Art & Collecting
Picture-Crunching
Freddy Barker reports from Crunch 09, the Art Festival at Hay, where modern-art enthusiasts descended to debate the YBAs, see a punk legend and learn why the public is threatened by colour
Today's Mother Courages
The play sheds light on the banking crisis: we see a woman who ploughs on because there is money to be made.
Sotheby's: Good times back as Warhol nearly quadruples estimate?
Tonight at Sotheby’s in New York, Andy Warhol’s monumental masterpiece, 200 One Dollar Bills, brought a remarkable $43,762,500, soaring past the pre-sale estimate of $8/12 million. The Warhol was the top-selling lot in a sale of Contemporary Art that brought an outstanding total of $134,438,000, far-above pre-sale expectations (est. $67.9/97.7 million).
Christie's launches HNW insurance service
Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, is delighted to announce the launch of Christie’s Insurance Services, a unique insurance service for the sophisticated collector.
Frieze Week: Thursday
Why the Trafigura Prize is trying to pour oil on troubled waters (ho-ho) and Alex Dellal tells me what his Embassy project has to do with nationalism (very little, apparently)
Frieze Week: Wednesday
When the fair finally opened, orange stickers appeared on works' labels like a rapidly-spreading outbreak of chicken pox. Plus, Spear's talks to Joe La Placa, who has founded a contemporary collection with (gasp!) a hedge-fund manager.
Frieze Week: Tuesday
'Bacon? Who's he? Never heard of him,' says Damien when I ask him about his influences. 'I prefer eggs and beans.'
Art & Design London
Had the lights gone out in the shocking pink pavilion, the star wattage could have kept it glowing all night.
Unbillable Hours
Our specialists solve your HNW problems (gratis!)
Q
I am growing increasingly worried about the effect of inflation on my portfolio, following the recent announcement that the CPI has risen sharply to 3.5%. What is the likelihood of significant inflation in the coming year and what strategies should I put in place to plan for this?
A
Firstly, it is important to note that inflation and deflation can co-exist within an economy. The CPI only indicates the net inflation/deflation. However, investors need to know what parts of the economy are inflating and what parts are deflating as this decides whether there is net wealth creation or net wealth destruction.
Spear's Wire
The Hedgehog
Spear's Spiky Undercover Agent Dishes the Gossip
