Beyond business

Name: Ghada Kunash
Age: 37
Nationality: Jordanian
Job: Owner and CEO of Vindemia Gallery

Tell us about Vindemia. It is an antiques gallery that also houses contemporary art. Our antiques are mostly 19th century. We also have original posters signed by film celebrities and sporting legends.

What have been your favourite art finds? The 19th century Mechanical Musical Instruments, which are self operational, with no electricity, just manually pumped air or by winding a spring.

Others include an upright coin operated polyphone of Leipzig, 1900, a cylinder musical box by Paillard, 1870, and an Edison home phonograph.

How is the art industry faring with the current credit crunch? This market has slowed down, but prices for antiques and art haven't dropped. Dealers hide away their valuables rather than slashing prices.

Also, many art fairs have been cancelled around the world; but in Dubai we still have the antique fair in February and Art Dubai in March.

How do you decide what is a good investment? For antiques, the age of a piece and its rarity are factors to consider. As for art, it's investment in a new artist with a promising style that can be bought at a low price and sold for a profit in future.

What advice would you give to somebody new in the art investment market? Give your trust to a gallery and follow the art director's suggestion to find a balance between your taste and a potential investments.


I relax by…

GOING TO THE COAST

Reading a good book by the sea is the best de-stresser. I also enjoy dancing with my children in the garden.


I'm listening to…

1. Fairuz
2. Placido Domingo
3. Andrea Bocelli
4. Paco De Lucia
5. Ziad Rahbani

I'm reading…

The Sunset Oasis Written by the Egyptian author, Bahaa Taher, the book has also won the International Award for Best Arabic Novel – 2008. Taher's narrative style is very sophisticated. And a lot of historical research has gone into the book.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.