their due place in the commercial world, working together rather than in opposition as so often happens.
The pair promises an exhibiting schedule of both primary and secondary market artists and will open with a Theo Schoon show although the rest of the exhibition calendar will be released when they open in August. The auction focus is on New Zealand artworks from the mid twentieth century onwards and other contemporary and international artworks will be accepted if they are of interest.
The auctions are intended to offer a select number of lots, approximately 30-40, so high value estimates and a good clearance rate will be needed to make this model a success.
The venture is backed by Paul Nathan, a member of the well known and wealthy Nathan family in Auckland, however both Bowerbank and Ninow have contributed to the start up capital. Paul has had previous experience in the art world, undertaking one of the Sotheby’s Institute (London) courses, owning and running a jewellery shop on Parnell Road and most recently pursuing a photography career in New York.
Although the three are equal shareholders, Nathan will be leaving the day to day running to Bowerbank and Ninow.
It’s a brave thing to do, to go head to head with your previous employer, by way of a business model and stock getting in a small market such as New Zealand. Webb’s is no stranger to a rival business emerging from within the fold and it was severely tested when four of their senior staff left in 2007 to start Art + Object.
A +O has been a success and over time has grabbed market share quite significantly from Webb’s. Can Bowerbank Ninow do the same? And will the New Zealand market be big enough to sustain so many auction houses in Auckland? Time will tell and fairly quickly I would say if the recent media talk of a looming recession becomes a reality.
