Art institute dabbles in education

Sotheby's Institute of Art will make its first foray into education in China in the coming months with courses spotlighting contemporary art and jewelry for an audience of Western and Chinese students.

The move is a response to a growing demand among increasingly sophisticated buyers focused on the Chinese market.

"Beautiful diamonds have always served as a symbol for men who can buy them for their wives, but once they've accomplished that, they become more interested in understanding what's behind the glamor and the glitz and the pricetag," said Daniela Mascetti, course instructor and Sotheby's senior specialist of international jewelry, who is also co-author of the best-selling book Understanding Jewelry.

"This is of course not only true for men, but for women who are buying as well, and with the buying of paintings, sculpture, furniture and other pieces. Buyers become more selective, paying attention to craftsmanship and sophistication. You see that change happening in China now."

From Sept 3-6, Sotheby's will also offer a four-day course at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou on contemporary art in China. Dr Katie Hill, a lecturer at Sotheby's Institute of Art in the master's program in East Asian Art, will lead students through the mediums of ink painting, printmaking, oil painting and new media.

Days will be structured around morning lectures from Hill and Chinese experts, and visits to artist studios in the afternoons.

For Western buyers, the opportunity to see Chinese art work within the Chinese context will be invaluable, Hill said.

Although why Chinese students would want to learn about Chinese art from a Western perspective is a valid question, the quality of the teaching and the accessible nature of the courses will be a useful bridge for a market that has not traditionally focused on professional development, Hill said.

"The academic world can be quite separate from the outside world in China," she said. "There is a need for clearly communicated, well-structured continuing education to close the information gap for professionals in a growing field."

At around $2,340, Sotheby's courses are expensive, so although the teaching style will be informal, the target audience remains professionals and collectors who are in the business or have a vested interest in the subject, she said.

Formerly a part of Sotheby's auction house, the institute was sold in 2002 to a US-based information and educational services firm, Cambridge Information Group (CIG), which retains the Sotheby's name and relations with the auction house.

From Oct 5-7, Mascetti will be teaching a course on jewelry in Hong Kong, timed to coincide with the Sotheby's jewelry and jadeite sale in the city. The course will survey two centuries of jewelry design and craftsmanship, tracing the beginnings of renowned jewelry firms including Boucheron and Cartier. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a handling session.

Jewelry in China was traditionally focused on jade or ivory, so the introduction of diamonds and jewels is relatively new for the Chinese market, Mascetti said. In the 1920s, a Western fascination with the Far East led to an Asian influence on jewelry for the Western market. She expects to discuss that history in the course.

"It's going to be a very different environment for teaching," Hill said. "We're really excited to have the chance to do this, because it'll be a learning experience from our perspective as well."