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Bring art into your life.

When recently interviewed by British art critic Louisa Buck for Frieze London, French designer and art collector Agnes B simply said, "art helps me be happy; it feeds me. I see beauty everywhere".
It is that simple. Art brings beauty, hope and dreams to our lives and force us to see beyond the limitations of our current circumstances. This is why collecting art is much more than just a transaction and this is why most people still yearn to see art in person. 
According to the recent Art Basel and UBS Study, despite Covid-19 and the countless disruptions to our lives, despite ongoing restrictions on travels and events, the vast majority of collectors are still planning to go to exhibitions and see art. 
The good news is that the art world has never been more diverse, bringing many different voices and sensibilities to the table. The notion of right and wrong is long gone. Collectors can really be themselves. This is currently on display in New York City where galleries have put together wonderfully beautiful and aesthetically varied exhibitions. It is there for the taking!
Art collecting starts with looking at art and understanding what type of art most closely resonates with one's sensibility.
In this month newsletter you will read and learn from long time art collector and philanthropist Patricia A. Bell.
You will also find highlights from the art world based on what I feel are the best shows, artists, and the important news of the moment. I hope you will enjoy this newsletter as much as I have enjoyed putting the content together, and that you will find reading it insightful.

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me at estelle@partnerinart.com.
Let's talk about how I can support you in your journey to collect art.

Warmly,
Estelle
http://partnerinart.com

Highlights from the Art World
Gallery openings:  so much to see so little time
 
As the ground below our feet continues to shift, I have taken on to seeing as many art exhibitions as possible. Nothing like looking at art to recharge and escape our daily predicament. As New York Times times critic Robert Smith puts it, Chelsea is going through a resurgence, putting on one of the "better fall seasons of the last several years". Or so it feels.
The saying "live with art it's good for you" has never felt more true.  

Here are my picks this month. This is by no means an exhaustive list. For more recommendations, don't hesitate to contact me directly. Don't forget your mask and enjoy the art!
  • Twice Removed is the long awaited exhibition of paintings and works on paper by New York artist Amy Sillman at Gladstone Gallery. For this ground breaking show, Sillman invites the viewer to examine her process and juxtaposes still life studies of flowers she painted during quarantine with her large abstract paintings and works on paper. The show is up until November 14. 
  • Roberto Kobayashi: Moe's Meat Market at Susan Inglett Gallery is an exhibition of rarely seen historical works by the artist, who passed away in 2015 and was part of the New York downtown art scene. You are in for a treat. I especially fell in love with Kobayashi's sculptures made out of ceiling tin, paint, nails and wood. Open through November 7.
  • Don't miss the two new shows that recently opened at Miles McEnery Gallery.   McGinness Mindscapes, is artist Ryan McGinness first show in New York in over 5 years and an exhibition of new fantastical paintings by artist Inka Essenhigh.
Amy Sillman, Split 3, 2020, Acrylic and oil on linen

On collecting: Interview with collector Patricia A. Bell

I had the pleasure recently of interviewing long time New Jersey art collector and patron Patricia A. Bell and talk to her about her art collecting journey. Bell admittedly started buying art not knowing much about art but following her instinct. She now has a large and diverse contemporary art collection comprised of roughly 300 works of art that she regularly reinstalls around her home. Bell ended up donating most of the works she had acquired early on to two institutions, the Newark Museum and the Montclair Art Museum, to shape their contemporary art collection. Among the pieces she donated were works by Chuck Close, Cindy Sherman, Kara Walker and Jack Whitten. Patricia Bell takes as much pleasure collecting and living with art as she does donating it to institutions and knowing that other people will get to appreciate these artworks after her. She feels that living and being surrounded with such beautiful art is a blessing.

Here are a few takeaways from my interview with collector Patricia A. Bell:

  • The best advice Bell received early on was to read about art history. She read Jason's History of Art. Patricia says that the book gave her the vocabulary that she did not have. She talks about the importance of understanding art history.
  • For Patricia Bell, art is a way of looking at history. Artists tell history in a different way, with a different perspective.
  • Bell is attracted to great stories. She feels it is not by accident that 80% of all the artworks she owns are by women artists. "There is something about their sensibility and aesthetic that resonates with me" says Bell.
  • She admits following her instinct and buying what she likes. But of course, with time and experience, her "eyes are more open”.
  • Her goal is for all the works she owns to eventually end up in a museum collection or with her son Douglas Keller and his wife Halsey Keller who works at the Guggenheim Museum.
  • Patricia takes great pleasure in knowing that other people with enjoy the artworks that she loves.


Collector and Art Patron Patricia A. Bell
Photo courtesy of Patricia A. Bell

Artist spotlight: Hugo McCloud
 

Finding beauty in the ordinary is what drives artist Hugo McCloud to make art. Based in Brooklyn, McCloud is known for creating striking works of art from traditionally overlooked materials. For his most recent body of work, McCloud utilizes single use plastic bags as his medium and color palette to create gorgeous works addressing issues of poverty, economic development and the environment. The result is often stunning with the plastic bringing transparency and texture to the work. Drawing from his background in industrial design, McCloud had previously created large abstract works using scrap metal. 
Hugo McCloud is having a solo show at Sean Kelly Gallery in New York in January 2021. I am looking forward to this exhibition and curious to see McCloud's new body of work.

Hugo McCloudOne in front of the other, 2019
Single use plastic merchandise bags on panel

Must Read

News: Save jobs or sell a David Hockney's painting? This is a dilemma that many art organizations have been facing lately. Should they sell major works from their collection to generate cash during these very unprecedented times? Read the full article in The Guardian.

Thanks to artist Derrick Adams and RxArt, the pediatric emergency department of NYC Hospital in Harlem has been transformed into a bright, playful and inviting environment for patients. RxART commissioned Adams to create detailed artworks that were translated into wall coverings for six treatment rooms. RxART is a nonprofit organization whose mission is "to help children heal through the extraordinary power of visual art". 
Learn more about RxArt and its many wonderful projects. 
 

 


 

Documentary: "Aggie" is an inspiring new documentary about the life journey of philanthropist and art collector Agnes Gund. Gund is widely known and praised for having sold a Roy Lichtenstein painting for $100 million and gifting the money to the Ford Foundation to establish the Art for Justice Fund and fight mass incarceration in the United States. The film is available to rent via the Film Forum in New York.

Newsflash: The Andrew Mellon Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organization in the United States has announced that it would spend $250 million over five years to help reimagine the country's approach to monuments and memorials, in an effort to better reflect the diversity of American stories. Listen  to NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, about the initiative.
 

On Collecting 
Looking to buy art or selling art?  Let's talk. I am now part of Artsy preferred advisory network.

Contact me at estelle@partnerinart.com. Let's talk about art!

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