Despite recent success, some critics have questioned the sustainability of China's commercial contemporary art market and the possibility of the bubble bursting.
"I believe that the business of buying and selling art is healthy," Wang explained. "It's like the nature of beer – it must have some bubbles to hit the spot."
"On the one hand, the high prices attract many more people unfamiliar with the art market," she said. "But then they are often surprised by the high prices."
"On the other hand, the skyrocketing growth of this industry will hurt people. For example, young artists can be disillusioned when they realize how rich an artist can be; they set an infl ated price for their works. Motives like that actually undermine their creativity," she added.
Wang said that it is also important that investors are prudent about their purchases, she said that she always encourages thorough research and knowledge of the artist and market before investing.
"Investors must be aware that the nature of investment lies in taking risks," Wang continued.
She advised that the only way to invest art wisely is to have strong background knowledge. "Visiting exhibitions, communicating more with art administrators, reading more books in order to build up one's taste in art and learning how to appreciate art is how to do it. You must do research otherwise you'll pay for it."
The ever-growing prosperity of China's art industry is also drawing more and more young people to the fields of management and art administration. As the director of CIGE,Wang is often approached by young people keen to enter the industry.
"I'm always grateful to my mentor from Capital Normal University, from whom I learnt about taste," Wang said. "You must be able to fully understand things you work on."
Despite some perceptions that art dealing is a flamboyant profession, Wang said that most of her time is spent reading and researching.
(Global Times September 4, 2009)
