Extra coronavirus hospital needed now, says council

The National Council is calling on the Prince’s government to create a makeshift hospital in preparation for a surge in coronavirus cases in the Principality.
In an open letter to Minister of Social Affairs and Health Didier Gamerdinger on Wednesday 25th March, the council says the Principality must anticipate its “next move” in this crisis and the possibility that the Princess Grace Hospital Centre (CHPG) will be overwhelmed with coronavirus patients.
“In the event of saturation of the Covid-19 specialist beds, provision must be made for an additional operational arrangement in an adaptable building,” says the council. “We can no longer think in weeks or even days. Every hour counts to stop the pandemic and to find courageous and effective solutions.”
The letter was written by National Council President Stéphane Valeri, Vice-President Brigitte Boccone-Pagès and Dr Christophe Robino, President of the Commission for Social Interests and Miscellaneous Affairs (Cisad), on behalf of the 24 National Councillors.
“This letter aims to better prepare for the upcoming meeting of the Monitoring Committee between the Government and the National Council, requested by the Sovereign Prince, as part of the concerted analysis of this crisis linked to Covid-19,” according to a statement by the council.
The National Council is also asking the government to provide details about the shortage of masks in the Principality, calling for all workers who are likely to be in contact with the public to be supplied with masks. “There was clearly a lack of anticipation in this area, with no autonomous strategy for the Principality. We ask for clear, precise information with verifiable quantities and distribution date,” says the council.
The government must also increase the number of people it is screening for Covid-19, says the council, adding, “In Monaco, where health is a centre of excellence, it is unfortunate that the screening policy is not ahead of schedule. The WHO recommends to screen as much as possible, as was the case in South Korea…”
Regarding the use of chloroquine to treat patients, the council is calling for Monaco to “adapt an administrative standard to this emergency situation”.
 
Top photo: Pixabay
 

Call for blood donations

Despite the current Covid-19 crisis, the need for blood continues for patients at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre (CHPG).
The government has released a statement confirming that people who wish to can still donate blood despite confinement.
Each year 3,500 blood donations are necessary for the 800 patients transfused in the Principality.
To avoid unnecessary travel, the Blood Transfusion Center (CTS) recommends calling +377 97 98 98 20 to obtain an appointment on Tuesdays between 8am and 2pm, Wednesdays between 10am and 3pm, or Thursdays between 8am and 2pm.
Donors should carry with them a form specifying that their trip is for a health reason as well as the SMS confirming the appointment at the CTS.
More information can be found at www.chpg.mc Blood Donation section.
 
 

Venturi postpones world record attempt

Voxan Motors – a part of the Venturi Group – has announced that it will postpone its electric motorcycle world speed record attempt because of the Covid-19 crisis.

The Voxan development teams that have been “fine-tuning” their newest electric motorbike are currently, like the rest of the Principality, under confinement. As they are no longer able to make necessary adjustments to the Voxan Wattman motorcycle on the track, they have taken the decision to delay the world speed record attempt that was set to take place in Bolivia in July of this year.
“The health and safety of my teams is paramount,” said Gildo Pastor, President of the Venturi Group. “We will establish a new calendar of operations as soon as the health situation allows it, and announce the new operational arrangements for this project, which is very important to me personally.”
The world speed record that the Voxan team is trying to break is in a very specific category: electric motorcycles propelled by the action of one wheel in contact with the ground, partially streamlined, under 300kg (661 lb). This record currently belongs to Lightning Motorcycle’s SB220, which reached speeds in excess of 327 km/h back in 2013.

The Buckeye Bullet

The attempt in July was to be made by Max Biaggi on the Uyuni salt flats of Bolivia, with the goal of hitting 330km/h. Whilst incredibly fast, this is not the fastest vehicle made by the crew at Voxan. The company created, in conjunction with a group of Ohio State University students, the Buckeye Bullet which remains the fastest electric vehicle in the world. The bullet car hit an eye wateringly fast 549.4km/h in 2016 and no one has touched it since.
Despite the delay, the Venturi Group has had an exciting 20th anniversary year with the official opening of itsnew Monaco facility earlier this month. Situated over 1,100m2 on the ground floor of the Gildo Pastor Centre in Fontvielle, the new digs represent a new era for the company and is home to Venturi, Voxan and Formula E team ROKiT Venturi Racing.
The new Venturi Group premises in Fontvielle

Gildo Pastor handed the important task of creating the layout and architecture of the new facilities to Sacha Lakic, the French designer known for his achievements in fields as diverse as architecture, art de vivre, automobiles and motorcycles. Every Venturi and Voxan machine built has been designed by Sacha Lakic.
“I created a place that embodies Venturi’s values: innovation, technology, and environmental responsibility,” said Sacha Lakic, Venturi Group Designer. “This space is a place for sharing and exchanges, that symbolises our vision of mobility, our know-how and our future challenges. The eco-designed layout creates an atmosphere conducive to collaboration and creativity. It’s a unique place in which the most ambitious projects will gradually come to fruition.”

In the centre of the showroom sits Venturi’s flagship creation: the VBB-3, the fastest electric vehicle in the world (549km/h). The 11-metre-long “rocket” forms the backbone around which the Venturi and Voxan workstations are laid out.
Behind the space occupied by Venturi and Voxan is the second part of the building, home to ROKiT Venturi Racing, the Formula E team helmed by Susie Wolff. At the heart of this “competition” department is the team’s simulator, a vitally important piece of kit so central to race preparations that the rest of the facilities were designed around it.

The third and final area of Venturi’s new headquarters houses the mechanics workshops and electronics labs. In this part of the building, hidden away from view, the Voxan Wattman is currently being built – the Monaco-made motorcycle that will one day attempt to set a new world speed record in its category.
“In 2000, when I converted Venturi to electric engines, few believed we had any chance of succeeding,” said Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Group. “Twenty years on, we are going from strength to strength, and moving into a space that will enable us to grow even further. I am delighted to see the Venturi, ROKiT Venturi Racing and Voxan Motors teams working together in an environment worthy of our ambitions”.
 
Top photo: Voxan Wattman motorcycle, all photos courtesy Venturi Group
 

Preserving marine turtles in French Polynesia

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is supporting an important project to protect Polynesian marine ecosystems and in particular marine turtles.
Like many species, turtles help with the regulation and stability of marine ecosystems. Pollution – especially plastic, fishing, poaching and also climate change are major threats to marine turtles.
One of the many projects that the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation supports is currently being undertaken by Te Mana o te Moana. Founded in 2004, the association carries out public awareness missions, conservation and research, and works for the protection of the marine environment in French Polynesia. Its main fields of action are the conservation of marine turtles, education, as well as the environment and the fight against plastic pollution.
The projects currently being support by the Prince’s Foundation are threefold. Firstly, the association is monitoring marine turtle nesting sites in Tetiaroa atoll in correlation with changes in water levels and erosion of the atoll’s beaches.
It is also studying the evolution of water and beach temperatures in order to establish a link between the seasonal presence of adult turtles and sea temperatures.
Finally, it is setting up a database dedicated to the Tetiaroa atoll to provide the observatory with a sustainable reference tool.
Over the past of 16 years, more than 500 marine turtles have been cared for in the Te Mana o te Moana care centre. Meanwhile, awareness has been raised among 95,000 children and six coral paths and gardens have been created.
 
 

The value of print

“Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent.” While the very talented Jim Jarmusch may not be talking about art prints, this well observed statement rather beautifully captures a point often overlooked by art collectors.
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Significant value, both aesthetic and financial, is regularly missed by the mistaken beliefs that a) prints are just cheaper copies of real art, and b) prints have no investment benefit to art collections.
When acquired carefully they can be an excellent addition to a portfolio whether you are buying for purely decorative reasons or as part of a wider investment strategy.  In this article I shall try to clarify an underappreciated part of the market, and to cut through the horribly confusing mess of technical terms and art jargon.
Unfairly written off as mass-produced and therefore lacking in value, printed works can give you the ability to own a broad selection from your favourite artists that may otherwise be impossible to acquire.
To buy Koons or Chagal for four figure sums represents fantastic value, and when bought sensibly these pieces tend to hold their value. They can also sell for very significant sums.  Earlier this year I attended a Christies auction offering an exceptional Picasso aquatint print at a guide price £30,000 to £50,000, a Toulouse-Lautrec lithograph sold through Sotheby’s in 2015 for just shy of £11 million.
Prints are also excellent introductory purchases for new collectors, a chance to dip toes into the art market without much risk. However, for both new and experienced collectors alike there are a range of confusing terms and options that can deter purchase. Understanding these is vital for making a considered decision. Our clients have generally found a decent explanation of the lingo to be useful, where many art dealers love the confusion (often intentionally obfuscating to remain as “vital” as possible).

Beethoven, Andy Warhol. 102x102cm, screen print on paper, ed. of 60 + 12Aps (part of a March 2020 Bonhams auction)

So, what to consider when assessing the value of a print?

Open vs. Limited editions

The first thing to consider is supply: How many are available? Market forces apply in art as you would expect – scarcity creates value. Open editions have no cap and are a way to sell at high volume and low value. Appreciation is unlikely however they can be a fun way to buy low-cost art to decorate your home. Limited editions are set to a certain number, though bear in mind that these limits can run to the thousands. To have a chance to at lease hold value you really want to be looking at sizes of 200 to 400. This should cover all size options of the same image. Note that:

  • Sizes may vary within an edition; usually the larger options will have less availability than the smaller ones.
  • Prices can rise within the edition; if an artist sells quickly no.1-30 of an edition of 100 they have the ability to change prices.
  • The first in the edition is usually the most valuable, while an artist/dealer may choose to charge a small premium for no.1 (around 10%) this has the greatest potential for price rises.

Original print vs Reproductions

A print will be one of two things – a reproduction of another work (e.g. an oil painting/watercolour) or an original which only exists as a print. The latter carries greater value as it is the medium chosen by the artist and is often created by their own hand or, if not, under their strict instruction.

Advance Town, John Hoyland. 620 x 570mm, Giclée print on paper, ed. of 250

John Hoyland, for example, created a selection of exceptional original prints using a wide range of techniques that creates colours and textures that feel notably distinct from his paintings.  We are fortunate enough to have access to some wonderful examples directly from the Hoyland Estate.

Signature and print run number

Limited editions will always be numbered, generally in pencil at the bottom of the print.  This shows how many prints are in the run and in what order this one was printed. Generally speaking the larger the number the smaller the value.
Most artists will sign their prints, and some printers will too. Look for this as it has a large impact on price – signed prints are roughly three times more valuable than unsigned versions.  The greater proof of authenticity, as is true throughout the art market, the greater the value.

P/Ps, A/Ps, H/Cs, BATs

Other than print run numbers you may run in to the above notations, which has understandably confused our clients. Does this mean these prints are somehow dodgy? Far from. Generally, these terms add significantly to the value of a work. Here’s why.
A/P = Artist’s Proof
These are versions unintended to be sold, and are meant to be kept by the artist for their own pleasure. They do often find their way to market and usually sell for higher prices given their rarity.
P/P = Printer’s Proof
Similar to Artist’s Proof, there may be one or two copies that the printer may have the right to retain based on an agreement with the artist.
H/C = Hors de Commerce
Translated from the French for Do not sell, they can be treated as per A/Ps, and are usually made for galleries or dealers to show. Older works from famous galleries, dealers or artists can be made significantly more valuable with and H/C and solid provenance.
B.A.T = Bon A Tirer
Ready for printing pieces are tests made by the printers for the artist’s approval prior to a final set up. They are very rare and can often give insight into the artist’s mind, especially if there are subtle changes made prior to the final edition.

Printing techniques

Printing techniques are broad, from lithography to woodcutting, aquatint to etching, and result in hugely distinct finishes. I could write several articles about each, so rather than go into lots of detail I would encourage you to find prints that you like and then note what technique was used. Over time you will naturally find personal preferences.
Some artists stuck with one technique and one printing studio, others changed throughout their career.  Lucien Freud would produce vast numbers of black and white etchings in the days that followed his studio work, Jasper Johns created prints throughout his career where others fell in and out of love with it across their careers.

An etching by Lucien Freud, marked as A/P

Whether you are a first-time collector who wants something beautiful for your home, or a collector looking to find value in a congested market, we would advise that you find an advisor you trust and take your time. The process of learning what you want to buy is a fascinating one and the best decisions are usually the slowest ones. Go to some shows, find artists you love who created editions, and continually ask yourself why you love what you love and, perhaps more importantly, why you hate what you hate.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Oliver Hawkins is a Director at Marshall Murray, an art advisory with years of experience in the curation of artwork for private collections, corporate collectors and design professionals.  For further information he can be contacted via enquiries@marshallmurray.co.uk
 
Top photo: Kate Moss, Banksy.
 
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ASM team train in isolation

Training for AS Monaco football team was formally suspended last week, so the players are now on individual training schedules to ensure they are fighting fit when play resumes.
The La Turbie training centre is shut until the coronavirus threat passes, but players for the Red and Whites are still working hard. Last week, each player came to the centre to collect their personalised training regimen along with a plethora of equipment to take home with them.
The team’s technical and medical staff put together programmes to fit the requirements of every player, and in lieu of collective training have created a next-best-thing scenario to keep the team ready for action when the time comes.
The players were able to borrow bikes, kettle balls, mats and even heart rate monitors. There is also an app that tracks the content of the sessions.
“We have provided all of the players with equipment to meet their needs. Many players have taken bikes and machines from the Training Centre to be able to work at home,” explained physical trainer Juanjo Del Ojo.


The objective is to keep the players at peak physical fitness whilst upholding a level of uniformity, which is essential for a team. The training sessions are split into three main arenas: cardio, strength training and preventative work.
“We worked on the form of challenges,” Del Ojo said. “Each day, work is associated with a goal and each goal achieved earns points. The players are motivated because they want to win, it’s a good formula to maintain their conditioning. The players have reacted very well.”
The measures were taken to adapt to the current situation, and the team’s doctor and trainer have been in constant contact with players to answer questions and assist in training.
“For me, the most important thing is to have the players active, respecting the constraints imposed by the government of course,” said Del Ojo. “The players are very professional and have quickly understood the requirements. We are also vigilant about how they are managing the situation. It is for this reason that Marc, our psychologist, is in contact with the players to meet their needs. It’s a unique moment. Obviously, we would prefer to be all together at La Turbie, in our facilities. It’s a challenge that we will have to adapt to, but I’m happy with the momentum that we have created and the involvement of all the players and club staff. Everyone is helping to minimise the effects of this situation.”