Klessidra | Paris. London. Grand Market.

It is a contested primacy between Paris and London, with a sort of seesaw effect that now favours one, and at other times the other of these two great European metropolises. Together, they act as the stock exchange for the international market in ancient and modern art – in the current sense of the visual arts, which encompass the traditional fine arts, still very much alive and well, such as painting, sculpture and drawing, plus the now historic medium of photography, along with all the cross-pollinating influences of the avant-garde movements—known as installations and performances—and whatever else is added day by day, which calls for a new language, as the existing terminology is insufficient. I was referring to Paris and London, with the latter in a privileged position, as it is the main outlet for the highest-end segment of artworks brought to market. Until Brexit, this dominance was unchallenged and absolute, but then, as the top-tier market expanded to include Mexican, Middle Eastern and Asian tycoons, Paris has slowly regained its ascendancy, which is now clearly evident, not only in the primary market – the chain stretching from the artist to the gallery owner, the collector, and the museum and foundation sector – but also in the secondary market, where works previously acquired by private owners re-enter the market via auctions held by major auction houses such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Philips and Dorotheum, which are the ones that make the headlines and set international prices.