Profiles

The Collectors 6 - Richard Watzke

„My name is Richard Watzke and I shall help you to buy art and properties“ – this is „the motto“ of a remarkable businessman and art lover from Prague. Richard Watzke was born in 1971 in Teplice and his company Richard Watzke Europe s.r.o. focuses on the sale of exclusive properties and art. His original concept is based on displaying art in houses and flats for sale and the exhibition openings are conceived as exceptional events for VIP guests. He also publishes a limited series of a magazine entitled „Richard Watzke – a magazine for people who love art and business“. Watzke is surrounded by numerous works of art and is known for his interest in modern glass sculpture. According to him, individual works of art enrich our lives, however, they are not irreplaceable artefacts – they are also products intended for sale or investment. Some people find Richard Watzke fascinating, others annoying, however, he hardly ever leaves someone cold.

Tereza Jindrová

place_Neurčené místo
tags
directingMark Ther
castRichard Watzke
cameraGiulio Zannol
soundMartin Hejl
editingMax Fischer
interviewTereza Jindrová
translationAdéla Dörnerová
playlistsCollectors
categoryProfiles
published1. 2. 2015
languageČesky / English
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The Collectors 6 - Richard Watzke
The collection of Alberto di Stefano and Eugenio Percossi has a representative character with view to the Czech art scene and it also includes a number of works by foreign artists, especially those who exhibited their work within the projects of the Centre for Contemporary Art. The collectors do not focus on any specific type of media, they select works primarily according to their taste not according to the market value. Their collection of art is housed in the reconstructed chateau in Třebešice together with a large number of art installations and site specific work.
They are often presented as condescending patrons of arts, who have decided to put aside a couple of their millions and contribute to public welfare and the promotion of exquisite culture. However, their seemingly good intentions should be seen with view to the context of the troubled political and economic past of our (and not only our) country. We should know how they acquired their property and what social or ecological damage they caused while amassing their fortune.