ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery announces the panel discussion “The Value of Nothingness”, a free event open to the public on Thursday, April 8th at 7:30pm.

Gallery Director, Nichole Dement, explains that “the discussion will explore the current trends in art making, buying and collecting.” In the current economy funding for the arts has decreased dramatically, as have art sales. Conversely, this past February brought the highest art purchase on record at an auction for Alberto Giacometti’s , The Walking Man I. The sculpture sold for a cool $104 million, barely beating the 2004 record of $104.2 million for a 39” x 40” Picasso. “This panel discussion is for artists and art-lovers alike, who are interested in learning about new art market trends and how they relate to this tricky economic climate,” Dement states.

Deborah Paine, City of Seattle curator, and Michael Alhadeff, art advocate and avid collector, will be among the panelist speakers. Both Paine and Alhadeff will discuss current buying trends and various motivations for purchases and acquisitions.

The conversation will also include the participation from abstract artists, Jane Emens, Akiko Kino and Maxine Mattson, three of the featured artists from Contemplating Nothingness, currently showing at ArtsWest.