To enlighten aspiring Bangladeshi artists-art admirers with valuable knowledge, the US Embassy in Dhaka hosted an insightful programme titled "Unveiling Value: Insights from A Valuer's Lens for Artists," featuring esteemed American art appraiser Alvah T Beander.
This virtual event took place on Wednesday evening at the capital's EMK Centre, joined by art enthusiasts and journalists.
The discussion aimed to shed light on the creative economy and income generation through arts, offering valuable insights for artists and art enthusiasts. Bren Flannigan, Acting Director of Public Engagement at the US Embassy, moderated the session.
During her talk, Alvah T Beander, a personal property valuer/appraiser specializing in African, African American, and African diaspora art who has been Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliant since 2001 and is the President of Melanin Art Appraisals, LLC, emphasized the intersection of art and business.
The online session highlighted important issues such as how to write an artist statement and how to conduct SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) analysis for that, the importance of networking, and several other aspects. Beander also demonstrated several case studies based on these factors.
She also underscored the importance of persistence in the art world, while highlighting the necessity of authenticity in artistic work; advising artists to stay true to themselves and their culture.
Answering a question from the UNB reporter on how museums and galleries in the country can transcend the borders and exhibit artworks to global audiences, Beander said that the art galleries can play a pivotal role in terms of branding and promoting the artists.
Some art galleries in Bangladesh have been doing that for a while, associating with artists and promoting their artworks at home and beyond. Gallery Cosmos, the artistic wing of Cosmos Foundation, is one such pioneering gallery in the country.
In Bangladesh, the United States has provided over $800,000 in funding for 12 projects over the past 20 years through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. Another important US government program, Art in Embassies, fosters vital cross-cultural dialogue and mutual understanding through visual art and dynamic artist exchanges.
Earlier this year, the US Embassy hosted an Art in Embassies reception featuring Bangladeshi American artist and climate activist Monica Jahan Bose.
Currently, US Embassy Dhaka has an AFCP project with Bengal Foundation that aims to investigate and analyse the works of the great Bangladeshi artist SM Sultan.
In 2021, Alvah T Beander became the first African American woman awarded the designation of Fellow in the London based Royal Institutes of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and certified in Chartered Fine Arts & Antiques. In 2020, she was appointed to the RICS of the Americas, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) working committee.
She was appointed to the Valuation Professional Group Panel in December 2023, responsible for setting the standards and regulations globally, where she led an Art & Antiques working group through the draft version of the Red Book which is expected to be printed in December 2024.
