A warm welcome to Miety Heiden, Deputy Chair and Head of Private Sales at Phillips

Miety Heiden Deputy Chair & Head of Private Sales at Phillips

TODAY, PHILLIPS IS A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS OF MODERN, POST-WAR, CONTEMPORARY, AMERICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN WORKS OF ART IN ADDITION TO WATCHES, JEWELS, PHOTOGRAPHY, WORKS ON PAPER AND EDITIONS. IN 2020, THE NEW YORK AUCTION HOUSE MOVED TO LARGER HEADQUARTERS AT 432 PARK AVENUE EXPANDING ITS FOOTPRINT IN NEW YORK AND ITS GLOBAL PRESENCE IN THE AUCTION WORLD.  FOUNDED IN LONDON IN 1796, PHILLIPS FIRST GAINED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FROM ITS SALE OF THE ESTATE OF QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE HELD INSIDE BUCKINGHAM PALACE. ITS FOUNDER, HARRY PHILIPS, WAS AN INNOVATIVE BUSINESSMAN, THE FIRST TO HOST EVENING RECEPTIONS BEFORE AUCTIONS, NOW AN ANTICIPATED AND STANDARD PRACTICE. THE AUCTION HOUSE HAS CHANGED HANDS SEVERAL TIMES INCLUDING ITS OWNERSHIP BY LVMH CHAIR, BERNARD ARNAULT, AND DEALERS SIMON DE PURY AND DANIELA LUXEMBOURG.

Phillips Auction

IN 2014, AT A MOMENT OF A SYSTEMIC CHANGE IN THE THREE LEADING INTERNATIONAL AUCTION HOUSES, ED DOLMAN JOINED PHILLIPS AS CEO AND BROUGHT IN AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAM CULLED FROM THE RANKS OF CHRISTIE’S AND SOTHEBY’S. MIETY HEIDEN BECAME AN INVALUABLE PRESENCE AT PHILLIPS, CONTRIBUTING HER ENORMOUS EXPERTISE IN THE PRIVATE SALES SECTOR AT AUCTION, A VERY LUCRATIVE ASPECT OF EACH AUCTION HOUSE. SHE HAD LAUNCHED S/2, THE SELLING GALLERY AT SOTHEBY’S AND WORKED ON THEIR CONTEMPORARY EVENING SALES.

https://www.phillips.com

As reported in Artnet News, March 3, 2016:

In recent years, both Sotheby’s and Christie’s have increasingly focused on private sales, which are generally more lucrative, since they avoid the hefty costs of staging public auctions and publishing auction catalogues.

She contributed to business development and managed client relationships for the New York and Hong Kong contemporary art evening and day sales, as well as focusing on emerging markets and drumming up business on the West Coast. She was also a consultant to the Chinese contemporary art department, and was previously head of the modern and contemporary art department in Amsterdam.

TODAY THE LRFA BLOG IS DELIGHTED TO WELCOME MIETY HEIDEN, DEPUTY CHAIR AND HEAD OF PRIVATE SALES AT PHILIPS AUCTION HOUSE. MIETY IS BOTH A FRIEND AND A COLLEAGUE, MUCH ADMIRED BY EVERYONE WHO KNOWS HER. HER LOVE OF THE ARTS, DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE ART MARKET, SENSE OF HUMOR AND COOL COMPOSURE, MAKE HER AN INVALUABLE PROFESSIONAL ALLY AND FRIEND.

https://www.phillips.com/private-sales

MIETY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BLOG!

Where did you grow up and what were your educational pursuits?

I grew up in the Netherlands and I always knew that I was interested in the arts. Once I finished school I studied History of Art at the University of Amsterdam.

How did you develop an interest in art? Were your parents collectors and were you exposed to the museum and gallery world as a child?

No, my parents weren’t collectors or anything like that. When I was 17, I had a conversation with a family friend who explained the auction world to me, and that’s when I knew that this is what I wanted to do with my life.

Who were the first artists that struck a chord? How did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in the art world?

The first artists that caught my attention were the Dutch Old Masters – the likes of Rembrandt, whose works I first saw at the Rijksmuseum as a teenager.

The Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam

How did you gain a foothold in the auction world?

I first started my career as an intern at a Dutch auction house in 1992, before joining Sotheby’s Amsterdam five years later. During my time there I also worked a lot in Singapore and Indonesia. I then moved to Sotheby’s New York in 2005.

What pulled you into the private sales sector first at Sotheby’s and now at Phillips? How would you describe the responsibilities of Head of Private Sales versus those of the auction specialist?

Having worked in auctions for 15 years I wanted to explore something new – I had the idea to set up a selling exhibition program at Sotheby’s and came up with the idea to open a gallery within Sotheby’s which we did in 2011. Our first show focused on Sam Francis and was a sell-out. This set the precedent for many more solo artist selling exhibitions for artists such as Basquiat and Keith Haring. In 2019, Phillips’ private sales were up 34% from the previous year – in part because of the time and resources we’ve devoted to it, and our international exhibition program. As we explore new ways to generate business under the pressures of the market, we are focusing more on the private selling aspect of the business.

What was your career path at Sotheby’s? What were your responsibilities when you started and how did they develop over time?

I was at Sotheby’s for 18 years in total. I was head of Modern and Contemporary Art and Indonesian Art at Sotheby’s Amsterdam, and then when I moved to New York I started as head of their Afternoon Sale, before working on the Evening Sale a year later. It was after that I started the S2 program and ran the two side by side, in the same way that I work in both auction and private sales at Phillips today.

IN THE NEXT LRFA BLOG POST, MIETY WILL SHARE HER EXPERT PERSPECTIVE ON AUCTION HOUSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND ON THE POSITIONING A WORK CORRECTLY TO GIVE IT ITS OPTIMUM EXPOSURE, AN ART IN AND OF ITSELF.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! KEEP READING!

Taking action with Christie’s Lydia Fenet, author, auctioneer and Global Director of Strategic Partnerships

Lydia Fenet
Christie’s Managing Director, Global Strategic Partnerships

 

No one knows what the future holds, but you can determine what success looks like in your own life and keep moving forward. The path to success comes from taking action.

RECENTLY POSTED BY LYDIA FENET ON INSTAGRAM DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND THE DEPTH OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY, LYDIA FENET TURNS HER WORDS INTO ACTION.  DURING THE TEMPORARY CLOSING OF CHRISTIE’S DOORS, SHE HAS CREATED A SERIES OF ENGAGING AND INFORMATIVE DAILY CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER  ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN WHO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. SHE IS DEDICATING HER TIME AND EXPERTISE TO SHARING HER BUSINESS ACUMEN AND SAVVY, ASKING ONLY THAT THOSE WHO CAN, DONATE TO THE RIVER FUND NEW YORK, http://www.river.fund, A LOCAL NON-PROFIT THAT PROVIDES DIRECT EMERGENCY AND CRISIS SERVICES, THE LARGEST FREE-FOOD OUTLET IN THE CITY.

https://www.instagram.com/lydiafenet/

HER MOST RECENT GUESTS INCLUDE ILANA RAIA, A FORMER SKADDEN ARPS ATTORNEY AND FOUNDER OF ETRE, A RESOURCE AND MENTORSHIP PLATFORM FOR YOUNG WOMEN; AMORY McANDREW, A LITIGATOR AND EXPERT ON EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIPS, ON THE STEPS TO TAKE IF WE ARE LAID OFF DUE TO THE PANDEMIC; AND ALLY LOVE, BROOKLYN NETS IN-ARENA HOST, PELOTON INSTRUCTOR, ADIDAS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR, AND CEO OF LOVE SQUAD, AN ONLINE PLATFORM  FOR WOMEN TO CONNECT; AS DIVERSE AND INNOVATIVE A ROSTER OF TODAY’S WOMEN AS ONE COULD HOPE TO FIND.

Lydia Fenet
Author
The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You

THEIR ONE UNIFYING FORCE IS LYDIA FENET, GLOBAL MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND LEAD BENEFIT AUCTIONEER AT CHRISTIE’S AUCTION HOUSE. AUTHOR OF “THE MOST POWERFUL WOMAN IN THE ROOM IS…YOU”, SHE IS A MAGNET FOR OTHER SUCCESSFUL AND DYNAMIC WOMEN WHO ARE CHANGING OUR PERCEPTION OF THE WORKPLACE, THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, AND THE HOME- EVERYWHERE.

LYDIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE LRFA BLOG!

WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN THEIR NEGOTIATING MINDSET AND SKILLS?

In my experience, men tend to walk into negotiations with the expectation that if they go into a negotiation with a big number, they will ultimately walk out where they want to be. Once they throw out that number they don’t try to justify what they are asking for – the number is the number and it is up to the person across the table to agree or disagree. Women tend to come in asking for the number that they want to get and then spend thirty minutes explaining why they should receive that amount. It always seems to me that men feel like they deserve more whereas women feel like they are asking for a favor.

HOW DO YOU COUNSEL A WOMAN TO NEGOTIATE AS POWERFULLY AS A MAN BUT STAY WITHIN THE ARENA OF THEIR PERSONALITY AND NATURE? 

The most important thing to do is lose the emotion. I have never been in a negotiation with a man where the end result was tears. I have definitely seen that a number of times with women – and I have also been the woman who burst into tears. You need to remember that business is business – and personal is personal. 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS YOU HAVE PLANNED IN THE COMING YEAR BOTH IN TERMS OF PROMOTING THE BOOK AND IN FURTHERING THE STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM?

I have been holding events around the book nonstop since it launched last April. As long as there is an appetite for it, I am thrilled to promote it. In Strategic Partnerships we are focusing on bringing in fewer partners so that we can concentrate on integrated marketing programs that deepen the relationship between the partners and Christie’s.

YOU ARE HARDLY ONE TO STAY IN THE STATUS QUO. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? WHAT ARE SOME DREAMS YOU HAVE PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

The list is long and changes almost weekly at this point!

On the personal front, now that my kids are getting a little older, I look forward to traveling with them around the world. Travel was such an important part of my childhood that I want to expose them to the world in a similar way.

On the work front: I would love to stay at Christie’s and continue to grow my department, and serve as an ambassador for the firm as an auctioneer. I continue writing all of the time – if you ever see me on a plane I am usually writing something just to write. (Simon & Shuster published Lydia’s 2019 “The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You”).   Additionally, my book has been optioned by New Form Entertainment so hopefully I will have exciting news about a TV/film deal in the coming year. I am also in talks with a number of companies about developing an unscripted TV series. Finally, I am co-founding a hospitality platform for female travelers with my sister called She Gone.

I am happiest when I am busy – so, I am definitely happy these days!

The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is YOU
by Lydia Fenet

 

https://www.amazon.com/Most-Powerful-Woman-Room-You-ebook/dp/B07GNTSTZ8

Excerpts of reviews of The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is …You

Fenet highlights the importance of operating in the business world from a position of strength and confidence . . . through knowledge.

Her career in a male dominated business as an auctioneer for Christie’s to her outlook on helping woman help other woman reached me on a deep level.

I cannot speak enough to the power of the written word and especially when it’s written by an author/woman who wants to positively impact our working and personal lives today.

IN OUR BUSINESS, A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, ERGO A VIDEO IS PRICELESS. LAST WEEK, LYDIA JOINED BRIAN McCOMAK, CEO & FOUNDER OF HUMMINGBIRD HUMANITY, IN A SERIES BRIAN CREATED DURING THE PANDEMIC CRISIS, “HOPE, HEART AND THE HUMAN SPIRIT”.

 

BRIAN IS A PASSIONATE EXPERT ON INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE AND MET LYDIA AT CHRISTIE’S WHERE HE SERVED AS HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS. THEY ARE FRIENDS AS WELL AS COLLEAGUES AND LYDIA’S FORTHRIGHT HONESTY AND HUMANITY RESONATE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-dcola-015&hsimp=yhs-015&hspart=dcola&p=lydia+fenet#id=23&vid=4d36e63dcf813a0951abbe7d5019e519&action=view

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PRIVILEGE AND DELIGHT FOR THE LRFA BLOG INTERVIEW LYDIA FENET, WHOSE INSIGHT, INTELLIGENCE AND GRIT SET A HIGH STANDARD FOR ALL OF US IN TODAY’S WORLD.

IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG, I AM VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE MIETY HEIDEN. MIETY IS  DEPUTY CHAIR AT PHILLIPS AND HEADS PRIVATE SALES AND PHILLIPS NEW DIGITAL PLATFORM, PHILLIPS X, EFFECTIVELY EXPANDING THE FOOTPRINT OF PHILLIPS BEYOND LIVE AUCTIONS.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Lydia Fenet, a passionate philanthropist, and charity auctioneer, Managing Director, Christie’s

Lydia Fenet
Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, Christie’s

MANY CHARITIES RELY ON SIGNATURE ANNUAL EVENTS TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THEIR MISSION-DRIVEN WORK. OFTEN, THE ANNUAL GALA FEATURES A BOTH LIVE AND SILENT AUCTIONS THAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FUND-RAISING EVENT OF THE YEAR. THE CHARITY SOLICITS DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES. NOW IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, THE GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT OF DONORS MATTERS ALL THE MORE.

LYDIA FENET IS BEST KNOWN IN HER ROLE AT CHRISTIE’S, GLOBAL HEAD OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, A CONCEPT SHE INVENTED AND ESTABLISHED FOR THE AUCTION HOUSE AFTER THE CRASH OF 2008.  EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO HER AND TO ALL THOSE SHE HELPS IS HER VERY PROMINENT AND DEMANDING SECOND CAREER AS ONE OF THE WORLD-WIDE LEADING CHARITY AUCTIONEERS. EVEN WITH THE JOYS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FAMILY OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN, LYDIA MAINTAINS AN EXHAUSTING SCHEDULE OF EVENING CHARITY AUCTIONS AFTER FULL WORKING DAYS AT CHRISTIE’S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/13/arts/lydia-wickliffe-fenet-christies-auction.html

Are you looking to exceed your fundraising goals? Elevate your auction to the next level? Leave your guests entertained, inspired, and with considerably less money following your auction? Look no further than the woman who has raised over half a billion dollars for non-profits globally: Lydia Fenet. Using her charisma, humor, and uncanny ability to connect meaningfully with audiences of 100 and 3,000 (and everything in between), Ms. Fenet commands every stage effortlessly without leaving a dollar in the room.

Since leading her first auction in 2001, Lydia has taken over a thousand auctions, and is recognized as the top performer in her field.

Over the past fifteen years, Lydia has taken between 70 – 100 auctions a year. Her recent auctions have benefitted Tipping Point, AMFAR, the Bob Woodruff Foundation, New Yorkers for Children and the Naples Winter Wine Festival.

https://lydiafenet.com/

THE LRFA BLOG IS DELIGHTED TO HAVE LYDIA BACK TO SHARE HER INSIDER’S VIEW ON THE CHARITY AUCTION WORLD.

LYDIA, WHO WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN YOUR TWENTIES? HOW HAVE YOU EVOLVED AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH YOUR SENSE OF SELF AND VALUE HAVE DEVELOPED IN YOUR THIRTIES?

In my twenties, I was very focused on pleasing everyone around me. An unkind word or a comment could upset for days. In my thirties, I realized that ultimately it has nothing to do with what people around me think. If I am living in my truth, acting with respect and kindness to those around me, I can be proud of who I am. 

YOU ARE THE LEADING CHARITY AUCTIONEER SPENDING 70 TO 80 NIGHTS A YEAR ON STAGE. HOW DID THAT ROLE EVOLVE?

When I first started taking auctions I would take any auction that I was asked to take. Because I spent so much time onstage, I was able to develop a style that felt very authentic and comfortable. As my auctioneering career evolved, I starting taking less auctions so that I could focus my energy on raising money for causes that I care deeply about in addition to the ones I do for Christie’s.

https://www.christies.com/features/What-I-have-learned-Lydia-Fenet-9768-1.aspx

HOW DO CHARITY AUCTIONS DIFFER FROM AUCTIONS AT CHRISTIE’S? AT AUCTION, THE FOCUS IS ON THE OBJECT, BE IT A RARE BOTTLE OF WINE OR  A PICASSO. CAN YOU GENERALIZE AS TO THE LOTS THAT REALIZE THE MOST AT A CHARITY AUCTION?

Without a doubt, charity auctions should focus on experiences, not art or items with an actual value. When something is considered “priceless” there really is no limit to what people will give. 

DO THE NON-PROFITS APPROACH YOU OR DO YOU WORK THROUGH CHRISTIE’S TO DECIDE WHICH AUCTIONS TO LEAD. HOW DID YOU ENTER INTO THE AUCTION WORLD AND HOW HAS YOUR APPROACH TO A SUCCESSFUL AUCTION DIFFERED FROM WHEN YOU STARTED AND HOW HAS IT REMAINED THE SAME?

It works both ways. If an auction goes well, I usually receive 2 or 3 requests from people in the audience asking if I will take their auction. In addition, I also receive a number of requests through Christie’s which are always interesting. I took a charity auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in June which was absolutely amazing. Christie’s is such a storied brand that the experiences I have had as an auctioneer for the firm have been truly amazing.

YOU TEACH A PROGRAM IN AUCTIONEERING AT CHRISTIE’S. DO YOU FIND THAT THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN TO MEN HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

Definitely. I have had a number of women over the years tell me that they tried out because they saw me onstage and felt like a woman could do it too.

 

DO WOMEN HAVE A DIFFERENT AUCTION STYLE OR DO YOU COACH EACH PERSON IN THE COURSE TO IDENTIFY AND REFLECT THEIR OWN PERSONALITY?

Without a doubt it is according to their personality. Everyone has something unique to bring to the table – in the class I try to figure out what that is and help them bring it into their performance.

YOUR RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK, THE MOST POWERFUL WOMAN IN THE ROOM IS YOU, COMES AT A TIME WHEN INCLUSION, EQUAL PAY AND FAIR TREATMENT ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONCERNS. WHAT WAS YOUR PURPOSE IN WRITING THE BOOK?

I wanted women to understand that all the power they need is already inside of them – they just need to start believing in themselves.

WHAT IS THE AUDIENCE YOU ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN REACHING AND HOW HAVE YOU GONE ABOUT IT?

When I wrote the book, I hoped to reach women who were just starting out in the working world. I focused on doing podcasts and interviews in publications that focused on that targeted group. Interestingly, what I have since realized since the publication date in April, is the book actually has a much larger reach. I can’t tell you how many emails and letters I have received from 60 – 70 year old women thanking me for writing the book, and telling me that they wished they had had the book when they were in their 20s.

EVEN IN THIS TIME OF STAYING HOME, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND QUARANTINE, LYDIA HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE PRO-ACTIVE IN FORMING AN AMAZING DAILY INSTAGRAM IG LIVE.  SHE INVITES A ROSTER OF ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN TO SPEAK ABOUT THEIR LIVES, THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR VISION OF THE FUTURE. TRY TO TUNE IN, AT 6 PM EASTERN, AND OF COURSE, BEING THE INCOMPARABLE PHILANTHROPIST THAT SHE IS, SHE INVITES US ALL TO DONATE TO HER FAVORITE CAUSE, https://www.river.fund, OR TO A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.

PLEASE JOIN US IN THE NEXT LRFA BLOG POST WHERE LYDIA FENET OFFERS EXTRAORDINARY GUIDANCE IN THE ART OF NEGOTIATION.

AND, MOST OF ALL, STAY WELL AND STAY SAFE!

 

The career path leading to Sotheby’s New York with Courtney Kremers, Senior VP and Senior Contemporary Specialist

Sotheby’s New York

SOTHEBY’S IS CELEBRATING ITS 275TH ANNIVERSARY BUT IS HARDLY AN OLD FOGEY, DYNAMIC IN ITS EVER INNOVATIVE EXPANSION IN TERMS OF ACQUISITIONS OF NEW COMPANIES, FROM EVERYTHING AS DIVERSE AS THREAD GENIUS, A COMPANY THAT DEVELOPED ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CLIENT EXPERIENCE BY MATCHING AN OBJECT TO AN INDIVIDUAL’S PREFERENCE AT A CERTAIN PRICE POINT, TO THE MEI MOSES ART INDICES, THEREBY GAINING UNIQUE ACCESS TO AN ANALYTIC TOOL THAT PROVIDES OBJECTIVE AND VERIFIABLE MEASURES OF THE ART MARKET BY TRACKING THE VALUE OF AN OBJECT OVER TIME. IN 2016, SOTHEBY’S BROUGHT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN-HOUSE WITH THE ACQUISITION OF ORION ANALYTICAL AND THE APPOINTMENT OF ITS FOUNDER, THE RENOWNED ART WORLD SCIENTIST JAMES MARTIN, KNOWN AS A TOUR DE FORCE IN USING TECHNOLOGY TO UNCOVER NEARLY UNDETECTABLE MISTAKES IN COPIES THAT APPEAR FLAWLESS TO THE NAKED EYE.

New Sothebys Galleries
designed by OMA

THIS SPRING, SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK, IN TIME FOR OUR FORTHCOMING IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN, POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY MAJOR AUCTIONS, OPENED ITS NEW DAZZLING RENOVATION TO THE PUBLIC. ARCHITECT SHIGEMATSU OF OMA, NEW YORK HAS UPDATED THE INTERNATIONAL AUCTION HOUSE’S HEADQUARTERS. THE INCREASED EXHIBITION SPACES, THE MIX OF VARIOUS SHAPED ROOMS, CORRIDORS AND GALLERIES  AND EXPANSION OF PRIVATE SALE VIEWING ROOMS, AS WELL AS  THE CREATION OF A DOUBLE-HEIGHT SPACE ON THE GROUND FLOOR ALL CONTRIBUTE STUNNINGLY TO SOTHEBY’S AMBITION TO BE THE BEST IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE ALTHOUGH REMARKABLY SMALL INDUSTRY.

Cecily Brown

SENIOR VP AND SENIOR CONTEMPORARY SPECIALIST, COURTNEY KREMERS, WAS KIND ENOUGH TO PROVIDE A TOUR OF THE NEW GALLERIES AND IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT THE LRFA BLOG CONTINUES OUR CHAT.

TODAY, COURTNEY WILL TRACE HER PROFESSIONAL PATH FROM UNIVERSITY ACADEMICIAN TO SOTHEBY SPECIALIST WITH A HISTORY OF HER ART WORLD EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO JOINING THEIR RANKS.

WELCOME!

COURTNEY, DO YOU THINK THESE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE BEEN PUT TO GOOD USE IN THE WORK YOU DO TODAY, AS AN AUCTION SPECIALIST AND, IF SO, HOW?

There were plenty of confused parents when I said I was getting an Art History degree (from Duke). They would ask, perplexed, “Well what will you do with that?” A kid growing up in NYC probably received a different reaction, but in Frederick, where no one knew anyone who worked in the art world, I think they thought I was wasting a good college education. I feel very lucky that my undergrad/grad time was a precursor to what I do on a daily basis now. As a Specialist, I am constantly researching art works, analyzing importance, condition, etc. My job now involves an assessment of value, which wasn’t part of my formal education, but it is certainly an extension of it.  

Kerry James Marshall

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB IN THE ART WORLD?  WHAT WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS YOU LEARNED THERE?

My first job out of college was working for the Mugrabi Collection. I had no idea who they were. I remember trying to Google them before the interview. In the first week, both Tobias Meyer and Larry Gagosian called. I answered the phone, and asking if they could spell their last names for me please almost ended my employment. 

The Mugrabi family taught me a lot, and they still do. They are tough businessmen who know their markets cold. If someone thinks the price they are quoting is too high, they will pull out five auction catalogues in which comparable works were sold and walk you through each result, and how that example stacks up to theirs and also where the markets were then/now. And for artists where they see future growth, they are more than happy to hold their position, and their asking prices, and wait for everyone else to catch up.  

Mark Rothko

THE MUGRABI FAMILY IS KNOWN AS MARKET MOVERS, TAKING MAJOR POSITIONS ON ARTISTS SUCH AS JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT AND DAMIEN HIRST. THE VALUE OF THEIR COLLECTION, WHICH INCLUDES THE LAREST PRIVATE CACHE OF WORKS BY ANDY WARHOL, HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT OVER $100 MILLION.

WHAT WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE MUGRABI COLLECTION?  WHAT ASPECTS OF THE JOB WERE THE MOST REWARDING?

Day one through Day 365, I did a lot of answering the phone and fixing the printer, but also, noting auction prices in the catalogues, creating fact sheets for new acquisitions, and providing clients with research, images, etc. for works under discussion. My responsibilities grew. The Mugrabis were incredibly generous in opening doors, and encouraging me to attend gallery openings, dinners, and art fairs on their behalf. When we loaned works to a Basquiat exhibition in Rome, I flew over to make sure the installation was as promised. For a 22 year old, new to New York, and new to the art world, it was all pretty thrilling. Looking back now, probably nothing was more impactful than meeting the artists who would come in for lunch, and the artworks that would come and go from the walls.

WHAT WONDERFUL TRAINING FOR THE TIME AHEAD!

IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG, COURTNEY WILL GIVE US HER VERY INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT COLLECTING ART!

PLEASE JOIN US!

Christopher Wool

NB The artworks featured in today’s LRFA blog post are lots in the forthcoming Contemporary Evening Auction on May 16th at their New York headquarters at 1334 York Avenue.

Photography: past to present with Matthew Whitworth at the Yancey Richardson Gallery

Bernd Becher and Hilla Becher
Pitheads, 1974
Tate Museum

BERND AND HILLA BECHER FIRST BEGAN THEIR PROJECT TO SYSTEMATICALLY PHOTOGRAPH INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES IN THE LATE 1950s IN RESPONSE TO THE DESICCATION OF THE GERMAN LANDSCAPE DURING WORLD WAR II. KNOWN FOR THEIR RIGOROUS DEVOTION TO THE 1920s NEW OBJECTIVITY MOVEMENT, THE BECHERS’ PHOTOGRAPHS ARE CLEAR, BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES OF SUCH INDUSTRIAL ARCHETYPES AS GRAIN ELEVATORS, WATER TOWERS AND COAL BUNKERS. THEIR RHYTHMIC AND REPETITIVE IMPACT GAINED A BROAD INFLUENCE ON THE WORK OF THEIR SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS AT THE DUSSELDORF ART ACADEMY THAT INCLUDED THOMAS STRUTH, ANDREAS GURSKY, AND CANDIDA HOFER. THEIR IMMERSIVE DOCUMENTARY QUALITY AND THE ADVANCES IN THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES OF BOTH PRINTING AND SCALE CONTRIBUTE TO CREATING THE BLURRING OF BOUNDARIES BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHY AND PAINTING.

THE YANCEY RICHARDSON GALLERY REPRESENTS A DIVERSE SELECTION OF ABSTRACT, FIGURAL AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS RESPONDING TO THE LEGACY OF THE DUSSELDORF SCHOOL.

IT IS A PLEASURE TO REGROUP WITH MATT WHITWORTH, DIRECTOR OF YANCEY RICHARDSON GALLERY, TO DISCUSS BOTH PAST AND PRESENT TRENDS IN PHOTOGRAPHY IN TODAY’S LVRA BLOG.

http://www.yanceyrichardson.com/

MATTHEW, WELCOME BACK!

Larry Sultan
Pictures from Home series
Fixing the Rainbird, 1985

WHO ARE THE PHOTOGRAPHERS THAT HAVE MADE THE LARGEST IMPACT ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS AND IN WHAT WAYS?

It used to be fairly easy to point to Bernd and Hilla Becher and say look at the artists they taught, they are or will be big and important. Now the Dusseldorf School, as it’s more commonly referred to, has had descendants of the descendants. The gestation period is quite quick. Aside from that I think you have to look at who has been copied or emulated. Tina Barney stands out to me. Larry Sultan had a very important, if all too short, working career. With Larry’s Pictures from Home, the biographical nature of photography and what it could say really set a new bar. That show at the Queens Museum and the book are still haunting and almost gut wrenching to me. I see a lot of artists working in very self-referential ways these days and can’t help think if Tina and Larry helped open a lot of doors to that.

Anthony Hernandez
Landscapes for the Homeless

THE GALLERY HAS HAD SUCH A SUBSTANTIAL HISTORY OF EXHIBITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BOTH CRITICALLY AND COMMERCIALLY. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR EXHIBITION PROGRAM?

Thank you very much. I can point to several. I think Anthony Hernandez’s recent show was a huge risk but the work is so good and tough and important and had never been seen in New York. Holland Cotter in the Times called the complete series of Landscapes for the Homeless “one of the most moving in contemporary American photography”. Zanele Muholi’s 2 solo shows of her self portraits have been an amazing experience as far as audience interaction, general buzz and phenomenal sales.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/16/arts/design/photographs-of-desperate-shadows-cast-by-the-california-sun.html

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A COLLECTOR JUST STARTING TO EXPRESS AN INTEREST IN COLLECTING?

It’s always collect what you want and need to have. You’ll never miss the money but you’ll always miss the art if you let it get away.  When new collectors ask me how much a print is going to be worth I have to tell them that they are asking the wrong question, a legitimate one but the wrong one. Collecting is about passion so follow that and you’ll always be happy. Also, there is no rush. If you like an artist, and their work in general, but don’t see the right image for you, wait. Chances are they will eventually produce something that strikes you so hard you can’t walk away.

Andrew Moore
Dirt Meridian

DO MOST PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTIONS HAVE A HISTORICAL ARCH AND IF SO, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE?

Some do and most I deal with don’t. I always thought it was so boring and tedious when collectors who were starting out thought they had to collect from square one in order to build a solid collection. “OK, I need an Atget, check. OK, I need a Cartier Bresson, check,” etc. It’s so much more interesting to help steer a collector who is interested in many things (besides photography) and knows what they want but not exactly how to go about getting it. It’s my job to pair the work with the collector and I always find that stimulating and a great and fun challenge.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC ARTISTS AND/OR PERIODS OF PHOTOGRAPHY THAT ARE IN THE HIGHEST DEMAND?

Right now there is a huge shift towards artists dealing with gender, racial, and sexual identity. Mickalene Thomas, Zanele Muholi, and Paul Mpagi Sepuya are the contemporary artists we represent that are dealing with these issues and whose works are in high demand.

 

Elina Brotherus
Artists at Work 9, 2009
A Room of One’s Own exhibit at Yancey Richardson

HOW DO YOU FIND THE PHOTOGRAPHY MARKET AT A TIME WHEN THE ART MARKET IN GENERAL IS UNDERGOING A CORRECTION?

I don’t think there has been a real “correction” yet. If you look at the only publicly available sales data, the Auction Houses, the numbers seem to be quite healthy. Maybe I’m not seeing the reports you are? The gallery has been able to increase sales year over year since before I joined. One can wonder though, is that due to blind and reckless spending or is it because of the program? Don’t get me wrong, I survived through 2008 and beyond so that is always in the back of my head. I’m keeping an eye on the Dow more than I am Christie’s, Sotheby’s, or Phillips.

Sharon Core
Four Heart Cakes, 2004

CERTAINLY THE PHOTOGRAPHY MARKET HAS GARNERED ITS SHARE OF AUCTION RECORDS, CINDY SHERMAN, RICHARD PRINCE, ANDREAS GURSKY READILY COME TO MIND.  WHAT ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AUCTION RESULTS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY MARKET AND WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT ARTIST, OR PARTICULAR PHOTOGRAPH COMMANDS THIS KIND OF COMMERCIAL SUCCESS?

The reactions to the Auction House records always frustrate and perplex me because they are in the business of selling things, any and many “things”. They purport to benefitting artist’s careers and their artwork but let’s be realistic, whether it’s a watch, a bottle of wine, or a Picasso, they want the best sales result. The money goes to them and the seller, not the artist. When collectors come to me and say, “Why did this go for such a high price?” all I can really say is that at least 2 people wanted it at the same time. Why would someone (or two people) pay $97,500 for an unlimited edition Sebastiao Salgado when they could have bought the same print from me that morning, during the sale, or even right after it for $50,000. The only benefit to the artist or the gallery is that maybe the prices can be revised to a higher level after a good result but a bad result (possibly due to a lack of promotion on the Auction House’s part) can be a real nuisance. We spend most of our time promoting the artist and their work for the larger picture, if you will. We are in it for the long haul while the Auction Houses are in it for the immediate sale, then on to the next product of death, debt, or divorce.

 

Sebastiao Salgado
Fortress of Solitude

IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG, MATTHEW WILL SPEAK ON THE EFFECTS OF ART FAIRS AND THE WEB ON THE PHOTOGRAPHY MARKET.

THANK YOU ALL FOR FOLLOWING!

The art market, present and future, with Phillips post-war and contemporary expert, Robert Manley

 

Edward Dolman, second from left, chairman and chief executive of Phillips, with, from left, the house’s art experts Jean-Paul Engelen, Robert Manley and Scott Nussbaum.
Credit Alex Welsh for The New York Times

NEWS OF ONE OF MANY MAJOR SHIFTS IN THE AUCTION WORLD POSTED IN AUGUST, 2015, IN THE ART INDUSTRY’S NEWSLETTER,  JOSH BAER’S BAER FAXT,  ANNOUNCING THE DEPARTURE TO PHILLIPS AUCTION HOUSE OF CHRISTIE’S SPECIALISTS, JEAN-PAUL ENGELEN (POST WAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART, CURATOR OF PUBLIC ART AT THE QATAR MUSEUM), HUGUES JOFFRE  (19th AND 20th CENTURY ART) AND ROBERT MANLEY  (DEPUTY CHAIR, POST WAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART). WITH THIS TRIUMVIRATE IN PLACE, PHILLIPS MADE ANOTHER LARGE STRIDE AWAY FROM ITS EARLIER MONIKER, “THE THIRD AUCTION HOUSE”, TOWARDS BECOMING TODAY’S POWERHOUSE WITH A GLOBAL PRESENCE.

HAND-PICKED FROM SOTHEBY’S AND CHRISTIE’S, PHILLIPS HAS OFFERED MANY SPECIALISTS FROM THOSE VENERABLE HOUSES THE PROSPECT OF JOINING A TEAM HEADED BY EX-CHRISTIE’S AUCTION VETERAN, ED DOLMAN, CEO AT PHILLIPS SINCE 2014, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE A NEW PLATFORM FOCUSING ON THE TASTES AND VIEWPOINT OF THE CURRENT CONTEMPORARY COLLECTOR.

http://www.artnews.com/2015/03/24/ed-dolman-at-phillips-auction-house/

Edward Dolman
CEO Phillips

Dolman’s years at Christie’s coincided with a sea change in collecting habits. “The profile of the collector when I started in this business was someone fairly late in life who had gotten interested in a niche market and would spend 10 to 15 years building that collection,” he said. “But now the profile is completely different. They are much younger, they have much more money to spend, and they want to put together a collection a lot more quickly. They’re a little more impatient, and the supply problem is solved by the contemporary market.”

https://news.artnet.com/market/phillips-three-hires-christies-323427

IT IS A PRIVILEGE FOR THE LRFA BLOG TO CONTINUE ITS DIALOGUE WITH ROBERT MANLEY, DEPUTY CHAIR AT PHILLIPS, WHOSE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ART AND AUCTION MARKETS AND HIS DEEP RAPPORT WITH COLLECTORS BOTH ESTABLISHED AND NASCENT, SETS A HIGH STANDARD.

Robert Manley and Jean-Paul Engelen
Phillips’ Worldwide Co-Heads of 20th Century & Contemporary Art

ROBERT, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE WILL BE THE EFFECT OF THE CORRECTION THAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THE ART MARKET? IN WHAT WAYS, CAN COLLECTORS PROTECT THE VALUE OF THEIR COLLECTIONS DURING THESE SHIFTS IN THE MARKET?

I don’t see much effect of the so-called correction on any area of the market, with the exception of works over $20 million. And even in that heady territory, there is still demand, just not quite as deep. The market is alive and well although maybe a bit of the froth has subsided. You might have to fight a tiny bit less for certain works and your place on the waiting list at a top gallery might be a little bit shorter, but fundamentally, things haven’t changed much.

I try to maintain the same outlook whether it is a down market or an up market. At the risk of lapsing into an extended art world cliché, you should buy the things you love and buy as well as you can. It’s also important to put together a collection that has some themes or some kind of focus, that make it more than the sum of its parts. Get some good advice from people you trust, like Leslie Rankow for instance!

BANKSY
Submerged Phone Booth
2006
Phillips London Evening Sale October 2014

One important thing to do is decide on personal financial thresholds for your collection. Under a certain amount, you should be buying purely for the love of it, and with no hope or expectation of resale or appreciation of value. Above a certain amount, you expect a work to maintain its value, which in effect, makes it more of an “investment”.  

I hate talking about art as an investment, but if you want to protect the value in your art collection, the best way to do that is to avoid putting yourself in the position of having to sell something quickly. Most quality works of art by established artists can be sold at a price that is commensurate with its quality, if you have a long enough time horizon.

The best investment advice for art is…don’t invest in art. Invest in things that make you lots of money, and then your reward is the art you buy with it. The joy you get from it is your dividend, and if it goes up in value, it’s icing on the cake. Like any form of investing, it’s a pursuit for professionals. It’s a hard business to thrive in, with high opportunity costs and massive capital risk, so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want to make it your full-time occupation.

Interior view
Phillips Auction House, London

THAT IS VERY GOOD ADVICE.

WHAT IS PARTICULARLY EXCITING ABOUT JOINING PHILLIPS AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS AND RESPONSIBILITIES?

It was a great year on garden leave but I very much looked forward to joining Phillips. I am working side by side with Jean-Paul Engelen, providing strategic planning and vision for the Contemporary department worldwide. Most of my time is spent doing the same things I’ve always been doing, working with top clients and important works of art. Essentially I’ve been doing the same thing for about 26 years, but it never gets old because there are always new things to learn, and great collections to see.

The new challenge I welcome very much is working with Jean-Paul and CEO Ed Dolman, and many others, to create a strong team mentality, with complete trust and transparency. Phillips has put together an incredible team, some of the best and most experienced from all of the top auction houses, in all of the fields that matter to Phillips. The shareholders of Phillips are passionate art collectors themselves, have a long-term vision and are willing to invest in it. We have some innovative ideas about how we are going to organize our auctions and reach into new markets…at a smaller company like Phillips, we can do things that are impossible at a larger corporation. I’m very bullish on the contemporary art market in general and feel Phillips is positioned like no other company to play a leadership role in it.

Phillips New York

ROBERT, THIS WAS SUCH A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE LRFA BLOG. SO MANY THANKS!

IN THE NEXT POST, THE LRFA BLOG IS DELIGHTED TO VISIT THE LORETTA HOWARD GALLERY IN CHELSEA. THE GALLERY SPECIALIZES IN CLASSIC POST-WAR AMERICAN ART WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ARTISTS WHO CAME INTO PROMINENCE IN THE 1950s AND  1960s.  THE FORTHCOMING SOLO EXHIBITION OF MAJOR CANVASES BY EDWARD DUGMORE FROM THE !960s OPENS ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd AND CONTINUES THROUGH MARCH 25th, AT 521 WEST 26th STREET, IN CHELSEA, NEW YORK.

UNTIL THEN, THANKS FOR FOLLOWING THE LRFA BLOG!

 

The art of auction with Robert Manley, Deputy Chair at Phillips

ANDY WILLIAMS: AN AMERICAN LEGEND Robert Manley and colleague with Ed Ruscha’s ‘Mint (Red)’ (R) and Willem de Kooning’s ‘Untitled XVII’ (C)

A SINGLE OWNER SALE AT AUCTION OFTEN REPRESENTS A LIFETIME OF COLLECTING, A FIERCE COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO A PERIOD OF ART,  A PASSIONATE UNENDING SEARCH, ATTENDING AUCTIONS, ART FAIRS, AND GALLERIES, VACUUMING UP KNOWLEDGE FROM EVERY DEALER, SPECIALIST AND CURATOR. EACH AUCTION HOUSE COMPETES AGGRESSIVELY  FOR A SIGNIFICANT ESTATE OR COLLECTION OFFERING GUARANTEES, PREMIUM CATALOGUE PLACEMENT, SOMETIMES A SEPARATE PUBLICATION, AS WELL AS EVENTS PREVIEWING THE WORK, TRAVELING HIGHLIGHTS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE AUCTION HOUSES AROUND THE WORLD.

THE PASSION OF THE COLLECTOR RESONATES IN A SINGLE OWNER SALE, SUCH AS CHRISTIE’S ANDY WILLIAMS: AN AMERICAN LEGEND.

In addition to music, Williams’s other great passion was art. His collecting philosophy was based on exemplary connoisseurship – taking time to study an artist’s oeuvre and buying only the best examples… with special emphasis on artists working in New York and Los Angeles, some of whom he knew: de Kooning (a favorite), Hofmann, Diebenkorn, Kline, Noland, Ruscha, Motherwell, Oldenburg and Basquiat. ‘I could not imagine a life without paintings,’ he once admitted. ‘I look at my paintings every day… I could not imagine a room without art.’

Damien HIrst: Magnificent Obsession
Barbican Art Gallery, London

THE ARTIST DAMIEN HIRST HAS BEEN AN IMPASSIONED COLLECTOR SINCE CHILDHOOD. IN THE BARBICAN EXHIBIT, MAGNIFICENT OBSESSIONS: THE ARTIST AS COLLECTOR, HIRST SPEAKS ABOUT HIS COLLECTION OF SKULLS, TAXIDERMY AND MEDICAL MODELS AS

…reminders of what life is, and what it might be or will end up being. A collection is deeply personal, and says so much about who the collector is, and what they believe in or are afraid of, but I think it also inevitably ends up speaking of many fundamental and universal truths.

 

DURING HIS 16-YEAR TENURE AT CHRISTIE’S, ROBERT MANLEY, FORMER DEPUTY CHAIR OF THEIR POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY DEPARTMENT, LED SEVERAL OF THE HIGHEST-GROSSING SALES IN AUCTION HISTORY. HE WORKED CLOSELY WITH MANY OF OUR MOST PRESTIGIOUS COLLECTORS AND BROUGHT THEIR WORK TO THE MARKET AS HE CONTINUES TO DO SO AS DEPUTY CHAIR OF PHILLIPS.

THE LRFA BLOG IS PLEASED TO CONTINUE ITS DIALOGUE WITH AUCTION EXPERT, ROBERT MANLEY, ON THE ART OF AUCTION.

 

Robert Manley with
Warhol’s Silver Liz
Looking Forward to the Past
11 May 2015, New York

YOU ARE KNOWN AS A “RAINMAKER”, AND JUSTIFIABLY SO. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT MONIKER?

I take that as a compliment, but I’m not comfortable with these kinds of descriptions, there is far too much ego in it. I know full well that a fair amount of the business that I’ve done has been a result of my being at the leading contemporary auction house. At the end of the day, the focus should be on the art, the artists, the collectors and the dealers (in that order)…auction house “rainmakers” should be near the bottom of the attention-getting food chain. 

I think of myself as an advisor of sorts, someone who helps people with making smart decisions when it comes to building their collections. If you build trust and confidence with people, they will think of you when it comes time to sell. I also get a fair amount of referral business from people I’ve worked closely with.  Most of the “rain” that I’ve made has come from people who I’ve worked with over the years.

Robert Manley & Leslie Rankow
Evening Sale Preview
Christie’s New York 2010

 

I admire truly experienced art advisors, who understand the business, know the history behind things and the market. In some ways, people like you are how I model everything I do and that’s not a facile compliment.

IN AN INDUSTRY THAT IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, WHAT GUIDANCE DO YOU GIVE A COLLECTOR IN TERMS OF HIS OR HER EXPECTATIONS WHEN CONSIGNING A WORK? AT AUCTION, CATALOGUE PLACEMENT, SALE PLACEMENT, PRIVATE SALES VS. AUCTION, TO NAME A FEW CONSIDERATIONS THAT COME TO MIND.

That is an excellent question, and one could write a book with the answer. I hate to generalize, but I know from experience that the most important thing is that the work must have a sensible and attractive estimate. The rest is essentially window dressing. If you are working with a knowledgeable auction specialist or advisor, put your trust in them and more often than not, you’ll be rewarded with a successful outcome. Don’t be seduced by aggressive estimates.

Regarding private sale versus auction for contemporary art, it really depends on the object, but in general, I think auction houses thrive best with classic examples by big name artists. In general, auction houses are not set up to handle private sales for works of art under $250,000 and they have little success with artworks that are atypical or by artists who don’t have a strong track record.  

One increasingly smart option for collectors is to get both auction and private sale options from an auction house, what we call a “rollover” consignment … an object is consigned for a limited period of time for private sale, and if it doesn’t sell, it immediately goes to auction. In this scenario, consigning a lower priced artwork to an auction house makes sense for all parties concerned.

For a large percentage of the art that is in search of a home, an auction house is not the best place for it. A good auction specialist refers plenty of business to dealers who are better equipped and more knowledgeable about a particular artist. I would rather give clients the best advice, even if it means some business goes elsewhere.  

Jackson Pollock
Christie’s, 2004

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SALES THAT YOU CONSIDER THE MOST SIGNIFICANT?

In 2004, Christie’s had the first Contemporary Auction that surpassed $100 million…we had a great Pollock work on paper from MoMA that sold for a world record price for the artist of around $10 million. We all thought there probably would never be another $100 million Contemporary sale, at least not for many years (anyone who tells you otherwise is lying). Little did we know that it would be the beginning of an incredible bull run in the contemporary market, in which every season would be more valuable than the next.

POST-WAR & CONTEMPORARY EVENING SALE
SALE 2785
New York, Rockefeller Center
15 May 2013

One important landmark was Christie’s May 2013 Post-War and Contemporary Evening sale auction. At $495 million, it which was the highest value sale of its kind, anywhere, in any category. Previously, all of the top value auctions were Impressionist and Modern sales. Now that the contemporary department had surpassed that, it was clear there would be no going back. The disparity between the Contemporary and Impressionist and Modern sales would increasingly grow with each passing season. This isn’t because one market was better or stronger, but simply there wasn’t enough supply of great Impressionist and Modern works.

Henry Darger
At Sunbeam Creek/At Wickey Sansia
Christie’s New York: January 27, 2003
20th Century Self-Taught and Outsider Art

One sale that was lower value, but as meaningful as any I was involved with, was the Outsider Art auction that I curated for Christie’s in 2003. Consisting mostly of works from the incomparable Robert Greenberg collection, it was the first standalone outsider auction at an international auction house. I somehow squeezed this project in, in-between my working 80 hours a week at Christie’s East on the 20^th Art sales.

Clyfford Still
1947-R-no. 1
Post War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, November 2006
5,000,000 – 7,000,000 USD
Sold 21,296,000 USD Premium

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC WORKS AND/OR COLLECTIONS THAT WERE THE MOST OUTSTANDING DURING THE TIME YOU HEADED THE POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY SALES?

One of the most memorable experiences was a consignment of a painting by the Abstract Expressionist painter Clyfford Still. Dating from 1947, dramatically painted in red and black, and in the same collection for over 40 years, the painting had all of the fire and jagged energy that you could ask for. It was truly as good a painting as you would ever get on the market, and since the artist sold few works in his lifetime (with the rest locked up in a trust), it was extremely rare. The deal was still being done on July 30, 2006, and as my fiancée was walking down the aisle, I remember taking the call from the consignor (I kept the call brief!). I worked on the deal throughout my entire honeymoon. Estimated at $5-7 million, it sold for over $21 million, a world record at the time.

Right: Collector Anita Kahn with Christie’s Robert Manley
(Photo: Sarah Thornton)

I will also never forget working with Andy Williams and Anita Kahn, and bringing their collections to market when they died. It was bittersweet selling the works of two good friends, but I knew that I honored their collection and their memory in a way that few people could have. The auction results were astonishingly good, both between $70-$100 million, which is a testament to their eye and their passion. 

IN OUR NEXT LRFA POST, ROBERT WILL DESCRIBE THE ENORMOUS SCOPE AND SCALE OF FOCUS AND DEDICATION THAT A SIGNIFICANT POSITION IN THE AUCTION WORLD DEMANDS. ROBERT IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS WORK AND ABOUT ART AND HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROLE OF AUCTION SPECIALIST!

Transitions: from gallery to auction, with Phillips Deputy Chair Robert Manley

Thomas Hart Benton
America Today
Metropolitan Museum of Art

AS THE ART MARKET, PARTICULARLY FOR POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS,  HAS REACHED MONOLITHIC PROPORTIONS AND CONSEQUENTLY ENORMOUS PUBLIC ATTENTION, MANY COLLECTORS WHEN DEACCESSIONING WORKS HAVE GRAVITATED TO THE DISCRETIONARY ADVANTAGES OF A PRIVATE SALE. NOW, AS WE FACE A CORRECTION IN THE ART MARKET, MORE COLLECTORS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SEEK THE PRIVATE SALE SECTOR BE IT AT AUCTION, A GALLERY OR PRIVATE DEALER,  TO PROTECT THE WORKS THEY ARE INTERESTED IN SELLING.

WHEN THE MARKET SLOWS AND COLLECTORS AND AUCTION SPECIALISTS ARE ANALYZING THE BEST VENUE FOR THE SALE OF A WORK, GALLERY EXPERIENCE IS INVALUABLE IN DEVELOPING THE SKILL AND COUNSELING REQUIRED WHEN WORKING INTIMATELY WITH CLIENTS IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

ROBERT MANLEY, DEPUTY CHAIR  AND WORLDWIDE CO-HEAD OF 20th CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY ART AT PHILLIPS AUCTION HOUSE, BRINGS BOTH THE THE GALLERY EXPERIENCE THAT ENCOURAGES LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLECTORS AND THE AUCTION EXPERTISE THAT  OFFERS A PROFOUND KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARKET  AND CONTACTS WITH PRIVATE COLLECTORS WORLD-WIDE.

ROBERT, THANK YOU FOR OUR CONTINUED DIALOGUE.

DID YOU WORK WITH OTHER GALLERIES BEFORE YOU JOINED THE AUCTION WORLD? IF SO, WHICH GALLERIES AND WHAT DID THEY FOCUS UPON?

I also worked at ACA Gallery in New York, an art gallery with a rich history that dated back over 70 years. They focused on American Art, especially Social Realism, and had a number of important exhibitions over their storied history, from Joseph Cornell to Romare Bearden…

 

Romare Bearden
The Block
Metropolitan Museum of Art

I remember mounting a show of tribal art from Papua, New Guinea in 1989…the Bergens (Sidney, Jonathan and Jeffrey) were always open to new possibilities.

Headdress: Serpent (a-Mantsho-ña-Tshol)
19th–20th century
Guinea, Niger River region

I spent a number of formative years at the aforementioned Luise Ross Gallery, which specialized in the work of a number of lesser known Abstract Expressionists (like Herman Cherry and Kimber Smith), as well as Outsider Art/Art Brut. At all of the galleries I worked at, we also had compelling shows of living artists who were mostly living and working in New York.

Herman Cherry
10 Cooper Square Studio
1968

WHAT WERE YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE GALLERY STRUCTURE? WHICH ASPECTS OF GALLERY MANAGEMENT APPEALED TO YOU THE MOST?

Like most art galleries, especially the modest-sized ones where I worked, it was all hands on deck…I did everything from sweep the floors to curate exhibitions (and I did much more of the former than the latter in the beginning). The first show I curated was a historical survey of voyeurism called “Peep Show”, which included everything from Ray Johnson to Indian Miniatures to Picasso. I will never forget the thrill of reading Holland Cotter’s sympathetic review of it in the NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/10/arts/art-in-review-peep-show.html

What I enjoyed most about the business were the dialogues at the gallery. They all revolved around the issues of art, the ideas behind them, their presentation, as well as trying to figure out how to place them in the best collections and getting writers and curators interested in our program. I was utterly broke, but it was a very rewarding and engaging time. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my first year in the art world, 1990, was when the market crashed and it would take about 10 years to recover.

WHEN DID YOU JOIN CHRISTIE’S AND IN WHAT POSITION? WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO LEARN ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE ART WORLD?

I joined Christie’s East on June 19, 2000 as the Head of the Twentieth Century Art department. Christie’s East sold the lower value works, the equivalent of Christie’s South Kensington today (or back in the day, what Sotheby’s called their “Arcade” sales).  I was overseeing both the Impressionist and Modern Art sales and the Post-War and Contemporary offerings. This sounds a bit lofty, but the works were valued mostly under $10,000 and the entire “department” consisted of me and a stellar Administrator, Aviva Geller, without whom I would have never survived. I catalogued, researched and sold over 1,000 artworks a year and estimated three times that many.

Christie’s
20 Rockefeller Center

Gallery owners, especially throughout the 1990s when the art world was much smaller, were very much the kings of their castle and they made virtually every meaningful decision. This made it hard for the people who worked for them to grow and develop. There were few directors that had much autonomy to curate exhibitions and there were limited travel opportunities. At the time, working in an auction house gave you much more freedom and autonomy.

Most importantly, I wanted to join an auction house because of the new learning opportunities. At a gallery, you learn everything there is to know about a relatively small number of artists in the gallery stable…whereas in an auction, you need to learn something—fast–about every significant artist of your period. And in the contemporary arena, you are constantly challenged to keep learning about new artists that become relevant, as well as older artists that were forgotten but are being reassessed.

WHAT POSITIONS DID YOU FILL OVER THE YEARS AT CHRISTIE’S? HOW DID THEY EVOLVE AND WHAT WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DURING EACH PHASE AT THE AUCTION HOUSE?

I worked my way slowly up from being in charge of the Christie’s East sales of 20^th Century Art, to working on more important works of art and collections. I also did a fair amount of writing for the Evening sale catalogues—this is a time when the specialists wrote the essays. I was promoted to Head of the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening sale in 2007, a position I held for about 5 years.

Robert Manley with
Warhol’s Silver Liz
Looking Forward to the Past
11 May 2015, New York,

As a Sale Head, whether it is a $1 million or $700 million auction, you are essentially in charge of making sure every detail is done right, from research, catalogue presentation, viewing, marketing, selling. You also need to be a master of psychology, to manage all of the egos that come into play, because all of the sales have consignments from top specialists and top clients. In the end, it was an incredible experience and I am privileged to have worked with knowledgeable specialists, world class objects and the people who owned them.

Shortly into my tenure as Evening sale head, I also became the Head of the Post-War and Contemporary Art Department in New York. I enjoyed working with my colleagues and tried to make the department a smarter, better place. I encouraged collaboration and transparency, two traits not always embraced in the contemporary art market. I held that position for about 6 years or so, when I shifted away from direct management and became Deputy Chairman.

Robert Manley, 2012 at Christie’s in front of “Untitled,” by Lee Bontecou;
“Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy Square,” by Carl André in foreground

Although I held a number of leadership positions at Christie’s, the focus has always been on art and clients—every day we saw collections, appraised art, organized auctions, met with collectors…the main thing that changed over the years was the value of the art.

IN OUR NEXT LRFA POST, WE’LL HAVE ROBERT MANLEY’S INSIDER VIEW INTO THE INTERNATIONAL AUCTION WORLD. PLEASE JOIN US!