No excerpt from Colin Gleadell’s analysis of the Frieze sales and Charles Saatchi’s overwhelming influence upon the most active lots by emerging artists can do the article justice. Let’s summarize by saying that Ged Quinn, Kelley Walker, Mark Bradford and Amhed Alsoudani all owe their presence and success in last week’s sales to the British tastemaker. Gleadell also points to works by Sterling Ruby, Dana Schutz and Aaron Young that are beholden to Saatchi’s interest for their visibility.

None of this seems to be lost on Mr. Saatchi:

After the sales, Francis Outred of Christie’s remarked that, whereas Saatchi used to sell discreetly at auction, disguising his ownership, he now encourages him at least to publish details of a work’s exhibition history.

The reason, he says, is that Saatchi’s influence on taste and the art market is so pervasive that his ownership adds value to the work being sold. Saatchi once said that 90 per cent of what he buys will probably end up being worthless, but on the evidence of last week, this is an exaggeration – at least in the short term.

Saatchi Shows the Magic Touch (Telegraph)