"No, Mr. Mas, right? How is the contract negotiation going?"
The courtesy is over.
Mrs. Sakai seemed to remember that there was an agent from Mashi Gallery beside her, and she casually raised her chin to the blond young man as a greeting.
Artists of Kazunari Sakai's level almost have their own private management team.
Even if you sign with a big gallery like M&A, it is more like a business cooperation than an affiliation. There is no need to look at the face of the gallery or the gallery's agent.
Mrs. Sakai, the hunter's agent outside, always had an attitude of only talking to them when she was in a good mood, and telling them to go away if she was not in a good mood.
"Hanks, you can call me Hanks."
The agent continued to smile brightly.
He didn't expect Professor Sakai to be so close to the family.
He was also a transparent person. After thinking about it, he simply turned to Gu Tongxiang, smiled apologetically, and said frankly.
"I'm not lying to you. I have just given a very generous price within a reasonable range. There is indeed room for it, but not much. The investment of any gallery must be recouped, and since you have to take the risk of uncertainty when signing new people There are risks and lowering prices is a common rule in the industry.”
Hanks picked up the contract on the table, hesitated for a moment, wrote a few sets of numbers on the back of the contract with a signature pen, and then handed it over.
"Generosity is generosity. Now that Mrs. Cruz has come forward in person, this contract is invalid. Out of respect, I am willing to re-offer the highest quotation within my authority. If you are satisfied with this number, then we can reprint a copy. new contract."
Mrs. Sakai didn't show much appreciation and accepted the contract with a half-smile.
She didn't even look at the new conditions given by Hanks at the end of the contract. Instead, she carefully read the previous 20-page contract from beginning to end before nodding.
"It is indeed quite impressive. The twenty-year contract is a bit of a trap, but he is a real villain on the surface, so it is not excessive."
Mrs. Sakai's tone remained calm, "If I see some strange terms above, I might question the professional ethics of Mashi Gallery and add it to the blacklist for cooperation. At least I will also ask for a trustworthy agent. Talk about it.”
"You are overly worried. Mashi Gallery has always regarded its artists as partners who are in the same boat and will never do anything behind the scenes. You can rest assured of this."
Hanks still had a smile on his face, and his words were so high-sounding that he even broke out in a cold sweat.
He knew he had just come full circle on the verge of unemployment.
Hanks Ma Shi's surname is Ma Shi, and he is only a distant cousin of the big boss Ma Shisan.
Many galleries are family-run businesses. The surname Ma Shi is not a big deal. There are many colleagues who are related to each other.
Just because his surname is Mashi,
If Mrs. Sakai really questioned her professional ethics and the boss fired her for taking the blame, she wouldn't even frown.
Hell,
You uncle Kazunari Sakai looks chubby like a good, honest and honest comrade, but he didn’t expect you to be playing tricks on me here.
Hanks secretly scolded his mother for selling the batch.
Uncle Sakai must make it fucking clear that this little painter from Yangon is your best friend and a close relative and friend.
Just rely on Gu Weijing’s painting skills.
I had already obediently given all the conditions I could.
As a result, your tone on the phone was just to support the younger generation. When signing the contract, you sent your wife to check the accounts.
Is there such a test for people?
Hanks felt resentful in his heart,
He knew that they wanted to test whether he, as an agent, was worthy of long-term cooperation. He probably didn't make any big mistakes, but he was still worried.
He licked his lips and turned his gaze to the translator beside him.
Hanks made up his mind that if he didn't get the contract today, he would fire him when he went back, and someone else would be the translator tomorrow.
Danger.
Too dangerous!
Fortunately, I felt that the other party's suggestion was too idiotic and I didn't adopt it.
It’s true that good people are rewarded.
"Twenty years? Common compliance in the industry is often only three years. This contract is a bit like a black shop. If not, you can contact the Tokyo Gallery."
Sakai Katsuko stretched out her head, looked at the conditions on the contract, and suggested to her mother.
"I can make a concession and only sign for fifteen years, Miss Sakai, for such an unknown person..." Hanks shut up obediently mid-sentence.
He stared at the girl who was following his mother after entering the door, and took Gu Weijing's hand generously: "He is my boyfriend. Mr. Tabata Yukito, the gallery manager, has been working at 798 in Beijing since 2002. The art district is engaged in the BTAP (Beijing-Tokyo Asian New Generation Artists Project) project. They were willing to give me a customized contract, and Gu Weijing would definitely be interested."
Hanks' face turned green as he looked at the two young men holding hands together.
Except for a wry smile,
Can't really make any other facial expressions.
When the two young men entered the door, Hanks noticed some intimacy between them, and he had some suspicions in his mind.
But he still couldn't believe that Gu Weijing, who didn't seem to be extraordinary in appearance, could really get a little princess like Miss Sakai.
Now the facts are before our eyes,
Hanks looked up and down at the thin boy wearing light blue-rimmed glasses not far away, and the wonder in his heart was as continuous as the roaring river.
"I got a big fuck! This guy is awesome! FUCK, master, really a fucking master, an absolute master in love."
What does it mean to fly up a branch and become a phoenix?
What do you mean by a master who eats soft rice?
Hanks finally understood what was going on with the confusing scene in front of him.
It turned out that this was the mother-in-law who came to support her son-in-law.
He immediately stood in awe of Gu Weijing, whom he met for the first time.
Compared to your ability to draw, being able to pick up beautiful little rich women is what you call real awesomeness.
Literary and media circles,
Eating soft food, hooking up with rich women, and engaging in nepotism are traditional arts since ancient times.
People like Titian and Balzac are representatives of those who eat soft food and eat hard.
The latter's story about a wealthy middle-aged and elderly widow could almost be a tutorial on "getting men". When he was in boarding middle school, the ambitious Balzac looked at the bustling streets of Paris and wrote down a grand life plan in his diary - I have three goals in life, to make a fortune and engage in literature. Or, I should marry a rich widow.
Not to mention far away.
One of the biggest news in the art world in the first half of 2022 is paparazzi gossip that 27-year-old Canadian female painter Anna Weyant is dating Larry Gagosian, the founder of Gagosian Gallery, who is older than her grandfather.
Well-informed people immediately began to acquire Weyant's works frantically.
Many paintings have skyrocketed by more than a hundred times in a short period of time.
Soon, the nearly octogenarian Larry Gagosian announced that Weyant had been dating him for more than a year and became the youngest artist represented by Gagosian Gallery since its establishment.
up to now,
The price of Weyant's works has increased by nearly 4,000 times, and works worth millions of dollars have been sold frequently.
The arms market is not that crazy.
Hanks had no disdain for Gu Weijing at all, but only full respect, admiration and admiration.
Please don’t be jealous of vixens and phoenix men, they are all really capable of fighting hard.
Competition in this industry is fierce.
If you can hook up with an upper-class artistic person, you will avoid twenty years of detours. If you can hook up with a gallerist or a big artist, you will immediately be worth a hundred times. You can really reach the level of Rupert Murdoch's wife, Ms. Deng. The French President and the British Prime Minister will also treat you like a distinguished guest.
Ms. Sakai must have a body, a face, and talent.
You can get this kind of white and rich beauty.
Hanks wished he could replace him with his own body, he was so envious that he almost cried.
"Fifteen years, 70% commission, and a creative allowance of US$40,000." Mrs. Sakai read softly while looking at the new quotation written by Hanks on the back of the contract.
It’s hard to say whether this number is the best contract the agent can offer.
For newcomers, it is definitely very generous.
"Forty thousand? Forty thousand dollars a year!"
The uncle said nothing.
He drove Gu Lin, who wanted to watch the fun, back to the bedroom to do his homework. He suppressed his excitement and hid in front of the ventilation fan, smoking heavily.
But my aunt was already confused.
Forty thousand dollars.
forty thousand!
As soon as the blond woman sat home, the price doubled. Forty thousand US dollars is a huge sum of money in developed countries, and how many people cannot afford such a sum of money in their banks.
Forty thousand U.S. dollars, in fifteen years, is six hundred thousand U.S. dollars, which translates into two billion kyats.
As soon as the opponent's upper lip touches his lower lip, it's revealed.
When my aunt was young, she used all her money to buy small-scale armed conflicts in the Golden Triangle, which resulted in bloodshed and killings.
"Xiao Gu, what do you think?"
Mrs. Sakai didn't say whether the price was good or bad, she just asked Gu Weijing on the side.
Gu Weijing thought for a moment.
M&A is not the first gallery to seek to sign itself.
After Mr. Hyperion’s video went online on YouTube, he actually received invitations from several galleries.
In addition, their family is in this industry, and the lowest level belongs to the lowest level. Gu Weijing also has his own understanding of the general situation of the industry and whether the contract content is generous or not.
"I think the allowance is a bit too high."
No one in the room thought that.
Gu Weijing actually said such words.
Gu Tongxiang opened his mouth in surprise, and Hanks frowned slightly. Only Mrs. Sakai's expression remained unchanged, and she hummed slightly, indicating for him to continue.
"I think the subsidy is too high and the share is too low."
"Forty thousand dollars, the annual sales of works of many small painters is only of this magnitude. I am not famous at all, and I started with forty thousand dollars. I know that this is buying my future with cash. Tens of thousands of dollars is very satisfying to me. Between my heart and the greater interests of the future, I hope to choose the latter."
Gu Weijing said softly.
to be honest,
Faced with such a large amount of money, Gu Weijing really wanted to agree for a moment.
Just because you have a weak outlook on money doesn’t mean you don’t need money.
The system is even more of a gold-swallowing beast.
If what Gu Weijing had in front of him was not 40,000 US dollars but 400,000 US dollars, he would have agreed without saying a word.
As poor people, they have never seen big money, and if they suffer losses from their share of the money, they will also suffer losses in the future.
Now as long as he has money, his painting skills can be improved quickly.
But with the release of "The Little Prince" next month,
He should be able to get a final payment of no less than $40,000. With a lucrative part-time job in illustration, tens of thousands of dollars were not enough to completely impress Gu Weijing at this time.
"Is that what you think? You won't even be tempted by $40,000. Young people are so popular nowadays. If I were 10% young, I would probably agree. Even if it's 50-50, it still costs less than $100,000 for a painting. , to get so much money.”
Mrs. Sakai raised her eyelids and joked with a smile.
If you think about it, when Kazunari Sakai was in college, if a large gallery offered such a generous offer, he would probably not refuse it.
This was partly because the U.S. dollar was more valuable at that time.
But at the same time, it shows that this young man's ambition is quite big.
"I know that only the top of the art pyramid can sell works with this transaction amount." Gu Weijing nodded.
"Wrong, the art industry is not a pyramid. The art industry is like a big, pointed head. The painters at the top are as prosperous as the painters at the bottom are."
"You can see KAWS and Damien Hirst earning hundreds of millions of dollars a year, but you can also see countless people who can't even earn a few thousand dollars."
Mrs. Sakai thought she had better tell this young man the cruelty of this business.
"I heard rumors that out of the 193 painters signed by Ma Shi Gallery last year, about a dozen of them had zero sales last year." She said this to Hanks.
"NO, the rumors outside are not credible. Besides, some of the contracted painters are engaged in avant-garde art, and their creations are relatively slow..."
Hanks didn't have any confidence in what he said.
Since the decline of Ma Shi Gallery, it will only announce the sales of the leading painters, and the rest...well, they are trade secrets.
"How many people have total sales of more than $100,000?"
"Bit 39."
Hanks hesitated for a moment and said hesitantly, this number is not as good as some second-tier galleries.
"But we have seven painters who have exceeded a million dollars, including one that reached $9.4 million..." He immediately wanted to add some decent figures.
"Okay, I just want to tell Xiao Gu some simple numbers." Mrs. Sakai waved her hand, interrupting the agent's promotion.
"Whether it is Ma Shi Gallery or Lisson Gallery, even Gagosian has signed some relatively 'less successful' painters."
Mrs. Sakai said quietly.
“In this world, there are no more than a thousand painters who can sell works worth 100,000 US dollars a year, no more than 300 painters who can sell works worth 500,000 US dollars, and only a few dozen painters who can sell works worth one million US dollars. Anyone with annual sales of more than five million US dollars can be ranked among the richest artists in the world."
"In fifteen years, do you really believe that you can become one of the thousand people who are at the top of the world's art pins?"
She looked directly into Gu Weijing's eyes.
Gu Tongxiang opened his mouth next to him and wanted to say something. After hesitating for a moment, he closed his mouth.
Only a thousand people can make a hundred thousand dollars?
Gu Weijing suddenly felt a little dazed when he heard this number.
It's not that the number is too small, but that I suddenly realize that I seem to be one of the thousand people.
Including this year's long-term publishing share, the price quoted by Scholastic Group for the "Little Prince" project exceeded US$100,000.
Although the upper limit of serious art is extremely high, the lower limit is extremely low.
In the middle and lower-level fields, illustrators, game illustrations and graphic designers have higher incomes than pure painters, and it is easier to make money.
Although projects like "The Little Prince" are almost the ceiling for illustration contracts, without Mr. Sloth, who is so powerful, he would definitely not be able to get such a high-quality contract no matter how good he is at drawing.
Although there are so many accidents,
But he has indeed earned one hundred thousand dollars, achieving an achievement that many painters cannot achieve in their lifetime.
In the next fifteen years,
In the field of serious art, Gu Weijing believes that he has no reason to think that this sales figure is beyond his reach.
"Uncle Sakai is willing to recommend me to Mashi Gallery because Uncle Sakai believes in my potential. Mashi Gallery is willing to pay this money because he believes in my potential and believes that sharing the share will bring greater benefits than a subsidy of tens of thousands of dollars."
Gu Weijing said softly: "They all believe in me, why shouldn't I believe in myself?"
"Gu Jun, I believe you too."
Sakai Katsuko suddenly patted Gu Weijing on the shoulder.
Saying this in front of outsiders and parents of both parties made the tender-faced Katsuko Sakai blush, but she still felt that she should say something at this time.
"Well, don't worry, if you can't make money, I'll support you." She touched Gu Weijing's hair.
Oh shit,
Negotiate contracts, negotiate contracts, and even show off your affection with one of them!
Hanks almost spat out a mouthful of blood with envy as he listened.
"This little girl is amazing. To be able to date such a girl is worth going back to the bedroom, closing the door, and burning incense in front of the ancestral tablet." Gu Tongxiang leaned back on his seat with great relief and looked at Sakai Katsuko How satisfied and satisfied your eyes should be.
The kind ones are almost melting.
The old man felt that there was no need for him to speak anymore.
Forty thousand dollars was certainly a good thing, but he was a little reluctant to part with it, but even if Miss Sakai opened her mouth, even if their family was about to starve to death tomorrow, they couldn't be so short-sighted as to make others laugh at their families.
"Gu Weijing! There are a lot of things that need money at home recently. You kids don't know how hard it is to make money. Forty thousand--"
My aunt disagreed.
She endured it for a long time and finally jumped out.
My aunt thinks this is stupid. Young people always take it for granted. In a chaotic place like Myanmar, it’s all nonsense to draw a pie and everything. Only when you get it in your hand does it really belong to you.
People have said that there are so many people in the world, but less than a thousand can earn this kind of money.
Everyone has two arms and one head, so why can't everyone else, only her nephew can!
How can the frivolous dividends be as reliable as the annual payout, which guarantees harvests during droughts and floods?
"I think since I'm here to sign Xiao Gu, it's better to listen to his own opinion. If Miss Gu Lin is interested, I can also introduce the gallery to her. If he is willing to sign, I can listen to you." Sakai The wife just glanced at her aunt and choked her back.
If it were anyone else,
Auntie may be about to throw a tantrum.
But since Mrs. Sakai came to visit, she is the same age, beautiful and noble.
Middle-aged women also like to compare themselves with others.
Compare to husband, compare to appearance, compare to jewelry, compare to son and daughter.
My aunt was beaten so hard that her blood vessels were suppressed.
"Gu Weijing is my nephew, and I am his aunt. The cost of studying abroad is high, and it is inconvenient to exchange currency in Yangon. With this money..." She wanted to say something else.
"Yes, then I believe you must be doing your best for Xiao Gu. Xiao Gu is an excellent young man. If the child has ideas, we as elders should help if we can. Well, don't worry about money. I can help. Let Xiao Gu set up an account overseas." Mrs. Sakai said.
"Gu Weijing is not yet an adult?"
"You don't need to be over 18 years old to have a Citi Private Bank overseas account. There is no need to change hands in Myanmar, and it will be convenient for him to spend it in the future. Since you are doing it for his own good, there should be no reason to object."
Mrs. Sakai has seen many family disputes that arise after artists become prosperous.
After Uncle Sakai became prosperous, various relatives came to visit him, both young and old.
She knew that this kind of thing must be sorted out from the beginning, and the money must be in her own hands.
Auntie's face turned blue and white as she was choked.
In just a few words, a large amount of money spun around in front of my eyes and ran away again. She was still unconvinced and wanted to say something, but was pulled away by her uncle who couldn't stand it.
Mrs. Sakai doesn't care about this;
She also appreciated Gu Weijing's answer just now. After thinking about it, she changed two numbers on the contract paper and pushed it back to Hanks.
"Just sign this." She ordered without question.
(End of chapter)
