After a visit to South Africa in February on behalf of Phillips, Arnold Lehman, who has worked as a senior adviser to the firm since retiring as director of the Brooklyn Museum in 2015, says the auctioneers are “doing a lot of thinking” about opening an office in the country. Lehman, who advises Phillips on its global strategy, says he was “impressed by the vibrant art scene”, although he says there are “problems with the economy, as the rand is so devalued against the dollar”.
As the value of South African art has risen “exponentially” over the past decade, Lehman says Phillips is keen to learn more about this “exciting new market”.
The opening of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town next year—the first of its kind on the continent—and a growing interest in African art, has piqued the curiosity of international firms, though none as yet has made an on-the-ground commitment.
