Hiding in Plain Sight: How Young Dealers Help the Traditional Art Market Move Away From 'Sleepers'

Fascinating online discussion from London Art Week bringing together a panel of younger dealers to talk about how the idea of ‘sleepers’ in the art market is changing.

The speakers talked about how it is becoming harder to find traditional ‘sleepers’ ie unrecognised Old Masters with better promotion of auctions online making it easier for more people to see what is available which can push prices up on potential finds.

They then each introduced works they had acquired recently by artists they felt should be better known and explained how it was more about discovering stories that particular works. They also discussed issues you can face when researching such as women who change their name when they marry.

Will Elliot of Elliott Fine Art mentioned a selection of artists but I loved the picture I use here by Lily Steiner who worked in Vienna and Paris. He talked about how you can also add value by identifying a sitter which he has not yet done in this case.

Ellie Smith of Philip Mould and Company talked about the research she did for an exhibition on Sarah Biffen, an 19th century artist born with no arms or legs, a show which I saw, and how rewarding it was to add context to the pictures. She also talked about Stephen Tomlin, a sculptor I know well, as he was a friend of the Bloomsbury Group and made busts of many of them.

Alesa Boyle of Stephen Ongpin Fine Art talked about a show they are planning called “The Female Prerogative” and two artists that will feature in that, one of which is Helen Frakenthater and funnily enough I have seen work by her today at the Whitechapel Gallery.

Finally Dominic Sanchez of Cabello Dominic Fine Art, who also chaired the event talked about how works can look very different depending how you first see them and highlighted Francisco Sancha who is largely forgotten but was admired by Picasso.