“Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist's metaphysical value-judgments. An artist recreates those aspects of reality which represent his fundamental view of man's nature”.

Edvard Sasun is one of the most highly qualified living artists in the world today. His work draws from a rich system of symbols, themes and motifs that are often missed by the casual observer. Experienced collectors appreciate the visual metaphors and other clues that provide a contemporary meaning to his paintings.

Edvard Sasun (EdvardAvagian) was born in Armenia in 1955. He began to draw at an early age and also studied physics and mathematics while pursing his career as an artist. After completion of his formal education in 1977 he moved to St. Petersburg in 1978 to continue his artistic development at the Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. In 1987 he qualified as an Artist, Painter and Teacher by the Institute.

Sasun has traveled extensively and his more recent work reflects the influences of his exposure to the folklore, mythology, religion, and culture of the regions that he has visited. It also reflects the dynamic nature of his work that makes it unique and significant. Discerning collectors already appreciate the distinction and value of owning a Sasun and know that his works is gaining increased international recognition with each passing day.

Mr. Mark Woodroffe , a Thailand based collector first encountered Sasun in 1997. Mr. Woodroffe, a successful businessman comes from an artistic background recognized the unique nature of Edvard's work and began collecting in earnest. This has resulted in Mark acquiring the largest individual collection (in all mediums) of Edvard Sasun's work in the world. Mr. Woodroffe is planning to schedule exhibitions at selected galleries around the world.

This web page is an introduction to this outstanding collection so that Edvard Sasun's work can be appreciated by a worldwide audience. All items displayed here are from Mark Woodroffe 's collection and are not currently for sale. Observations, comments, and inquiries from fellow enthusiasts can be directed to:

Investment and Fine Art

Investment art, obviously there are no guaranteed percentage returns in art, but time has proven that there can be huge returns. Even though in general the art we sell is investment art, we think the prime buying criteria for most clients is that they love the piece. The comforting feeling one gets from the increase in value of the investment is just a bonus. Looking on the gloomy side, such as another stock market crash and painting price slide, you can at least enjoy your fine art picture.

Hints on How to Select investment art from an Artist whose work will Appreciate

·  love the painting - use your own good judgement
·  look for a high standard of quality. Paintings where the paint is not overworked or changed; intentional brush or knife strokes all working towards a whole; strong compositions; appealing colour combinations and permutations.
·  originality. Look for the artist who has his own stamp or personal application.

other criteria include:
·  a history of recognition by well-known galleries
·  make sure the paintings have not been mass-produced. Artists who have not changed their style for many years often have churned out the same thing many times.
·  it is not a good idea to buy paintings from artists who show their work in lots of local galleries and/or restaurants. A good reason to view Edvard Sasun collection.

Investing in art takes taste and business savvy

In the colorful world of art, the business of investing is black and white. You buy a piece of artwork, and hope the artist's work goes up in value. Experts say you might not need to wait long. It can happen within hours of your purchase.
To invest wisely in art, Mr. Mark Woodroffe says, you must have both good taste and business sense.
"Investing in art is investing in your own aesthetic," she says, "you have to want to live with the artwork, but you also have to educate yourself on the business end. Also, be careful, because tax laws are constructed in a way where if you buy art as an investment, you cannot 'derive pleasure' from it. In other words, it can't hang in your home. Just lock it in a vault."
But for the everyday art enthusiast who buys a piece of art to display in the home or office, the work can still grow in value.
Collecting art, Mr. Mark Woodroffe says, can be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend your money. An engaging work can provide its owner with a lifetime of visual pleasure -- and then fetch cash. As with any other field, you must do your homework before investing. Art's unpredictable value makes it as easy to lose as to profit.
Art as a commodity
Trading in art is similar in some ways to dealing in other commodities -- it is subject to the market pressures of supply and demand. But art prices vary with other, sometimes arbitrary, factors -- including aesthetics, authenticity, condition, rarity and provenance (the lineage of ownership).
According to Peter Miller of the Japan-based Kamakura Print Collection, speculation in the art market has ruined more investors than it has enriched.
"During the asset inflation of the 1980s, numerous tycoons with more cash than knowledge happily parted with huge sums in exchange for brand-name icons of Western art," he says. "From 1987 through 1991, Japanese buyers spent more than $8.7 billion on art, and those are only the official trade figures."
One Japanese executive spent $161 million on a Van Gogh and a Renoir. His creditors later quietly disposed of his spree at a steep loss.
"The best advice I can give the first-time investor in art is to think of it like buying a home," says Miller. "You have to live with it. If you enjoy living with it, then the inevitable swings of the market won't affect your enjoyment. If the only reason you bought it is to sell it to someone else at a higher price, you're likely to be disappointed on both counts. So look closely, sort out what you really like from what the broker or dealer says you have to like, and choose accordingly."
Beware of these scams
Mr. Mark Woodroffe warns of the following:

"The art world is far less regulated than are investment in securities and real estate," he says, "so there is often no resource in the event of misrepresentation. The investor is very much on his own to perform appropriate 'due diligence.'
"To minimize downside risk, don't overpay at the outset, and cultivate your own leads among the artists themselves, at the same time as learning what you can from galleries and dealers. Find out what the artists think they're up to, whose work they admire. The artists themselves are usually on to something before the critics and curators and academics pick it up."
When people think about buying art, they might be initially turned off because they think it is such a pricey investment. This is true at the high end: How many of us can buy a Monet for $30 million?
The key to art-investing success, experts say, is to find a lesser-known artist and invest early. Economical investors might want to concentrate on photographs, antiques, prints and lithographs. Works in these fields tend to cost less than paintings or sculptures.
Determining an artist's worth
Mr. Mark Woodroffe says potential investors can improve their odds with a few simple questions:

"If an artist is out and about and covered in newspapers, and is in retrospectives before they're 35, then their work has a good shot at rising in value," says Mr. Mark Woodroffe. It also helps if a gallery represents an artist.
Scarcity increases value, so a limited series will go up in price when the final piece is sold, and obviously, once an artist dies. Likewise, as in Mr. Mark Woodroffe case, if the piece is part of a limited series, the value rises when the final piece is sold.
Finding an artist
The process of selecting an artist begins simply, the experts say: "view web sites such as this one" suggests Mr. Mark Woodroffe.
"Take an interest in what strikes your fancy. There are many painters, sculptors, photographers and others working in all sorts of mediums."
Private curators are abundant and love to show art to potential investors.
First-time investors should start reading art magazines and newspaper art sections and go to the exhibits they list. Gallery exhibits tend to change monthly; museum shows are usually up for two or three months.
Once you find a gallery you like and start going to the shows, you should make yourself known to the owner or managers and let them know what you are interested in. If you find a particular artist or artists who you like, research by getting their biography; find out what shows they have been in, where they went to school, and if there have been any reviews of their work.
If you see an artist's work in a magazine and it intrigues you, find out where the artist shows. By law, galleries are supposed to have a price list available of the works in the show -- look at it to gauge your price range. You should determine your price range by going to galleries and checking the prices.
"If you see an artist whose work you like in a movie, in magazines like 'People' or on television like 'Entertainment Tonight,' and your budget is small, it's too late," warns Mr. Mark Woodroffe. "Move on to someone else."
Like any investment, art is a gamble, so do your research. "Buy what you love," she suggests, "because even though it may go through a transitory devaluation, the intrinsic value of the work is still there."