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Supercollector: A Critique of Charles Saatchi

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Third Edition. This book is the only in-depth study of Charles Saatchi as an art collector. It tells the story of the Saatchi advertising agencies, the famous Silk-Cut campaign and political posters for the Tory Party, and their effort to achieve global domination by means of take-overs and acquisitions. It argues that advertising values permeate the kind of art Charles supports. However, it also discusses works by artists such as Hans Haacke and Jamie Wagg that are critical of Saatchi. Also considered is the influence Saatchi has exercised on public galleries and institutions.
It explains how Saatchi devised a whole value-adding apparatus - collection, gallery, exhibitions, tame critics, books - in order to boost the monetary worth of the art objects he purchased cheaply from young artists desperate for fame. The Saatchi Collection is not permanent - repeated sales and purchases means that it mutates all the time. Exhibitions of the YBAs such as `Sensation' in London and New York ensured maximum publicity and the invention of spurious `art movements', such as the New Neurotic Realism, indicated a desire to determine the course of the history of art.
The text is informed by the political and sociological writings of Marx, Veblen and Raymonde Moulin. While it cites a wide range of opinions about Saatchi, it is primarily a hostile critique written from an anti-capitalist perspective. Those who dominate the economy, politics and ideology - and culture too - use their power for their own benefit. Their patronage of art is an alibi for continuing the system of exploitation and inequality, and deflecting criticism. This book illuminates the process of control. If knowledge really is power, then it will have a use-value.
The second edition contained a new chapter of 17,000 words that discussed his gifts, sales and purchases, exhibitions since 1999, the `power couple' Charles and Nigella Lawson, and the new Saatchi Gallery at County Hall. The third edition contains a new chapter of 11,000 words that considers exhibitions he mounted during 2004, the Momart fire, the complaint by the Stuckists, his first interview `on the record', and Saatchi's new agenda of promoting painting in 2005.

"Supercollector: A critique of Charles Saatchi" shows a side of art world that few are aware of. This book by Rita Hatton and John A. Walker is well researched, clearly written and has enlightened many to the dealings behind the art scene. "Supercollector" explains and exposes Charles Saatchi's art collecting practices without becoming too biased and allows the reader to establish their own opinions about this art patron.

Reviewed by Julie Harvey

This is a great critique of Charles saatchi. It is the best one I have seen I highly recomend it to all people intrested in it.