Airport, please! Gagosian London reopens an extraordinary exhibit by Rachel Whiteread

Gagosian Gallery London
Grosvenor Hill

We’ve taken digital gallery hopping for granted, looking online at a great many exhibitions instead of seeing them in person and telling ourselves we “saw” the show. A familiarity with the theme of an exhibit, a new direction a familiar artist is exploring, seemed to suffice. Now that we have been so long deprived from an easy access to museums and galleries, the level of anticipation of viewing works in person is truly appreciated. Long may this last, a renewed appreciation of seeing contemporary shows in person and a significant increase in the very old habit of spending a day on the Lower East Side or Chelsea, or Mayfair or the Marais.

This week, London galleries have reopened from the pandemic quarantine with some extraordinary exhibitions. Airport, please! First stop, Rachel Whiteread: Internal Objects, at Gagosian Grosvenor Hill. At last, a lockdown masterpiece, says The Guardian, in a recent article by Jonathan Jones reviewing the exhibition in London. As many of us have struggled with metaphorical ghosts in the loneliness and unease of lockdown, Rachel Whiteread has confronted her Ghost, a work she created in 1990, an icon of a new approach to sculpture, purchased by collector Charles Saatchi. Whiteread is celebrated for her ability to poetically capture the memory of a space.

Rachel Whiteread
Ghost, 1990
Plaster cast

In Internal Objects, Whiteread had revisited this early work during the lockdown, creating two remarkable new works, Poltergeist and Doppelganger. These works were not cast but assembled, two derelict exploding structures, shattered and abandoned, unified by being painted overall in a pure white.

The Guardian, Rachel Whiteread: Internal Objects.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/apr/12/lockdown-masterpiece-covid-pandemic-rachel-whiteread-internal-objects-review

Rachel Whiteread
Poltergeist

RACHEL WHITEREAD

Dame Rachel Whiteread (born 20 April 1963) is an English artist who primarily produces sculptures, which typically take the form of casts. She was the first woman to win the annual Turner Prize in 1993.

Whiteread was one of the Young British Artists who exhibited at the Royal Academy’s Sensation exhibition in 1997. Among her most renowned works are House, a large concrete cast of the inside of an entire Victorian house; the Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial in Vienna, resembling the shelves of a library with the pages turned outwards; and Untitled Monument, her resin sculpture for the empty fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square.

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2006 and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to art.

Bio, Tate Modern

GHOST

Ghost (1990) was Whiteread’s first large-scale sculpture and set in motion the ambitious, architecturally scaled works for which she is widely recognized today. Made by filling a room of a Victorian house in North London with concrete to create a solid cast that picks up the details of the walls, mantle, and windows, Ghost is a positive room-sized object that reveals itself gradually, as one encircles the huge form. Whiteread expanded on this working method in House (1993; destroyed 1994), cast from an entire Victorian terrace house. Whiteread created this work after all the other terraces in the row had been demolished, and it stood alone as a reminder of the working-class homes that once spanned the street. The sculpture sparked heated debates around issues of real estate, class divisions, and urban sprawl.

Gagosian Gallery, artist biography 

https://gagosian.com/artists/rachel-whiteread/

20 GROSVENOR HILL, GAGOSIAN GALLERY, Mayfair London

20 Grosvenor Hill has transformed a dated office building into a striking double height, day-lit gallery space. The entire 21,800 sq ft development has been let to the globally renowned Gagosian Gallery.

British architects TateHindle designed the exterior of the building replacing the old 1990s façade with handmade Roman bricks in a blue-grey palette. The design achieves a contemporary feel while also complementing the building’s historical context.

Award-winning architecture practice Caruso St. John created the interior scheme having previously designed galleries for Gagosian in Rome and Paris.

Grosvenor Hill and the surrounding area has been associated with the arts since the 1870s when Sir Coutts Lindsay opened the Grosvenor Gallery.  Gagosian Gallery at 20 Grosvenor Hill builds on this rich heritage.

The future is now: traditions and innovations at David Zwirner with gallery partner Greg Lulay and director Veronique Ansorge

 

Isa Genzken
Paris New York
Opening at David Zwirner, Paris

OVER THE LAST DECADE, DAVID ZWIRNER HAS UNDERGONE AN UNPRECEDENTED TRANSFORMATION AND STANDS AS A MAJOR DRIVING FORCE IN REDEFINING WHAT A GALLERY PRESENTS AND HOW AUDIENCES INTERACT WITH THE ART AND EXHIBITIONS. A NEW BREED OF EXPANSIVE AND TRANSPORTING SHOWS OFFERS UNIQUE EXPERIENCES TO A WIDER , CULTURALLY ENGAGED PUBLIC WHILE ALWAYS SUPPORTING AND HONORING THEIR ARTISTS’ AMBITIOUS VISIONS.

THE LOCKDOWN AND PANDEMIC CRISIS ONLY SERVED TO FURTHER STIMULATE THEIR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THEIR ARTISTS, THEIR GALLERIES AND OTHER SMALLER STRUGGLING GALLERIES  REACHING OUT IN NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO THEIR INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC.

William Eggleston
David Zwirner Hong Kong
Opening September 10

TODAY, THE LRFA BLOG WARMLY WELCOME BACK VERONIQUE ANSORGE, GALLERY DIRECTOR AND GREG LULAY, GALLERY PARTNER, TO SHARE THEIR ARTICULATE VISION OF DAVID ZWIRNER NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

GREG AND VERONIQUE, ART FAIRS HAVE BECOME A DOMINANT VEHICLE TO SHOW ARTISTS. WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, HONG KONG ART BASEL WAS THE FIRST FAIR TO CREATE EXCLUSIVELY VIEWING ROOMS FOR ALL THE EXHIBITORS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BEING AT THE FAIR.

HOW DID THE GALLERIES IN GENERAL DO AND HOW SUCCESSFUL WERE THE MAJOR INTERNATIONAL GALLERIES?

GL: I think that the dominant form of physically seeing work still happens within the galleries and museums themselves. After that, comes the art fair setting.  

Since the 1970s, with the birth of Art Cologne, and on to the long-standing fairs like Art Basel, we’ve seen the landscape of art commerce change dramatically. The art world and the art fair sector of that art world has grown tremendously into a global industry. Regional art fairs are now held across the globe and are typically intended to serve the collector base of the specific country or region where they take place. Other art fairs have a much wider reach in terms of exhibiting galleries and the international patrons that visit and buy from the fair. The difference between the two types of fairs has to do with the brand behind the fairs, the destination, the time in the yearly calendar, and the longevity of the fair as an institution. As the art fair model of business took off, galleries became more reliant upon them for a large part of their annual business. In one week and in one spot you are able to interact with large numbers of new and existing clients, connect with curators, and make significant sales. Over the years we’ve found that all of that activity for each fair is precluded by digital outreach to our clients. So, there’s been a growing online component of what we do at a fair which occurs digitally even before we set foot in our booth. 

Suzan Frecon
Opening David Zwirner Gallery
September 10 – October 17, 2020

I think one of the big questions is, will the digital art fair exchange begin to replace the need for an actual art fair? 

When Art Basel Hong Kong was cancelled earlier this year due to Covid-19, all galleries had to turn solely to online presentations and interactions supported by Basel’s new online platform. Because our gallery already had developed the technology to support an online viewing room experience, we were able to do something in tandem with Art Basel’s platform. We were able to reach people who were interested in looking at art even if they couldn’t go to the fair, let alone leave their homes.

VA: I’m very happy that it was a success for the gallery. We will all have to see what is happening now based on the health crisis in the long run for the art fairs. But you do miss the interactions with clients in an art fair context, and human interaction will certainly not be able to be replaced completely.

GL: Certainly not. I think that a key component of this industry is that it is experiential and social. People who are interested in building collections and living with art love the personal connections they make with artists, curators, and art dealers. There is a social aspect of gallery openings and art fairs that will never be replaced by a purely online experience. What we have built online is something to run in tandem with what we are already doing in our physical spaces. 

Harold Ancart: Traveling Light
David Zwirner Gallery West 19th Street
Opening September 10th

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH YOU ARE NOW COMMUNICATING WITH CLIENTS AND ARTISTS IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT CRISIS?

GL: I think in a time when people are forced to be at home, we all still have a need to be connected. Even this conversation that we are having now is being done virtually, where we can see each other on the screen and have a conversation. This is something we are doing on a daily basis with our artists, many of which are busy in their studios, but they need a connection and want a connection just like the rest of us.

VA: And obviously all these video conferencing apps that allow you to have meetings and interact with multiple people are very helpful both in terms of internal meetings and meetings with artists. I do feel a lot of clients also appreciate calls and ways of communicating where we see each other.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO DEVELOP YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE IN THE FUTURE?

GL: While we discussed this earlier,  I think it’s worth noting that while we have focused on this initiative for the past several years, we are only just beginning and will continue to explore what this new online platform can offer to our artists.

VA: Yes and also making it usable in a way where artists can really have control over the experience the visitor has on the site; the artist can put their artistic vision in it. 

Josh Smith
David Zwirner, New York East 69th, London, Grafton Street
Opening September 15th

DO YOU AGREE THAT THIS IS MORE AND MORE THE FUTURE OF THE GALLERY WORLD, AND THAT THE COVID-19 WAS MORE OF A CATALYST TO AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED TREND?

VA: Yes, Covid-19 is somewhat of a catalyst. As the other options are temporarily inactivated it is forcing us to accelerate our performance in the digital space. 

GL: Exactly, I think that this is obviously the way in which the world is moving, and people are becoming more and more accustomed to receiving content of all sorts online. Like we’ve said, these changes are not going to replace the essential in-person exchange or experience. But certainly in this moment when none of us can physically be with each other or walk into a gallery space, the necessity to charge ahead in some fashion has been a catalyst for this digital exchange on a larger scale. 

GL: It’s worth saying that the gallery in its 25+ years has weathered several storms, including the attacks on September 11th and Hurricane Sandy. This is a new experience for all of us, and a challenge we will overcome together, hopefully stronger as a gallery and as a world. During this uncertain time we have come together as a gallery to help those who may be struggling even more than we are. We’ve been able to share our existing technology and Online Viewing Room with galleries in New York and London who don’t have the same capabilities to present and sell artworks online. With an initiative called Platform: New York, and Platform: London, respectively, we’ve invited a group of young gallerists from those cities to select one artist from their program to feature on our online viewing room platform. We’re hosting our friends and neighboring galleries in an effort to connect them with collectors who are interested in buying art during this very challenging moment.

Platform
David Zwirner Gallery

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO HAVE GREG AND VERONIQUE SHARE THEIR THOUGHTFUL AND DEEPLY KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSPECTIVE ON THE DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY PLATFORM, PHILOSOPHY AND ARTIST-CENTRIC POINT OF VIEW AND THEIR VISION OF OUR ART WORLD IN GENERAL NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.  SO MANY THANKS TO YOU BOTH!

THE LRFA BLOG WILL RESUME AFTER LABOR DAY. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A CONVERSATION WITH LAURA LESTER  AND LEARNING ABOUT HER NEW POSITION AS DIRECTOR OF GREY GALLERY, NEW YORK.

The artist-centric philosophy at the David Zwirner Gallery with Veronique Ansorge and Greg Lulay

Dan Flavin
Interior view of the entrance at 537 West 20th Street, New York,
Photo: Jason Schmidt

IN 1993, WHEN DAVID ZWIRNER OPENED HIS FIRST GALLERY, A 1600 SQUARE FOOT SPACE ON GREENE STREET IN SOHO, HE LAUNCHED WITH RADICAL EXPERIMENTAL SHOWS BY THEN EMERGING ARTISTS SUCH AS STAN DOUGLAS, JASON RHOADES, AND DIANA THATER, ALL OF WHOM HAD SOLO EXHIBITIONS AT THE GALLERY IN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR, AND ARE STILL PART OF THE GALLERY ROSTER TODAY.

Randy Kennedy, March 21, 2013, New York Times Magazine

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/t-magazine/david-zwirner-the-art-of-the-dealer.html

“ZWIRNER’S PROGRAM WAS FAIRLY RADICAL AND RIGOROUS, WITH A ROSTER OF UNDER-RECOGNIZED EXPERIMENTAL ARTISTS…HIS GALLERY WAS A LEAN OPERATION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON WORK FROM EUROPE AND THE WEST COAST.”

The New Yorker 

TEN YEARS LATER, THE GALLERY MOVED FROM SOHO TO CHELSEA. A DECADE LATER, DAVID ZWIRNER HAS EXPANDED ITS FOOTPRINT TO INCLUDE A SPACE ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE OF MANHATTAN, A SPECTACULAR TOWNHOUSE DESIGNED BY ANNABELLE SELLDORF IN THE MAYFAIR DISTRICT IN LONDON, A GALLERY PRESENCE IN HONG KONG IN A VISIONARY BUILDING ON QUEEN’S ROAD , AND MOST RECENTLY, AN IMPECCABLE VENUE ON RUE VIEILLE DU TEMPLE IN PARIS.

WHAT REMAINS THE SAME IS THE ETHOS AND SPIRIT OF COMMITMENT TO THE ARTISTS AND TO THEIR ART. THAT GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS SHARED BY THE DIRECTORS AND PARTNERS OF THE GALLERY AND MANY OF THE FOUNDING TEAM HAVE CONTINUED WITH THE GALLERY TO THIS DAY.

John McCracken
Installation view 1997
David Zwirner Gallery, SoHo

THE LRFA BLOG IS PRIVILEGED TO CONTINUE ITS CONVERSATION WITH THE HIGHLY INTELLIGENT AND ARTICULATE VERONIQUE ANSORGE, A DIRECTOR BASED AT 19th STREET IN CHELSEA, AND DEEPLY KNOWLEDGEABLE GREG LULAY, A PARTNER OF THE GALLERY, BASED AT THEIR 20TH LOCATION.

DOES DAVID ZWIRNER HIMSELF DECIDE ON THE ARTISTS THAT THE GALLERY ADDS ON OR DO EACH OF THE DIRECTORS HAVE INPUT ON THE AESTHETIC PROFILE OF THE GALLERY?

GL: Every single Director and Partner works in conversation with David about the stable of artists we represent. This is something we are constantly looking to build upon. Ultimately, it’s David’s name on the door, but he looks to us for our insight and opinions.

VA: Yes and I feel it’s important to know that it’s very much encouraged that we share what we see out there, what we like, and discuss it with the team. We can always bring ideas to the table. 

WHAT ARE SOME OF QUALITIES THAT YOU WOULD SAY CHARACTERIZE ALL OF THE ARTISTS THE GALLERY REPRESENTS, WHETHER THEIR PLATFORM IS PAINTING, SCULPTURE, VIDEO.

VA: We consider them to be incredible talents!

GL: Yes, and one of the key cornerstones of the gallery and a key philosophy of David’s is that our artists always come first. This has been and will continue to be a guiding principle for the gallery.

VA: I think it’s interesting to look at the development of our roster over time. There are these connections between many of our artists, so much so that it seems almost like an organic process where the artists themselves influenced which other artists might join our roster.

The Estate of Anni Albers David Zwirner Gallery

GL: If you look at the gallery’s program that has continued to build since the early 1990s, there are some specific focuses within the program. There is a strength in historical Conceptual and Minimalist artists who worked within that language and became leaders of that voice, but there’s also a very strong group of figurative and abstract painters, an incredible group of photographers, sculptors and filmmakers. One of the things that I think has been true since the very beginning is that each of these artists has a singular and radical voice. Their work is challenging. They challenge audiences to rethink the way they are looking. 

Estate of Josef Albers
David Zwirner Gallery

VA: I think it is interesting to point out, as an example, a natural connection within our program. Let’s look at Josef and Anni Albers. After taking them on we then added Ruth Asawa, a dear friend and also a student of Josef Albers, and then we also started showing Paul Klee, who was also an artist and teacher at the Bauhaus. So adding artists that obviously are standalone very strong voices, they also allow us to capture a certain moment in time and understand how they influence one another and certain art historical movements. This is also certainly the case for American Minimalism. I feel some of these networks are certainly an interesting part of the program, but as Greg said, I feel that all of them are very strong, unique voices that pushed whatever medium they have their focus  in a very specific and strong way.

Ruth Asawa
Installation view at David Zwirner Gallery

GL: Of course, and I think part of the strength of these individual artists and the place they have now in art history has to do also with the connections between them, but also how radical their work is. I mean, can you imagine walking into a gallery in the early 1960s and seeing a bunch of fluorescent lamps in various colors bolted to a wall? Think about how radical that was – that concept entering into the white cube of a gallery. Dan Flavin, completely radical in his thinking, was not alone in that thinking. You can compare him to someone like Richard Serra or Ad Reinhardt, or some younger artists that came after them – think about how radical Jason Rhoades’ work was.

Marlene Dumas
Installation view, 2018
David Zwirner Gallery, NY

Or a painter like Marlene Dumas, or Luc Tuymans – their approach to painting was radical and it changed the entire landscape of European painting. Whether there were specific historical connections and influences from one artist to the next, all of our artists bring a completely new process, and incredibly personal voice to the world.

Jason Rhoades
Installation View 2014
David Zwirner Gallery, NY

IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG POST, VERONIQUE AND GREG WILL SHARE THE EXTRAORDINARY TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT THE GALLERY HAS MADE, CERTAINLY STARTING SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT PROPELLED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. DAVID ZWIRNER’S SHIFT TO A PREDOMINANTLY VIRTUAL, ONLINE WORLD, AND HIS SUPPORT OF SMALLER, STRUGGLING GALLERIES IS A LESSON FOR US ALL.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Matching talents and tasks at David Zwirner with the gallery partner Greg Lulay and director Veronique Ansorge

Installation view
Mamma Andersson: The Lost Paradise
David Zwirner, NY 2020
Courtesy David Zwirner

DAVID ZWIRNER IS AN INTERNATIONAL GALLERY ARTISTS ASPIRE TO SHOW WITH,  COLLECTORS FLOCK TO FOR WORKS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY BY BOTH ESTABLISHED CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND MODERN MASTERS, CURATORS DEPEND UPON AS A SOURCE FOR ARTISTS WORTHY OF ACQUIRING FOR THEIR MUSEUMS AND ART CAREER PROFESSIONALS VIE TO WORK AT SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS VENUE. THE GALLERY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALWAYS ARTIST-CENTRIC AND OVER THE COURSE OF ITS TWENTY-SEVEN YEAR HISTORY, ITS PROGRAM  HAS DEVELOPED AND MATURED GLOBALLY, ESTABLISHING LOCATIONS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND CITIES AND A PRESENCE WORLDWIDE. DAVID ZWIRNER OFFERS ITS ARTISTS AND ARTIST ESTATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF A GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXHIBITIONS, ART FAIRS, AND  BOTH INSTITUTIONAL AND PRIVATE ART COLLECTIONS.

Greg Lulay
Partner
David Zwirner Gallery

TODAY, THE LRFA BLOG IS VERY PLEASED TO CONTINUE TO POST ITS CONVERSATION, HELD IN APRIL 2020, WITH GALLERY DIRECTOR VERONIQUE ANSORGE, AT THE 19th STREET GALLERY (525 WEST 19th STREET) IN CHELSEA, AND WITH GALLERY PARTNER GREG LULAY, AT THE TWENTIETH STREET GALLERY ( 538 WEST 20th STREET).

RUNNING AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TAKES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, NOT ONLY ON THE PART OF ITS FOUNDER BUT ALSO ON ITS EXTENSIVE STAFF, EVERYONE FROM PARTNERS TO DIRECTORS TO THE SUPPORT STAFF OF REGISTRARS, INSTALLERS, EXHIBITION CATALOGUERS, RESEARCHERS AND A  HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED TECH TEAM.

HERE WE HOPE TO SHED A LITTLE LIGHT ON SUCH AN ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING.

Interior view of library
537 West 20th Street Gallery, 2013

VERONIQUE AND GREG, WELCOME BACK AND THANK YOU BOTH!

DO YOU EACH HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AS A LIAISON TO SPECIFIC ARTISTS AND ARTISTS’ ESTATES AND IF SO, WHO ARE THE ARTISTS THAT YOU CONCENTRATE ON IT?

Greg Lulay: The overarching gallery structure is one that was built so that it serves all of us together in all locations. There are members of our staff who are specialists in research, conservation, inventory management, finance, installation,  public relations, sales, and artist relations, like myself and Veronique. My artist management responsibilities are split between living Contemporary artists and Estates.

I work closely with Philip-Lorca diCorcia, an incredible photographer; and Lucas Arruda, a very talented young Brazilian painter. I also work with the Fred Sandback Estate, the Al Taylor Estate, the Gordon Matta-Clark Estate, and the Franz West Estate. I’m charged to help foster the careers of those artists, both within the gallery and outwardly in their exhibitions and programs around the globe. In addition to artist management I also have sales responsibilities and oversee all of our art fair participations around the world.

Philip-Lorca diCorcia
Heavenly Bodies
David Zwirner Gallery Viewing Room

Veronique Ansorge:  I think given the nature of how I started at the gallery, and given the fact that I’m from Germany, I was naturally working with David on a lot of his German clients and activities. I began working with German artists and Estates such as the Estate of Sigmar Polke, Thomas Ruff, and Isa Genzken. I also now work with the New York–based photographer James Welling, which I am very excited about. While I have cultivated client relationships across the globe, I feel my focus is within the German-speaking market.

GL: One of the strengths both of our sales team and of the larger gallery is that David has really paired our individual talents with the tasks which give the most benefit to our artists and thus to the gallery. This informs our specific duties and responsibilities.

VA: Yes, and I think it is fascinating that the gallery really allows for this talent to be expressed – to identify their strengths and nurture them.

Screen capture
David Zwirner Online
Harold Ancart: Pools

HOW DOES THE MANAGEMENT OF A LIVING ARTIST DIFFER FROM AN ESTATE?

VA: With a living artist, you are in constant dialogue and they are actively producing work. You manage exhibitions of new work, not only in the gallery but in institutional environments. Within this, you are working to cultivate their career. With an Estate, it’s not necessarily new work, but you try to do the same.

GL: Certainly there are some strong parallels between the two approaches. In both cases we operate somewhat like an agent; working collaboratively with artists or estates to promote their careers and strengthen their position within the history of art by presenting their artwork on various platforms to audiences around the world. In the early days of the gallery, David began representing our first estate – the Estate of Gordon Matta-Clark.

Then in 2004 we began working with the Fred Sandback Estate, and today we represent 26 estates. It is in collaboration with these people that you  are charged to further the conversation about their work and encourage new discovery. One of the biggest challenges we face working with a living artist is to support and guide them without interfering with their creative process. This is completely different from working with an Estate. Their voice is more active.

VERONIQUE AND GREG WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORKINGS OF DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG POST!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOLLOWING. PLEASE JOIN US!

 

A very warm welcome to David Zwirner Gallery’s Veronique Ansorge and Greg Lulay

David Zwirner and gallery partners by John McCracken’s FAIR (2011)
David Zwirner Gallery, West 20th St, NY

IN JANUARY 2018, DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY CELEBRATED ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY. WITH AN IMPECCABLE ROSTER OF LIVING ARTISTS AND ARTISTS’ ESTATES AND A GLOBAL NETWORK OF GALLERIES IN NEW YORK, LONDON, PARIS, AND HONG KONG, DAVID ZWIRNER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VISIONARY DEALER. INITIALLY, HE OPENED A RELATIVELY SMALL SPACE AT 43 GREENE STREET IN THE SOHO DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.  MANY LOCATIONS LATER, MUCH EXPANSION AND AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AS ONE OF THE VERY TOP LEADING GALLERIES WORLDWIDE, THE ONE CONSISTENT THREAD THROUGHOUT THE NOW TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS IS DAVID ZWIRNER’S COMMITMENT TO SHOWING CHALLENGING, THOUGHTFUL, MEANINGFUL WORKS OF ART WITHOUT COMPROMISE.

David Zwirner
First gallery in SoHo
43 Greene Street, New York

FROM GREENE STREET TO CHELSEA IN NEW YORK TO THE UPPER EAST SIDE OF MANHATTAN, FROM LONDON TO HONG KONG WITH A MUCH-ANTICIPATED EXPANSION IN CHELSEA UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF ARCHITECT EXTRAORDINAIRE, ANNABELLE SELLDORF, ZWIRNER HAS CREATED AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF DEDICATED STAFF, COMMITTED COLLECTORS, CURATORS AND SUPPORTERS. THE GALLERY’S COMMITMENT TO ITS ARTISTS AND TO THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR WORK SET A STANDARD WHEN THE GALLERY FIRST OPENED THAT HAS CONTINUED TO THIS DAY. MANY OF THE ARTISTS IN AN EXHIBITION, FIVE YEARS, 1993-1998, COMMEMORATING THE GALLERY’S FIRST FIVE YEARS ON GREENE STREET, CONTINUE TO BE REPRESENTED BY DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY TODAY.

Veronique Ansorge
Director
David Zwirner Gallery, New York

THE LRFA BLOG IS HONORED TO WELCOME VERONIQUE ANSORGE, DIRECTOR AT DAVID ZWIRNER, 525 WEST 19th STREET, IN CHELSEA, NEW YORK AND GREG LULAY, PARTNER AT DAVID ZWIRNER, 537 WEST 20th STREET, NEW YORK. COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS, THEY HAVE JOINED FORCES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LRFA BLOG. AFTER AN INITIAL INTRODUCTION TO BOTH OF THEM, WE WILL FOCUS ON THE RELEVANCE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT ON THE WAY IN WHICH ONE OF THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL GALLERIES HAS HAD THE FORESIGHT TO PREPARE FOR THIS UNSEEN CRISIS.

New York: 19th Street

https://www.davidzwirner.com/galleries

VERONIQUE AND GREG, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW YOU ARE BOTH AS BUSY AS EVER, WORKING FROM HOME, ONLINE AND JUST RECENTLY, BY APPOINTMENT AT THE NEW YORK GALLERIES, TO CONTACT CLIENTS AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PRESENCE AND COMMERCE OF THE GALLERY DURING THE SHUTDOWN.

FIRST, A BIT ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BOTH BEEN AT THE GALLERY AND HOW DID YOU COME TO WORK AT ZWIRNER? WAS YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE ARTS, AS AN ACADEMIC, IN THE AUCTION WORLD OR IN ANOTHER GALLERY?

Greg Lulay:

I’ve been at the gallery for 17 years, starting at Zwirner & Wirth, which was the secondary market gallery David opened on the Upper East Side in 2000. Prior to that, I was at university in Seattle, where I studied business, fine arts, and art history, and worked in a gallery in Seattle upon graduation. I worked for a gallery there for a few years, which brought me to New York in 1999. 

Veronique Ansorge:

I’m originally from Germany, and I  started at the gallery in December 2007. I have an MBA, studied Economics in college, and previously worked in business consulting and marketing. I switched careers because of my interest in art. I started as David’s assistant and was lucky enough to grow within the company. I’m now a Director on the gallery’s Sales Team.

GL: That’s amazing. I remember when I started working at the gallery there were only three people at Zwirner & Wirth, including myself, and only a handful of people working at the Chelsea outpost. It’s changed quite a bit in the 17 years I’ve been here. I went from working the front desk and as a gallery manager for years to making my way into sales and artist management.

New York: 20th Street

HOW IS ZWIRNER STRUCTURED?  THE GALLERY HAS VENUES VIRTUALLY ALL OVER THE WORLD, NEW YORK, LONDON, HONG KONG, AND NOW A BEAUTIFUL NEW SPACE IN PARIS.  ARE EACH OF THE GALLERIES AUTONOMOUS IN TERMS OF EXHIBITION SCHEDULES AND CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS OR, IN THIS GLOBAL MARKET, IS THE PLANNING FOR ALL THE ZWIRNER GALLERIES WORLDWIDE HANDLED BY A SPECIAL TEAM?

VA: The way it’s structured, it’s still very much driven by David Zwirner as the owner and main strategist of the gallery. However, he has eight partners that have a lot of influence in making decisions on artist management and exhibition schedules. New York is the hub, but we all connect on a weekly basis. Our decisions are made as a team.

GL: Although each of our galleries around the world have distinct qualities unique to that physical location and city, the larger gallery operates collectively – as one company. For example, certain operational decisions are specific to doing business in London versus Hong Kong, and largely those decisions are made by our teams in those locations. However, the majority of decisions we make are coordinated across all locations, be that client outreach, exhibition planning, research, communications, inventory, shipping.  But, as Veronique noted, one aspect that adds to the success of the gallery is the fact that we operate in a team format. We make decisions as a team, and are stronger because of it.

IN NEW YORK, VERONIQUE AND GREG EXEMPLIFY THAT TEAM SPIRIT, TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE 19th AND 20th STREET GALLERIES WITH CLIENTS AND MUSEUM CURATORS  BOTH OFTEN WORKING IN TANDEM TO SHARE THEIR LOVE OF THE ARTISTS’ WORK AND THEIR DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEIR PROCESS AND AESTHETIC WITH THE VISITORS TO THE GALLERIES. SOCIAL DISTANCING OR NOT, THE LRFA BLOG PREDICTS LINES AROUND THE BLOCK FOR THE KUSAMA EXHIBITIONS ARE NOT A THING OF THE PAST!

IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG POST, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE WORKINGS OF THE GALLERIES WITHIN THE UMBRELLA OF DAVID ZWIRNER WORLDWIDE. PLEASE JOIN US!

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!

London, New York, and soon Asia: Venues for the Art Business Conference with director Louise Hamlin

BARELY RECOVERED FROM THE MASSIVE AUDIENCE AND ENTHUSIASM OF THE LONDON ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE ON SEPTEMBER 4th, LOUISE HAMLIN, FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER OF THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE, IS PLANNING THE NEW YORK SPEAKER PANELS AND AGENDA. THE NEW YORK CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT THE TIME WARNER BUILDING IN MANHATTAN NEXT APRIL 2019.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE LRFA BLOG WILL CONTINUE ITS INTERVIEW WITH LOUISE ABOUT THE CURRENT PROGRAMMING AND HER PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CONFERENCE. YOU COULD HARDLY IMAGINE THAT A WOMAN OF THE CALIBER AND ENERGY OF LOUISE HAMLIN WOULD STOP AT TWO VENUES.  READ ON!

IN THE CONFERENCE, SPEAKERS EXPLORE WHY PEOPLE BUY OBJECTS, ART WORKS AND ANTIQUES. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE DOMINANT REASONS?  HAVE THEY CHANGED OVER THE YEARS FROM A COLLECTOR ZEAL TO ONE MORE FOCUSED ON ART AS AN ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT?

There will always be collectors but there are an increasing number of other groups buying art, including those looking to make alternative investments.  The internet has made the art market accessible to all and more and more businesses are ready to provide services which will help buyers make informed choices. 

Such examples recently highlighted at the NY conference in April, were The Magnus App, which works like Shazam for art, founded by art market economist and entrepreneur Magnus Resch, is a good example of the art world accommodating the consumer.  Jennifer Deason, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Strategy & Corporate Development at Sotheby’s made some fascinating insights on Taste Profiling in the Art Market in her closing address.  Art is evocative and inspiring – there will always be buyers – but understanding their needs and educating them will only help to broaden the buying market and this is key.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN THE ACQUISITIONS IN THE UK AND THE US AND HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE THEY MIGHT CHANGE? WILL THEY LOOSEN OR TIGHTEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

Wow tough question! And as I am not an expert on this, I consult with the conference legal and tax & accounting sponsors who are best placed to advise on this.  In fact, there was just a session on Anti-Money Laundering at the London conference on Tuesday. I also consult with the heads of the Trade Associations to see how we can best to shape presentations to make them relevant and useful for art businesses.

GLOBALIZATION MAKES IT IMPERATIVE THAT WE CAN TRADE INTERNATIONALLY IN ART AND ANTIQUES. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES IN TERMS OF BREXIT AND U.S TARIFFS?

Leslie, I think you might have just offered me a topic for the NY Conference in 2019?  As it’s something I can’t answer….perhaps we should include this next year?

LVR: AND ALSO THE TOPIC OF US AND CHINA TARIFFS AND HOW THEY ARE AFFECTING THE ART MARKET! I’D LOVE A PANEL ON THAT.

THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE ART MARKET, THE INSURANCE, THE SHIPPING, THE TRANSPORT, ARE CRUCIAL TO THE BUSINESS? HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE BEST PEOPLE IN EACH OF THESE AREAS OF THE INDUSTRY TO SPEAK AT THE CONFERENCE.

My years at The Art Newspaper certainly helped provide me with a nice list of contacts, but there are also a number of trade associations in the Art Market whose members all have to adhere to strict guidelines of best practice.  Many of our speakers are members of these associations including APAA, PAIAM and CINOA.

IN APRIL 2018, THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING TOPICS, SUPPORTED BY KNOWLEDGEABLE SPEAKERS IN EACH FIELD.

Art Market Principles and Best Practices

This session opened with a presentation by Noah Horowitz, Director of Art Basel Americas, who defined these sets of principles and their implications for exhibitors. This was followed by a panel discussion exploring the codes of conduct and best practices that already exist in the US art market and looked at what can be done to improve standards in the industry for the future. 

Protecting an Artist’s Legacy

This session offered practical advice for artists’ estates and foundations and explored how technology is working to support artists and their estates. 

Traveling Exhibitions

This session explored the planning process behind travelling exhibitions from the museum perspective, discussed changing trends and how technology is assisting the evolution of travelling exhibitions globally.  The panel also examined best practice when loaning to traveling exhibitions focusing on insurance and contracts.  

The Future of Collecting

How will the next generation collect Art, Antiques and Collectables?  

Cybercriminals in the art world

This interactive workshop offered guidance on proactive measures art businesses can take to protect themselves and covered the following areas: the Human Firewall – training staff to detect and respond appropriately to threats, invoice fraud, password hygiene, shadow IT. Plus GDPR – the largest shake-up in data protection for 20 years, and what it means for US art organisations.

DO YOU FORESEE THE GROWTH OF THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE TO INCLUDE HONG KONG, OR SHANGHAI OR ANY OTHER INTERNATIONAL SITES?

Yes absolutely, I am working on developing the conference in the Asia for 2019.

IT IS WONDERFUL WHEN SOMEONE DILIGENT AND COMMITTED HAS THE INSIGHT TO OFFER A WONDERFUL PROGRAM AND THE FORTITUDE TO EXPAND IT FIRST TO NEW YORK AND THEN TO ASIA. HATS OFF, LOUISE! I ADMIRE YOU AND THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCES ENORMOUSLY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN NEW YORK IN APRIL.

SO MANY THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO THE LRFA BLOG!

 

IN OUR NEXT POST THE LRFA BLOG IS DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE DEBRA FORCE, PRESIDENT OF DEBRA FORCE FINE ARTS. DURING A TImE WHEN CONTEMPORARY ART DOMINATES THE MARKET, DEBRA HAS COMMITTED HER PROFESSIONAL LIFE TO THE MASTERWORKS OF EARLY AMERICAN ART. HER EXPERIENCE IN THE ART WORLD IS VAST, RANGING FROM MANAGING A DISTINGUISHED CORPORATE COLLECTION TO HEADING CHRISTIE’S AMERICAN PAINTING DEPARTMENT TO OPENING HER OWN GALLERY. THE CONSTANT IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE POSITIONS IS HER KNOWLEDGE AND COMMITMENT TO AMERICAN ART AND HER ENTHUSIASM IN SHARING IT WITH US.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING DEBRA’S VAST KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLIGENCE WITH YOU.

Art Business Conference, London September 4th, book now!

Church House Conference Centre, London

THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN ITS FIFTH YEAR IN LONDON IS IMMINENT, A MUCH ANTICIPATED GATHERING FOR SENIOR ART MARKET PROFESSIONALS. LEADING EXPERTS FROM THE ART WORLD JOIN FORCES WITH BUSINESS LEADERS AND TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS TO SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS ON THE BUSINESS OF ART. FOUNDED AND DIRECTED BY LOUISE HAMLIN, INTRODUCED IN OUR LAST POST, THIS WEEK THE LRFA BLOG POST IS PLEASED TO PROVIDE THE DETAILS OF THE NEXT LONDON MEETING BEFORE RETURNING TO LOUISE’S INTERVIEW.

JUST AS A PICTURE IS WORTH 1000 WORDS, THE AGENDA OF THIS PROGRAM SHOWS WHAT A PROFOUNDLY PRODUCTIVE DAY THIS WILL BE. HELD ON TUESDAY, 4th SEPTEMBER 2018, AT THE CHURCH HOUSE CONFERENCE CENTRE, WESTMINSTER, LONDON, THE 2018 AGENDA IS AS FOLLOWS:

9.00 – 10.00: Delegate registration and breakfast networking in the Business Pavilion and Media Lounge  

10.00: Opening remarks from the conference chair, Georgina Adam

Georgina Adam has spent more than 30 years writing about the art market and the arts in general.  She was editor of the Art Market section of The Art Newspaper 2000-2008, then editor at large.  She writes a weekly column on Saturday for the Financial Times. In addition to her specialisation in the art market, Adam is particularly interested in emerging cultural centres.

Michael Ellis is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism.

10.00-10.15: Opening Keynote Speech: Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism. 

10.15 – 11.15: Because it’s worth it – Valuing Contemporary Art: Contemporary art can be the most volatile market in the art world. But who decides what it is worth? And how? Four specialists in this area – a gallerist, collector, Valeria Napoleone, a dealer on the secondary market and Ralph Taylor, Global Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art at Bonhams – discuss how values are established from the artist’s degree show to appearing on the block at auction. Also up for consideration is how societal shifts in politics and world geography can make an impact on the careers – and value – of certain artists’ work. This session will be moderated by Melanie Gerlis (Financial Times)

Valeria Napoleone is an art collector and patron to a select number of arts organisations. She is Head of the Development Committee at London based not for profit gallery Studio Voltaire

11.15 – 11.30: Morning refreshment break and networking in the Business Pavilion and Media Lounge

ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AND TIMELY TOPICS IN TODAY’S ART MARKET IS THE USE OF BLOCKCHAIN AS A TRANSPARENT MEANS TO ESTABLISH THE OWNERSHIP HISTORY OF A WORK OF ART. IN THIS YEAR’S ABC LONDON CONFERENCE, THIS SUBJECT WILL BE EXPLORED IN DEPTH BY A PANEL OF VERY KNOWLEDGABLE ART AND TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS.

11.30 – 12.30: Provenance and the Blockchain: Issues and Future Visions:  This panel explores the topic of provenance and due diligence in the art market. The session will open with an introduction to the blockchain and this will be followed by a discussion that will assess current approaches to ownership history and investigate the likely future impact of blockchain technologies on the market.  Issues we seek to explore include:

• What is the current state of provenance research in the art market?
• What impact might the digitisation of catalogues raisonnés have on approaches to provenance?
• Could the blockchain revolutionise how we address provenance in the future?
• Should we be seeking an international industry standard for the recording of provenance in catalogues raisonnés, auction catalogues and archives?
• Can provenance research be applied to the market for antiquities and cultural heritage?
• How can collectors be encouraged to engage with the importance of provenance, particularly as prices rise and risks multiply?
• How might artists be affected by these new technological developments?
• To what extent might such emerging technologies disrupt traditional approaches to art business more generally?  Speakers: Robert Upstone, (Robert Upstone Ltd), Jess Houlgrave (Codex Protocol) and Gareth Fletcher, (Sotheby’s Institute), moderated by Tom Flynn (Flynn & Giovani)   

• 

  Gareth Fletcher is a Lecturer in the MA Art Business and Unit Leader of the Art Crime, and Art and its Markets summer study programmes at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Codex is a decentralized registry for unique assets like art, fine wines, watches and more. Use cryptocurrency to buy $6 billion of art and collectibles today, and plug into a growing ecosystem of third-party services. Codex stores an item’s identity securely on the blockchain as a Codex Record. We make it easier to buy, sell and manage assets of all kinds.

https://codexprotocol.com/

12.30 – 12.55: Presentation: The Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive – what does this mean for the art trade? 

This session will ask: why us?  What the AML regulations seek to prevent & how do they do it?  Who is required to comply with the regulations?  What does compliance involve? Plus Practical issues for KYC, understanding the transaction, source of funds & risk assessments.  This practical session will offer guidance and advice.  It is now relevant to any business selling works of art in transactions valued at €10,000 or more, regardless of the payment method used. 

Speaker: Mathilde Heaton (RAM – The Responsible Art Market Initiative) and Adrian Parkhouse (Farrer & Co)

Legal Counsel (UK, Europe & Asia), Phillips Auctioneers
Lawyer and Art Law Consultant, Art Law Advisory
Responsible Art Market Initiative, Taskforce member

12.55 – 13.00: Presentation: Have We Taken the Commoditisation of Art a Step Too Far? Speaker: (Willis Towers Watson) 

Willis Towers Watson (NASDAQ: WLTW) is a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company that helps clients around the world turn risk into a path for growth. With roots dating to 1828, Willis Towers Watson has over 40,000 employees serving more than 140 countries.

LET’S JOIN THE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE FOR ITS LUNCH AND NETWORKING BREAK AND DISCUSSION TABLES AND RETURN IN OUR NEXT LRFA BLOG POST TO THE AFTERNOON SESSION. IN THE MEANTIME YOU CAN MAKE YOUR PLANE AND HOTEL RESERVATIONS!

AND FOR THOSE OF US STUCK ON THIS SIDE OF THE POND, THERE IS ALWAYS THE GREAT NEW YORK ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE NEXT SPRING, AT TIME WARNER, TO ANTICIPATE.