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Spotlight on the World of Art

On Februrary 11, 2008, CBS's Inside Edition aired the results of a long term investigation into cruise line art auctions, entitled Cruise Art Auctions: Great Bargain or Lousy Deal? The Inside Edition investigative reporters had been on the cruise ships attending auctions held by Park West at Sea and had interviewed a number of people who were sold art on the understanding that it was a bargain and an investment, only to come home and find that they had been grossly overcharged and that the same pieces were available on land for a third or less of the price they had paid.

Theresa Franks, CEO of Fine Art Registry, was interviewed by Inside Edition during their investigation and shared valuable information from the many people who have contacted FAR after discovering they had purchased art on a cruise which was worth a fraction of what they paid.

Following the program, Fine Art Registry received a flood of calls and emails from individuals who saw the program and were worried that they too might have been duped. We have tried to help these individuals obtain accurate information on the authenticity and value of their purchases and in many cases will publish their story on the website.

"Our hope is that the cruise line companies will see the harm that deceptive trade practices in the field of art sales are doing to their reputation and will make sure that only reputable art dealers are allowed to sell art on board ships," said Ms. Franks. "We also hope that the authorities will investigate and put an end to any fraudulent practices which are hurting so many cruise goers. We will do what we can to help."

See the full press release here and read Inside Edition's investigative report on their website here.

"Please accept my appreciation for your expert guidance and willingness to stand/fight with me during a difficult time which ultimately led to a full and complete refund of all fees owed to Park West regarding an art auction bill of close to $10,000. While you emphasized on 11/5/07 that the Fine Art Registry would never make any guarantee of a refund, the FAR staff would work tirelessly in giving it your best effort. That is exactly what you did! Your relentless pursuit of fairness and honesty, publishing my story on your website, and other efforts won the day and ultimately prevailed against Park West, a billion dollar corporate entity, that uses predatory tactics to intimidate customers into paying questionable bills which are either unfair or result in restocking fees which are outrageous.

"There is a 'good news story' here that should be told on behalf of FAR, to motivate and add to existing FAR membership. The FAR staff perform a just and proper service to those potential members as well as new members who have been taken advantage of by these rip off artists who have this captive audience at sea. I'm sure I'm like other members who collect fine art who also see the value in tagging their individual pieces for inventory and security reasons. The FAR lifetime package seemed the best way to go and that is why I joined. Certainly, the inventory/insurance tag system and professional assistance in buying new art alone make it a wise choice.

"I had the pleasure of speaking with Teri Franks, FAR CEO, who helped me discover all the answers to my questions about FAR past and present. She really is an inspiration to communicate with and a definite fountain of knowledge in so many other areas that touch on the periphery of the art world. I was really impressed with her interest in my story and her emphasis that she would be 'carrying the flag' for all FAR members when it comes to predatory practices by Park West or any other Art Dealer/Business, for that matter.

"In short, I thank you and the staff again for adding that personal touch in my hour of need.

"Kind regards, Robert"

"The Florence Biennale, or Biennale Internazionale Dell Arte Contemporanea, is a non-commercial exhibit, held every other year in Florence, Italy, which brings together artists from countries all over the world.

"The Fortezza, a real medieval fort, now used as a conference exhibit hall, was tremendous in size, and the art, hung in rows, curves, and corners, was awesome.

"Events scheduled for us each day were creative, interesting and educational. Music, dance, performance, films and lectures were featured. The lectures presented by Gregorio Luke were the best I have ever heard. He showed films of Freida Kahlo and Tina Medotti, delivering commentaries and personal information about the artists with such intense emotion, many of us were sobbing. As was he when we applauded and met him afterwards. One film of Freida and her life had never been shown before in public.

"Anne Archer, representing the 'Artists for Human Rights' was inspiring, her film and presentation touching us deeply into making a difference for an important and current issue around the world.

"A gala banquet was held for us, and each artist received a hard bound catalogue of the work exhibited.

"Firenze is so packed and overflowing with medieval treasures: consider Michelangelo's David, Brunelleschi's Duomo, art so immense in size and spirit. One could feel the Medici, Pazzi and Sforza families as we trotted around the palazzos and the Piazza de Signoria where the governing took place. Sometimes walking through the streets was eerie. I could feel the birth of the Renaissance, Lorenzo the Magnificent's amazing contribution. He was patron to so many artists during his lifetime, it is fitting for the Biennale to be held in this ancient city.

"As in any travel situation, it's all about the people. My favorite quiet moments were spent in the piazzas and conversing with locals. Chalk artists and mimes are as natural in the street as bicycles and Vespas. Even my hotel owner, Simone, and his helpful, superb staff, became my friends.

"We artists gravitated in smaller groups as the time went on and spent momentous hours after leaving the Fortezza each night in trattorias, conversing about art, politics, life in general.

"I passed out Fine Art Registry brochures and spoke about how important it was, especially when an artist is sending work around the world. They were amazed at the tags. I am expecting that many will take advantage of the Fine Art Registry opportunity.

"I am honored to have had this experience. Artists are a genre and commune unto themselves. I am most grateful for my sponsors, and wish to thank Teri at Fine Art Registry for her generosity in making this exhibition a reality for me."

- Josie Taglienti

Features

Ana Cabrera is the first Fine Art Registry member from Argentina and she is spreading the word to her fellow artists in South America. Read our profile on Ana here and see her FAR gallery here.

FAR ID Tag:   16454
Title:   Blue Falls
Artist:   Edward Gilmore
Size:   40" x 72"
Acrylic on Canvas:   $6,500.00
Ed Gilmore is known for his dramatic, large-scale abstract paintings. See Ed's FAR gallery here.

Demystifying the Print by Michael Trant
Is it real? That is the most commonly asked, and eluded, question in the art world. But what does it mean? It may relate to a potential forgery, a work not authentic to the artist. But more likely it has to do with determining whether a painting is an original or reproduction. Read the full article here html or pdf.

Fine Art Authentication Management by John Daab
Must the fine art authentication process be a nightmare, full of surprises, with no controls taking place and excessive monies spent for almost no return? This article proposes using project management techniques to help in the art authentication and appraisal process. Read the full article here html or pdf.

Can Bad People Make Good Art? by Joan Altabe
An art show was cancelled recently on account of the character of the artist. But what does an artist's behavior have to do with his art?
Read the full article here html or pdf.

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