Almighty painter

Chapter 878 Young Ideals and Older People

Gu Tongxiang had fifteen buckets of energy beating up and down in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface and asked.

“It looks like a very loose contract.”

"Looks like?"

Ma Shi III corrected him, "It's not what it seems. In fact, this is the most relaxed contract that Ma Shi Gallery can offer. Ma Shi Gallery can only provide help to your grandson Gu Weijing without any restraint."

"We only take 20% of the sales of the works we represent. Some galleries may give 15% or even 10%, but those people take the profit after deducting the cost. What is profit? How much does an art exhibition cost? 200, 3000 million or million? There are many ways to do accounting."

the man said.

“Respectfully, Mr. Gu, Ma Shi Gallery only tells you the truth. We are one of the best platforms in the industry. We deserve this 30%.”

"If you want, you can even accept the agency of the Ma Shi Gallery while looking for another agent, CDX, PACE, or whatever it is. As long as the other galleries have no objection, there will be no constraints from our side." His voice was firm and powerful.

It is filled with bewitching magic.

This is the power of sincerity.

Marius III was often only willing to exert such power on a very small number of people.

When he was studying for his MBA, a classmate said in a bar that the happiest thing for him was to see his opponent look dejected when the agreement was finally signed.

Then he should have negotiated a good supply chain contract.

It is far better to be dejected than to be elated.

At least this means that the opponent did not gain too much benefit from the offer, or that you were not deceived by others.

Nowadays.

However, Mass III decided to listen to Mass I's words: the best artistic cooperation between galleries and artists is not a sales contract, but a marriage.

A failed marriage is painful no matter how you deal with it, but a happy marriage is happy for both parties.

Marcel Scheherazade I never went to college, never studied for an MBA, and he never even attended high school. He made his fortune by trading lithograph posters in France, and by the time of his death, he had become a wealthy man.

He was married six times in his life and built the Galerie Meschenberg into the most glorious name in the industry. He and the savior of early Impressionism, the great art supply merchant Paul Durand, were known as the commercial twin stars of the European art scene at that time.

Think about it carefully.

Our ancestors should have had rich life experience on two crucial issues: "What is a failed marriage" and "What is a good gallery."

"There is no need to pay attention to those cumbersome clauses. They are irrelevant. This is an exclusive agency contract without an exclusive agency agreement. I hope you can only cooperate with the Ma Shi Gallery because we will be the best fit for you, not the restrictions of the contract."

"Five years. The Ma Shi Gallery or Mr. Gu will negotiate once a year. Both parties have the right to withdraw from this contract at any time without any obligation. There is no signing fee or termination fee. Of course, if another gallery offers an exclusive agency agreement with a high salary, the Ma Shi Gallery can also try to match the offer."

"But for a brave person like you who regards the art world's oldest and most internationally influential award as your life goal, I think this kind of contract is what you need most."

Mashi III said finally.

"So……"

"Would you like to?"

Damn it.

Gu Tongxiang thought.

He didn't understand why a brand new contract suddenly fell into his arms. However, he used his simple business sense to make a casual judgment and realized that this was really an excellent contract.

Compared with the original situation.

The Ma Shi Gallery did not seem to give anything more, but the other party almost lifted all its requirements for the artist.

In addition to three works each year.

Gu Weijing is completely free.

In theory, Gu Weijing could just hand in three blank notes and he would have fulfilled all his obligations to the Ma Shi Gallery.

The 30% commission contract may not be the lowest in the industry, but it is open and transparent, and it is only effective for exhibitions organized by the Ma Shi Gallery and consigned artworks.

In other words, if the gallery wants to earn this 30%, the artist must be willing to let it earn this 30%.

If the old man were really allowed to choose, Gu Tongxiang would actually be more interested in the suggestion of "matching a higher offer" from Ma Shi III.

He is a relatively "meek" person.

Don't care too much about being restrained.

If the Ma Shi Gallery could give a ten-year contract and pay Mr. Gu hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, with a guaranteed income, that would be an ideal world where he could die of beauty and ascend to heaven on the spot.

Ten years is long?

Don't be funny.

If Marcel III doesn't mind, old Gu is willing to sign a 100-year contract. He is Marcel's man in life and his ghost in death. He follows the three obediences and four virtues. He is not following the rules if he looks at other galleries more. Old Gu is willing to live in the oxygen-rich hot spring sanatorium provided by the gallery at the edge of the Ardennes Forest and never go out.

You can't drive it away even with a whip.

Eat and drink for free and fleece the gallery.

This was the best of his ideal life. Marcus III praised his ambition, but he was complimenting the wrong person.

But Mr. Gu has learned to be silent.

and.

Perhaps it was because of the stubborn inner guilt he left behind when he was a child that, from childhood to adulthood, Gu Tongxiang rarely made choices directly for Gu Weijing on key decisions when there were options to choose from.

"Young people always want to be free."

Gu Tongxiang said.

He stared at the stage of the opera house, and the look on Gu Weijing's face when he said he would donate the painting "Old Church in a Thunderstorm" emerged in his eyes. He felt that he did not quite understand his grandson.

But he thought back to many, many years ago.

His father took out the money he had secretly hidden from the floor, about five dollars, and solemnly bought the work in his hand, making him look like he sold his first sketch in his life.

When he first picked up the paintbrush, he must have had great ambitions and was young and frivolous, right?

Is the meaning of a painter's life really just to make money from five dollars to five hundred dollars?
Maybe more than that.

“In the beginning, they often feel that the entire art world belongs to them.” Gu Tongxiang said the longest speech he made during the phone call.

"Younger people are fearless and full of romantic imaginations about life. Everyone seems to have such a beginning." The old man said softly, his eyes full of reminiscence.

"And then what?"

Mashi III asked.

In the mind of Gu Weijing's grandfather, will such romance lead to success or failure?
"Then." Gu Tongxiang shook his head and replied with a chuckle: "Then, they became older people."

Mashi III was silent for a moment and let out a breath.

"Mr. Gu."

"Your grandson is one of the most gifted young artists I have ever met, and you are the wisest old artist I have ever met. What a profound answer."

"Dear Mr. Mashi III, this is not wisdom at all. It is just pragmatism. Because I am a stupid person, I can only say some simple truths that can never be wrong."

Gu Tongxiang also laughed.

He had only a few hairs on his forehead. When he smiled heartily, the hair on his forehead was like willow branches gently trembling in the spring breeze, revealing a rare sense of unrestrainedness.

"I stick to my point of view."

Mars III sounded very serious.

"So, will you accept the new contract with the Ma Shi Gallery on behalf of Gu Weijing?" asked the gallery owner.

"Sorry." Gu Tongxiang shook his head.

"Are you still not satisfied? It's hard for me to lower the commission."

Ma Shi III took a breath. "I have to consider the opinions of other painters in the gallery. This is not a game of asking for a high price and paying back the money. Ma Shi Gallery is honest with you. What I just said is really the maximum we can offer. I can even tell you that when we contacted Mr. Kazunari Sakai, the total amount we quoted was very high. It was a top contract worth tens of millions of dollars. We can't give such a contract to a new painter. It is related to the order of the entire art world. Even if I really gave it to him, Gu Weijing couldn't afford it."

"Think about it. If a fledgling painter who is not even 20 years old and has only participated in one Biennale gets such a contract, what kind of public opinion will it cause? What will collectors think? Is it hype or money laundering? Believe me, the high signing fee may not be a good thing for Gu Weijing now. He will get such a contract, and I sincerely hope that Gu Weijing can get such a contract from me one day. I may be one of the few people who most hope to sign such a check. But that is not today."

"But the degree of freedom I give you is something that even Sakai Issei has never had."

Ma Shi III had no way to deal with Gu Tongxiang who was stubborn and unyielding.

He said frustratedly.

"From this point of view, Gu Weijing's first contract was the top-level contract. I don't know what price you want, Mr. Gu, and I don't know how much other galleries can offer. But I respect you. Out of my respect, I sincerely hope that you can give Gu Weijing a chance and not rush things just for the seemingly generous signing bonus. I also sincerely hope that you can give the Ma Shi Gallery a chance. Let the gallery, many years later, in my office, I will personally write a check for Gu Weijing with a series of zeros at the end. That is far more than the highest contract he can get today, much more."

"In the 45s, my father almost signed Andy Warhol. Our offer was $, and the other party was willing to pay $. Yes, we were only $ short, but we missed the deal. That was my father's lifelong regret."

Mars III was really getting a little impatient.

"It sounds a bit silly, but that was more than half a century ago. Half a million dollars was enough to hire Marilyn Monroe to make a movie earlier! The offer of $45 is actually the highest price ever received by an artist in the entire Americas. I really hope to make up for this regret for my father."

"Today I can sign Gu Weijing for $50, but the way I prefer to make up for this regret is to let the Ma Shi Gallery offer the highest price in history again in or years. At that time, I will definitely not be stingy for tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands. If the contract says million, I will be happier than anyone else!"

"Mr. Gu!"

"You misunderstood." Gu Tongxiang said patiently after listening to Ma Shi III's long string of words.

"Sorry, it's not that I'm dissatisfied. You're not asking for my opinion, you're asking for Gu Weijing's opinion."

Gu Tongxiang shrugged and said, "Sorry, I don't know the answer."

"I am already an older person and I don't understand, so I won't answer for someone much younger. Can I ask Gu Weijing for your opinion?"

"of course."

Mashi III nodded. "But please don't make us wait too long. The brokerage team will set off in a few hours."

"In a few hours, I will ask Gu Weijing to call you personally. Is this the only call I can make?"

“I’ll keep my phone open.”

Marcus III nodded.

"Well, that's it. It's a pleasure talking to you." Mashi III hesitated again, and after hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke.

"I believe you have felt the sincerity of the Ma Shi Gallery, for the sake of our pleasant conversation. Can you answer a question for me, Mr. Gu?"

By the end of the conversation, the Ma Shi Gallery had revealed all its cards.

Gu Tongxiang still had that unfathomable look on his face.

He finally stopped testing and went straight for A, wanting to see what made the other party so confident.

"I'll do my best." said Gu Tongxiang.

"You and Miss Elena, uh, Mr. Gu, what's going on between him and Anna Elena... uh..."

Mars III chose his words carefully.

contract?

protocol?

Interest exchange?

Both seem a bit over the line.

What if there is something shameful going on behind the curtain? It would be risky to pry into other people's privacy. Putting your head into Gu Tongxiang's curtain might not be a big deal, even if the old man is taking a shower.

Poking his head behind the curtain of the Elena family...

Even if you didn't see anything.

At best, you might get slapped in the face, or at worst, a bloody dog's head would roll out after a few seconds.

"Promise?"

Marcus III hesitated for a long time before he vaguely picked out a similar word.

Gu Tongxiang seemed to understand what the gallery owner wanted to ask.

"No."

Gu Tongxiang said frankly: "As far as I know, Gu Weijing and the art director of Oil Painting have only met once before, at an artist dinner."

"And it was quite unpleasant at the time. The general situation was just as described in the interview just now."

It’s one thing to pretend to be an iceberg.

Gu Tongxiang is also very self-aware. He knows that he cannot afford to pretend, so he must not pretend. It would be very embarrassing if he is exposed by others.

The level of the Elena family's tiger skin is too high, and their grandfather and grandson cannot grasp it at this level.

What if Mars III gave this contract because of Elena's family? Gu Tongxiang is pretending to be so arrogant, and he will end up roasting his precious grandson on the fire.

He knows what's important.

I dare not play Tai Chi or say anything ambiguous about this matter.

(End of this chapter)