Pedro Oliveira says that the embryonic art market
starts in the 80s, in Portugal. From 79-80, when the political situation begins
to calm down, start opening some galleries, shyly. It was there that appeared
the Gallery Roma e Pavia was through my brother. After 85 took care of the
gallery. Earlier poured myself some friends, especially Jaime Isidoro, started
with the artists of my generation. It was a bit of market / dealing: doing exhibitions,
little by little, in new trends, but as we had to earn money doing parallel market,
through friends who arranged more expensive works, as was the case of Jaime Isidoro.
From 90 it started to grow, and appeared many art critics. From there I decided
to move facilities and go for something greater, and came here. At the time it
was the largest gallery of Portugal, and started moving towards the
international market and does more international programming. I ventured out of
here, to get contacts. That was my golden period, the decade from 1990 to 2000.
I won enough money, things went fine to me, brought forth names of very
interesting artists of international art. Despite all still kept some
interesting pace until mid-2000. The discovery of the Brazilian market was at
the entry of Brazilian artists. Now have 25 artists and 6 exhibitions a year do
they have to wait 3 years to get around.
Pedro Oliveira is a defender that the galleries should
be networking and do not mind sharing with other collectors galleries.
Pedro Oliveira believes it might be interesting to
have specialized auctions houses of contemporary art in Portugal, such as
Christie's or Sotheby's, and that this would not affect the galleries: "could
not affect much if there was a history of good auctions level of contemporary
art in Portugal, which never happened. "
Pedro Oliveira believes that auctions in Portugal are
a mixed: it is with silverware antiques with contemporary art through. Contemporary
art to appear at auction but strayed things. And all that appears is a very low,
which is very bad. The only auction company that was willing to risk in doing
one or two auctions of contemporary art in Portugal, was the S. Domingos, in
Oporto, made me for this proposal I submit to APGA (Portuguese Association of
Art Galleries), only that APGA would not risk it.
Pedro Oliveira stated that there was much money in Oporto
in the 80s; there were many collectors, especially in the industrial belt
textile and footwear industry. I also had many contacts in Spain, especially
Galicians who came here to Oporto. Since 2000 Oporto declined, Lisbon started
to grow and began to appear in large collections in Lisbon. The head offices of
large companies, some began to do, professionals, advisers, as Culturgest, EDP
and Banks (Photo BES), but rather to individuals and to society PLMJ lawyers
well-structured collections. Sáragga Leal was already a collector, was able to
convince members of PMLJ to form a corporate collection, and have focused on
very young people were helped by Manuel Amado, who is an art critic and at the
time was the adviser of them. If there is an artist that starts getting famous
they buy. Also began to open many galleries in Lisbon. Despite being in Oporto,
I sold a lot to Lisbon and exposed some of my artists in Lisbon through some
galleries or institutions, 2001-2008. Then came the collapse of Lehman Brother
and ruined everything!
Pedro Oliveira states that art fairs are important. To
disclose, to show and to create contacts. Got to sell all he had to empty the stand,
at Art Basel Switzerland, which is the Rolls Royce of art fairs. Only this time
the Portuguese cannot afford to do art fairs. There is no support from the
state and galleries have as a priority, given the current time of crisis, survival.
If I am selling a part Portuguese abroad, I am exporting a commodity with a
special connotation linked to culture, which is an important embassy, is an
asset to the level of the country's image.
