Charles Saatchi: The Brand of Paintings

Charles Saatchi has transformed himself into a brand within the art market, where provenance and the collector's name now define an artwork's desirability. Known as the 'Human Hoover' for his voracious collecting, Saatchi is both secretive and media-savvy, employing press agents while avoiding social events. He admits to having no romantic relationship with art, buying and selling collections with ease. After stepping away from advertising, where he co-founded a famous agency, he is now reinventing his image in the art world. In February, he will open a new free exhibition space. Meanwhile, his ambitious website saatchi-gallery.co.uk, staffed by over thirty people, offers an inventory of his collections, international art information, and a virtual gallery open to all artists. He even commissioned software to improve Chinese-to-English translation, aiming to integrate Chinese art. The Saatchi Gallery's free admission is funded by Phillips auction house, suggesting future auctions of his collections. His first exhibition in the new gallery will feature Chinese painters, a market he entered late, indicating he may no longer be an art visionary but remains a business one.