Reading the Art World episode seven: a conversation with curators Sarah Roberts and Katy Siegel, about Joan Mitchell, published in conjunction with their groundbreaking retrospective exhibition of Mitchell’s work at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Listen to this podcast on Spotify and Apple

I think it’s really important that not only is it a life lived with art at the center but it’s art with life at the center. So it’s not about art about art. It’s not meant as an escape from the world. It’s meant to draw the world close and put the most important things about life — nature, love, friendship, dogs, all of that — right at the center of painting.—Katy Siegel on Joan Mitchell

There’s a quote that we put on the wall in the exhibition itself in San Francisco that I chose because it meant something to me. She said: “The solitude that I find in my studio is one of plentitude. I am enough for myself. I live full there.” A lot of artists stop me and tell me how meaningful they found this quote.

—Sarah Roberts on Joan Mitchell

Order the book here .

Reading the Art World is a live interview and podcast series with leading art world authors hosted by art advisor Megan Fox Kelly. The conversations explore timely subjects in the world of art, design, architecture, artists and the art market, and are an opportunity to engage further with the minds behind these insightful new publications.

Megan Fox Kelly is an art advisor and President of the Association of Professional Art Advisors who works with collectors, estates and foundations. For more information, visit www.meganfoxkelly.com

To learn more about the Joan Mitchell Foundation, go to www.joanmitchellfoundation.org

Reading the Art World episode six: a conversation with collector and patron Bernard Lumpkin whose collection is the subject of the exhibition and book, Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists. (D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers Inc, 2020)

It’s nothing less than a renaissance we are in right now . A renaissance of black contemporary art and it’s amazing, it’s exciting. There’s visibility in places where there was no visibility before. There are resources that didn’t exist before; there are opportunities to see the work of black artists and to engage with those artists. There are platforms now which help the conversation around black art … and I love the democratic spirit of that — Bernard Lumpkin

Listen to this podcast on Spotify and Apple

Order the book here .

Young, Gifted and Black celebrates the art of a dynamic new generation of black artists whose works are part of the prestigious collection of Bernard I. Lumpkin and Carmine D. Boccuzzi, longtime champions of emerging artists of African descent. In this podcast Bernard tells the story of his evolution to collector, patron and advocate and how the exhibition of the collection and accompanying book furthers his own mission or broader education about black contemporary art. His decisions around the structure, texts and contributors to the book are a reflection of the way in which he and Carmine engage with their roles as collectors

Edited by Antwaun Sargent, the richly illustrated book features over 100 artworks—including painting, photography, sculpture and performance. With texts by curators, scholars and the artists themselves offering diverse perspectives, Young, Gifted, and Black speaks broadly to notions of community and identity that, while rooted in the specific experience of blackness, capture how these artists are shaping the ways we think about representation, race and the history of art.

Artists

Mark Bradford, David Hammons, Glenn Ligon, Kerry James Marshall, Julie Mehretu, Adam Pendleton, Pope.L, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Henry Taylor, Mickalene Thomas, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Sadie Barnette, Kevin Beasley, Jordan Casteel, Jonathan Lyndon Chase, Bethany Collins, Noah Davis, Cy Gavin, Allison Janae Hamilton, Tomashi Jackson, Samuel Levi Jones, Deana Lawson, Eric N. Mack, Arcmanoro Niles, Jennifer Packer, Christina Quarles, Jacolby Satterwhite, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Sable Elyse Smith, Chanel Thomas, Stacy Lynn Waddell, D’Angelo Lovell Williams, Brenna Youngblood, and more.

Contributors

Antwaun Sargent, Graham C. Boettcher, Jessica Bell Brown, Connie H. Choi, Anthony Graham, Lauren Haynes, Jamillah James, Thomas J. Lax, Hallie Ringle, Adeze Wilford, Gordon Dearborn Wilkins, and Matt Wycoff, plus an interview with Bernard Lumpkin by Thelma Golden.

Learn more about Reading the Art World here.

Great art books have always helped me to better engage with art, delivering a broader and deeper reading on a topic than I can get from the headlines. 

My love of books has led me to launch a new podcast series this year: “Reading the Art World with Megan Fox Kelly.” In each episode I highlight a new or influential author with a special spotlight on new books on art, design, artists, museums and the art market. You can find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform.

As the year comes to an end, I’ve put together a list of my twelve favorite art books this year that we hope will be favorites of those on your holiday gift list – and don’t forget to put yourself on that list as well!

1. Joan Mitchell. by Sarah Roberts and Katy Siegel; with contributions by Paul Auster, Gisele Barreau, Eric de Chassey, Jennifer Hickey and David Reed, Eileen Myles, Richard Shiff, Joyce Pensato, Jenni Quilter, et al.

Joan Mitchell  documents the long-awaited retrospective exhibition which opened at the Baltimore Museum of Art and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art this year, and will travel next year to Paris at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Lavishly illustrated and with in-depth essays and new research, the book reveals how Mitchell drew inspiration from both her life in France, as well as her love of poetry and music to move her painting beyond Abstract Expressionism. The book tells the story of her evolution from her exceptional New York paintings of the early 1950s to her monumental later works.

Yale University Press, January 5, 2021

Available for purchase here or here

2. The Soul of a Nation Reader: Writings by and about Black American Artists, 1960 - 1980. Edited with text by Mark Godfrey, Allie Biswas. Afterword by Zoé Whitley.

Written to follow the groundbreaking 2019 exhibition, Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, organized by the Tate Modern, London which then traveled to the Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, and the Broad Museum, Los Angeles, this “reader” presents writings by over 200 scholars, artists, critics, and curators between 1960 and 1980 by and about Black American artists. This compendium of writings celebrates the important contributions by Black artists to the art and culture of their time.

Exhibition curator Mark Godfrey and writer and editor Allie Biswas researched and edited the extensive writings which include rare and out-of-print texts from artists and writers, as well as texts never before published.

Gregory R. Miller & Co., June 1, 2021

Available for purchase here.

3. Spring Cannot be Cancelled: David Hockney in Normandy, by Martin Gayford and David Hockney

An insightful conversation between long-time friends David Hockney and critic and author Martin Gaylord on art's enduring ability to inspire.  Prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, Hockney had set up a studio in an old farmhouse in Normandy where he intended to paint the arrival of spring. The forced isolation of 2020 ended up providing him even more time to devote to his art, and this book celebrates that time, the work he produced, and the insights he gained about his art. 

Their conversations are beautifully illustrated by drawings and paintings Hockney created in this Normandy studio alongside works by van Gogh, Monet, Bruegel, and others. 

Thames & Hudson, May 25, 2021

Available for purchase here.

4.The Sleeve Should be Illegal: & Other Reflections on Art at the Frick, edited by Michaelyn Mitchell with a foreword by Adam Gopnik

The Frick Collection’s recent move from the lush domestic home of Henry Clay Frick on 5th Avenue to the Brutalist architecture of Marcel Breuer on Madison Avenue created the perfect opportunity to reexamine the collection through a new lens. The Sleeve Should be Illegal is a collection of writings by 62 artists, authors, and cultural figures, focusing on a single work of art at the Frick and how that work has moved, challenged, puzzled, or inspired them.  Contributors include André Aciman, Rosanne Cash,  Roz Chast, George Condo, Teresita Fernández, Carolina Herrera, Abbi Jacobson, Bill T. Jones, Maira Kalman, Julie Mehretu, Catherine Opie, Diana Rigg, Simon Schama, Colm Tóibín, and Chris Ware. These new perspectives are a testament to the timelessness and power of art, and a celebration of this storied New York collection.

Delmonico Books/The Frick Collection, January 26, 2021

Available for purchase here.

5. For Art's Sake: Inside the Homes of Art Dealers, by Tiqui Atencio Demirdjian

A glimpse inside the private residences of some of the most important art dealers working today. For Art’s Sake offers an inside look at how art dealers who are in the business of art collect and live with art in their homes. As a collector herself, Tiqui's writing creates portraits of these collector-dealers and reveals a truly personal side of an often quite private group of individuals. 

Their extraordinary collections are set against the  considered architecture and interior design, all beautifully captured by photographer Jean-François Jaussaud. For more insight into this book, listen to my interview with Tiqui here. 

Rizzoli, October 6, 2020

Available for purchase here.

6. Cecily Brown, by Courtney J. Martin, Jason Rosenfeld, Francine Prose

British-born, New York-based artist Cecily Brown rose to prominence in the late 1990s and her consistently innovative paintings have made her one of the leading artists of her generation. Originally influenced by Abstract Expressionism, Brown has developed her unique voice, which investigates the sensual qualities of oil paint through a process inspired both by abstraction and realism. This is the first and highly anticipated monograph on one of the most influential painters in Contemporary art.

Phaidon Press, November 18, 2020 

Available for purchase here.

7. Rothko Chapel: An Oasis for Reflection, by Pamela Smart and Stephen Fox, foreword by Christopher Rothko, introduction by David Leslie

Published in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Rothko Chapel in Houston, home to 14 monumental paintings by Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko. The works were commissioned by philanthropists Dominique and John de Menil who founded the Chapel as an interfaith sacred space dedicated to global human rights, art, and spirituality.  

Through photographic testimony and the insights of scholars, the book gives an intimate look at what is arguably Rothko’s magnum opus, where visitors seek solace and inspiration within this truly ecumenical sanctuary featuring his iconic paintings. 

Rizzoli, March 9, 2021

Available for purchase here.

8. Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror, by Carlos Basualdo and Scott Rothkopf

Published on the occasion of this year’s dual retrospective at the Whitney Museum and Philadelphia Museum of Art, this book presents a series of essays on  the work of one of America’s most iconic artists. “Mind/Mirror” refers to the concepts of mirroring and doubling which are the organizing principles of the twin exhibitions.

Arguably the most important American artist living today, Johns has produced a body of work which continues to change the way we see and think about art. His art and the ideas behind it are not readily apparent—there is always more that lies beneath the surface and the appearance of the works. But delving deeper into Johns’ creative process and understanding the recurring motifs that thread through his work always rewards the reader with a deeper engagement with the works themselves.

A diverse group of curators, academics, artists, and writers offer a series of essays—including many paired texts—that consider aspects of the artist’s work, such as recurring motifs, explorations of place, and the use of a wide array of media. These include Carroll Dunham on nightmares, Ruth Fine on monotypes and working proofs, Michio Hayashi on Japan, Terrance Hayes on flags, and Colm Toíbín on dreams, among many others. 

Whitney Museum of America Art, September 28, 2021

Available for purchase here

9. Art market insights for collectors and professionals: a suite of three books written by market experts and published by Lund-Humphries:

The Rise and Rise of the Private Art Museum by Georgina Adam

This latest book by art journalist Georgina Adam offers an inside look at the remarkable proliferation of private museums that has emerged globally over the last 20 years.

As an advisor to collectors and in my work with clients on legacy planning for their art collections, I was interested to learn about the motivations driving collector’s decisions—and  to see how these private museums are impacting traditional support of public museums.  Why are collectors opting to build their own museums to share their collections with the public rather than in partnership with existing museums?  And what does this mean for the future?

Georgina’s investigation, based on her recent visits to over 50 private spaces across the US, Europe, China and elsewhere, delves into the reasons behind this boom, and the different motivations of collectors.  

At a time of unprecedented levels of contemporary art collecting globally, and with museums facing a near crisis of challenges to their missions, leadership, and financial stability, I found Georgina’s book to be an informative and truly thought-provoking read for these times.  

For more insight, listen to my interview with Georgina here.

Lund Humphries, September 30, 2021

Available for purchase here.

The Art Fair Story: A Rollercoaster Ride by Melanie Gerlis

In just half a century of growth, the art fair industry has transformed the art market. Now, for the first time, art market journalist Melanie Gerlis tells the story of the rapid ascent of the art fair and reflects on their uncertain future. From the first post-war European art fairs built on the imperial 19th-century model of the international exhibitions, to the global art fairs of the 21st century and their new online manifestations, it's a tale of many twists and turns.

The book brings to life the people, places and philosophies that enabled art fairs to take root, examines the pivotal market periods when they flourished, and maps where they might go in a much-changed world. For more insight, listen to my interview with Melanie Gerlis recorded during Art Basel Miami Beach here. 

Lund Humphries, December 1, 2021
Available for purchase here.

The Art Collector’s Handbook: The Definitive Guide to Acquiring and Owning Art by Mary Rozell

In this second edition of The Art Collector’s Handbook, fully revised since its first publication in 2014, Mary Rozell addresses the many changes which have taken place in the art market, in art law, and in the practice of collecting. 

This book  has become a reference guide for me for best practices in working with collector clients. With guidance on everything from invoice clauses and taxes to insurance, storage, collection management, the care and conservation of fine art, and art financing, this book is an essential guide to the exciting business of collecting art.

A fellow member of the Association of Professional Art Advisors (APAA), Mary Rozell combines her experience as both an art lawyer and art advisor to explain some of the myriad issues that arise when owning an art collection—how to care for it now and plan for the future.

For more insight, listen to my interview with Mary here.

Lund Humphries, September 3, 2020

Available for purchase here.

10. Fierce Poise: Helen Frankenthaler and 1950s New York , by Alexander Nemerov

In this insightful portrait of the artist, Alexander Nemerov focuses on the defining moments of Helen Frankenthaler’s early career in the 1950s. Nemerov provides not only poetic descriptions of her dream-like abstract artworks, but an accounting of steps the artist took to achieve success, from her privileged beginnings to the relationships she formed and nurtured. Readers are presented with an unvarnished picture of a talented and determined woman who, by the end of the decade, had firmly established herself not only on the New York art scene, but as an important American artist of the postwar period. 

Penguin Press, March 23, 2021 

Available for purchase here.

11. The Medici: Portraits and Politics, 1512-1570  by Keith Christiansen and Carlo Falciani

The Medici family ruled Florence between 1434 and 1494 and made a triumphant return to the city in 1512 with Cosimo I de’ Medici at its helm. Art lover, patron, and political craftsman, Cosimo’s ability to use art and portraiture as an instrument for communicating power and prestige was unprecedented. Through his rule and patronage, Florence was transformed into a duchy ruled by the Medici and became the center of art and culture, with artists such as Agnolo Bronzino and Benvenuto Cellini achieving fame for their distinct painting and sculptural styles that conveyed the character, intellect, and social standing of their sitters. This beautifully illustrated catalogue was published in conjunction with the 2021 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, June 22, 2021

Available for purchase here.

12. Francis Bacon: Revelations, by Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan

In this new biography of the elusive Francis Bacon, authors Stevens and Swan bring together a decade of new research and extensive interviews to create a complete portrait of the artist. Earlier biographies and accounts of Bacon’s life have addressed his childhood in Ireland and the loneliness, isolation, and parental judgement he experienced; his ears design career in London; his openly gay lifestyle in decidedly unsympathetic culture; his early failures as an artist and the formation of his artistic vision.

Francis Bacon: Revelations is a comprehensive account of the experiences that informed his life and his art, and in its over 900 pages, it debunks many of the myths that have prevailed around him.

Unique to this book—a feature that is particularly compelling—are the examinations at the close of each chapter of a single painting. Insightful, in-depth, and separate from the narrative of his life, these focused readings on individual works remind us of the genius of Bacon and the body of work he left behind.

March 23, 2021

Available for purchase here.

Banksy's “Love Is in the Air” at auction on May 12, 2021, at Sotheby's. Credit: Nina Westervelt for The New York Times

New York Times reporter Robin Pogrebin reports on the purchase of Banksy’s painting Love Is in the Air and plans to sell off fragments of the artwork as NFTs to thousands of buyers at a fraction of the original purchase cost.

In her article, Cutting a Banksy Into 10,000 (Digital) Pieces (Dec 1, 2021) Pogrebin reports that the company Particle, founded in part by former Christie’s executive Loic Gouzer, purchased the artwork at auction for $12.9 million and the group now plans to sell 10,000 fragments of the work as NFTs, “allow[ing] a much wider audience to be part of a collecting experience” stated the executive.

NFTs have grown in influence in the market in 2020, since the landmark sale of the digital artist Beeple’s work Everydays: The First 5,000 Days for $69 million at a Christie’s online auction in May . The sale of digital artworks now accounts for one-third of online sales in volume, or, two percent of the overall art market according the Artprice database. With the rise in NFT sales we see the creation of consortiums angling to collectively purchase these digital pieces in order to own a slice of a particular artwork.

But many remain skeptical of NFTs their ability to maintain value as vehicles for investment. Quoted in Pogrebin’s article, Megan Fox Kelly stated, “A work of art is a unique object and collectors who love art want to own the object itself…The NFT is a separate entity from the object. I think we’re still in very early days of understanding how these’s NFTs exist as works of art…Right now they appear to be investment vehicles, with potentially significant returns, and the conversations around them are focused on that.”

Read the full article by Robin Pogrebin here.

For our first ‘in-person’ interview for Reading the Art World, recorded in Miami during the Art Basel Art Fair, I talk with Melanie Gerlis about her book The Art Fair Story: A Roller Coaster Ride, published by Lund Humphries.  The return of the annual art fairs in Miami— after a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic—are the perfect backdrop for our conversation.

The one theme that runs throughout this book—and it is the story of art in the past 60 years and the story of art fairs these past 60-plus years—is how much new money has been made and how fairs are mapping where new money has grown. You can almost follow where a fairs land based on where the wealth grew. Over centuries, new money has always wanted new art. They want the art of their time. —Melanie Gerlis

Listen to the podcast on Spotify and Apple

Leading art-market journalist for The Art Newspaper and Financial Times, Melanie Gerlis is at the very forefront of charting and analysing the course of the art fair’s progress. In this definitive account, she masterfully analyses the art fair’s amazing journey of expansion, a phenomenon very much linked to the transformative globalisation of the art world and of the art market. The recounting of this journey leads us across multiple continents and introduces us to a truly fascinating cast of art-world figures and personalities. 

The art fair can be seen as the greatest of blessings for the global gallery community and the artists they represent, offering artists both international exposure and an unparalleled visitor footfall. However, they can also be seen as the greatest of burdens owing to the massive demands they make upon economic, environmental, and indeed human resources. The art-world calendar created by the seemingly endless round of art fairs imposes a punishing schedule, most heavily experienced by the emergent galleries. So how sustainable is this art fair model? 

In The Art Fair Story: A Rollercoaster Ride, Melanie Gerlis engagingly sheds new light on the origins, the triumphs, and the pitfalls of the art fair, and casts a wise and insightful eye on the challenges and innovations on the horizon. 

Learn more about Reading the Art World here.

Reading the Art World: a conversation with Mary Rozell, author of The Art Collector’s Handbook: the Definitive Guide to Acquiring and Owning Art, (Lund Humphries, 2020)

It wasn’t long ago when we would talk about three types of collectors:  there were the art investors which was the new breed and then there was the more traditional collector who is the passionate collector, the connoisseur and then a third category, that people might call the ‘copy-cat collectors’ who in it more for status…But now  we have this incredible democratization of the art world…and I wouldn’t even know how to define different categories of collectors now because almost anybody can be a collector. The barriers have really gone down.—Mary Rozell

Listen to the podcast on Spotify and Apple

In this second edition of The Art Collector’s Handbook which has been fully revised since its first publication in 2014, Mary Rozell addresses the many changes which have taken place in the art market, in art law, and in the practice of collecting. 

I chose this book because it has become a reference guide for me for best practices in working with my collector clients—with guidance on everything from invoice clauses, and taxes to insurance, storage, collection management, the care and conservation of fine art, to art financing this book is an essential guide to the exciting business of collecting art.

A fellow member of the APAA Association of Professional Art Advisors, Mary Rozell combines her experience as both an art lawyer and art advisor to explain some of the myriad issues that arise when owning an art collection—how to care for it now and plan for the future.

Learn more about Reading the Art World here.

Reading the Art World: a conversation with Georgina Adam, author of The Rise and Rise of the Private Art Museum, (Lund Humphries, September 2021)

Listen to this podcast on Spotify and Apple

Art journalist and author, Georgina Adam has covered the global art market for over 30 years as a contributor to the Financial Times and The Art Newspaper, where she was Art Market Editor from 2000 to 2008 and is now Editor at Large. She is the author of Big Bucks: The Explosion of the Art Market in the 21st Century and Dark Side of the Boom: The Excesses of the Art Market in the 21st Century  both published by Lund Humphries. 

Her latest book, The Rise and Rise of the Private Art Museum, published just this month by Lund Humphries, is the subject of today's talk. I chose this book because it offers an inside look at the remarkable proliferation of private collector’s museums — primarily devoted to contemporary art —that have been built globally in the last 20 years.

As an advisor to collectors and in my work with clients on legacy planning for their art collections, I was interested to understand the motivations driving collector’s decisions—-and also to see how these private museums are impacting traditional support of public museums.  Why are collectors opting to build their own museums to share their collections with the public rather than in partnership with existing museums?  And what does this mean for the future?

Georgina’s investigation, based on her recent visits to over 50 private spaces across the US, Europe, China and elsewhere, delves into the reasons behind this boom, and the different motivations of collectors.  

At a time of unprecedented levels of contemporary art collecting globally and with museums facing a near crisis of challenges to their missions, leadership, and financial stability, I found Georgina’s book to be an informative and really thought-provoking read for these times.

Learn more about Reading the Art World here.

Pandemic delays continue to effect the shipping industry globally and the impact on art shipping is significant. Advisors, dealers, and buyers must readjust their expectations—on costs and timing.

In her article in Artnet News Pro, journalist Eileen Kinsella explores the significant impact of global shipping delays facing the art market today. With the increased volume of art being sold and transported, labor shortages, and bottlenecked routes, the shipping industry is under more strain than ever, with no signs of slowing down. Read the full article here.

The Shutdown

Covid-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization, forcing businesses to come to a halt, including domestic and international shipping. With sea routes closed, shipping containers stuck in ports, and a marked decrease in air travel, there was no way for shipping companies to keep up with the increase in luxury spending as the art market actively continued.

The costs of air and sea travel have increased exponentially, with air freight rates reaching four-times their pre-pandemic norm, and transport by sea has doubled. These price increases have raised questions of price gouging and unnecessary delays among those trying to continue business as usual.

Regardless, people had artwork in transit at the time of the shutdown, including many of our clients. In March 2020, advisors and collectors had purchased artwork at the Armory Show in New York and Frieze Los Angeles and could not get accurate updates on their location and movemen. Collectors had loaned artworks to museums, fine art trucks were in transit, and borders were shutting down. At the time, I had just purchased a work located in London for a client through a gallery at Frieze Los Angeles. In trying to ship it out of England to the U.S., the timeframe of 6 months and thousands of dollars in shipping fees were prohibitive.

I knew I was not the only art advisor with clients affected. With the APAA, I organized an live online meeting to find solutions for shipping, inviting industry experts in shipping and insurance to offer advice and protocols to meet the challenge. Our APAA members were eager for advice: a total of 90 advisors tuned in to the first online call. This led to a year long a series of over 55 online seminars for our members that lasted throughout the pandemic—addressing challenges and finding solutions.

The New Normal

Dealers, advisors, and clients are coming to terms with the longer wait times for fine art shipments and higher prices for transit and installation. New customs and import/export protocols, staff shortages and increased activity in the market make it more challenging to deliver works to clients in the timeframes we used to expect. National, regional, and local fine art shipping and installation companies are booked months out making advance planning essential.

In our practice, we continue to uphold the requisite standards for safe packing, transport and installation of our client’s collections. Navigating the new challenges of shipping simply requires the planning of our team and our relationships with preferred firms for transport, installation, framing, conservation, and insurance to ensure care for our client’s growing collections.

Reading The Art World: A conversation with writer and curator, Michele Robecchi on 25 years of Phaidon's Contemporary Artist Series

Listen to this podcast on Spotify and Apple

Since 2012, Michele Robecchi has served as Commissioning Editor of Phaidon’s “Contemporary Artist Series” — a series of monographs that profile and contextualize leading artists of our time. In 2020, Phaidon celebrated the 25th anniversary of this now iconic series of artist monographs which bring together leading artists of our times with some of the world’s most influential authors and curators to collaborate on these artist books. Michele has overseen the editing and publication of over 35 monographs for the series including the work of Mark Bradford, Yayoi Kusama, Jonas Wood, Adam Pendleton, and most recently, Cecily Brown.  In this podcast, Robecchi talks about how his extensive curatorial work and expertise in working with contemporary artists informs his writing and his work on this series for Phaidon. 

I chose the Phaidon Contemporary Artists books for the Reading the Art World podcast because I find that they consistently provide insightful perspectives on contemporary artists and their work written not only by art historians and critics but philosophers, novelists, cultural theorists.

I appreciate these books because the artist’s voice is always captured and reflected in the text and of course in the extensive and beautifully reproduced illustrations.  I found that the books I’ve read from the series— on Gormley, Marina Abromovic, Ai Weiwei, Mark Bradford and so many others—allow me to take a ‘deeper dive’ into the artist that adds to my engagement with their work.

Born and raised in Italy, Michele Robecchi studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan where he received an MA in Curating. Robecchi has organized exhibitions in Berlin, Geneva, London, Milan, Paris and Zurich. For the last five years he has served on the selection committee for the Swiss Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. 

Learn more about Reading the Art World here.

As the Art Industry Has Ballooned, So Has the Number of People Claiming to Be Expert Advisors. Here’s How to Tell If They Actually Are

An editorial by Megan Fox Kelly published by Artnet News, highlights the increased influence of art advisors on the art market and the professional standards collectors should expect of them. In this post, an excerpt from the article outlines recommendations for finding the right advisor. Read the full article here.

Asking the right questions

The expanding role of the art advisor can have either a negative or a positive impact. When art advisors lack experience or work unethically, it breeds mistrust in the marketplace. But the opposite can also be true: experienced, effective, and ethical art advisors have a positive impact not only on the collections they build, but on the market as a whole. A collector considering starting a relationship with an art advisor therefore should consider several questions before engaging in what can be one of the most gratifying—or disheartening—relationships of their collecting career.

What is the Advisor’s educational background and level of experience?

Advisors hail from many backgrounds. In fact, as a general rule, advisors benefit from having experience with—and having developed contacts within—more than one realm of the art world, from galleries and auction houses to museums and universities. Curators, for example, bring a depth of art-historical knowledge, but would benefit from some direct involvement in the market before becoming an advisor.

What is their area of expertise?

Advisors and appraisers should not advise outside of their area of specific expertise. Collectors will want to work with an advisor who knows their field of interest deeply, and have the experience and relationships to facilitate research and access to the right works of art to help build a collection of lasting quality and distinction. At times, we will collaborate with curators or other advisors with expertise beyond our own to help a client with a new area of interest and bring them the trusted advice they need to make smart decisions. These relationships expand, rather than curtail, our practice.

How are transactions conducted and what fee structure do they use? 

Art advisor fees can be based on retainers, commissions on sales and purchases, hourly rates for services, or a combination thereof. Collectors with extensive holdings, for example, who are actively acquiring works each year and require considerable collection management services, might prefer to work with their advisor on a retainer basis, while collectors who rely on advisors to help them source, vet, and strategically advise on acquisitions might decide that a commission on individual transactions is more appropriate. While each form of compensation is acceptable, the most important factor is that an advisor’s fees are clearly delineated in a contract or engagement agreement and that all facts of any transactions are completely transparent.

Do they own inventory, or are they affiliated with a gallery, auction house, or dealer?

I and the APAA advocate for independent advisors who work only in their clients’ best interest and do not have conflicting priorities. While good relationships with other players are essential, outside partnerships can muddy the waters.

What range of services do they provide?

Beyond consulting on acquisitions and facilitating sales, many advisors organize transport, installation, conservation consultation, storage and collection management, and work with financial advisors or family offices on long-term planning for their clients. Collectors may need some or all of these services to support their collecting, and understanding the experience of an advisor and their relationships in related fields will help them to find the right fit. 

Are they a member of APAA or another professional association?

The APAA, the Appraisers Association of America, and the Art Dealers Association of America are professional organizations that carefully vet candidates for membership based on experience, expertise, and reputation; they also set expectations of professional conduct based on their codes of ethics. Members of the APAA have a minimum of five years’ experience as professional art advisors and considerable careers prior to establishing their practices. We do not maintain inventory and we are expected to conduct transactions for our clients with clarity and transparency, and to avoid any situations that pose a conflict with our clients’ interests.

Read The Value of An Appraisal to learn more about the appraisal process and our expertise.

Reading the Art World: a conversation with collector Tiqui Atencio Demirdjian, author of For Art's Sake: Inside the Homes of Art Dealers (Rizzoli, October 2020)

Listen to this podcast on Spotify or Apple.

Tiqui Atencio Demirdjian, author, For Art’s Sake: Inside the Homes of Art Dealers, Rizzoli, October 2020

Our interview and podcast series debuts June 29th as a live streamed interview between Megan Fox Kelly and collector Tiqui Atencio Demirdjian, author of For Art's Sake: Inside the Home of Art Dealers (Rizzoli, October 2020). A unique look inside a world of art and design, the book showcases the interiors of the world's most prestigious art dealers. As a collector, Tiqui’s relationships provide unique access to their homes and collections. Her profiles are enriched with exclusive interviews with dealers such as Dominique Lévy, Brett Gorvy, Almine Rech, Barbara Gladstone, Kamel Mennour, and Axel and May Vervoordt, reveal insights on collecting and living with art. Their homes, many of which were designed by the most renowned names, such as Peter Marino, François Marcq, Jacques Grange, and Toshiko Mori are captured by photographer Jean-François Jaussaud.

The virtual conversation consisted of a 30-minute interview followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.

The interview will be released as a podcast available on all major hosting services in the days following the event. Subscribe to this website to receive future announcements.

Learn more about Reading the Art World here.

Listen to the podcast episodes on Spotify or Apple.

We are pleased to announce Reading the Art World, a live interview and podcast series with leading art world authors launching on June 29, 2021. Reading the Art World presents interviews between Megan Fox Kelly and authors of recently released or upcoming art-centric books. The conversations will explore timely subjects in the art world, based on artists and market trends along with published art historical writing.

“As an art advisor, insightful new books are a vital force in my practice. From catalogues raisonnes and exhibition catalogues to artists’ monographs, biographies and art market analyses, they all contribute to how I work, learn and innovate,” explained Kelly. “Reading the Art World will provide an essential space for us to elevate these works. As an avid reader I’m delighted to have further reason to read more and have the opportunity to engage with the minds behind these publications.” 

Reading the Art World will debut as a live streamed interview between Kelly and collector Tiqui Atencio Demirdjian, author of For Art's Sake: Inside the Home of Art Dealers (Rizzoli, October 2020) on June 29 at 12pm ET. Future episodes will feature veteran arts journalist and author Georgina Adam, author of The Rise and Rise of the Private Art Museums (Lund Humphries, September 2021), and Financial Times art market columnist Melanie Gerlis, author of The Art Fair Story: A Roller Coaster Ride (Lund Humphries, December 2021). Other talks in the series will be announced in autumn 2021. 

The virtual conversations will consist of a 30-minute interview followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. The interview portion of each event will be subsequently released as a podcast available on all major hosting services in the days following the event. Once feasible, future episodes of Reading the Art World will also at times be presented in an in-person setting.

Learn more about the first “Reading the Art World” interview here.

From Art | Basel OVR: Pioneers, March 24, 2021

We are approaching nearly a full year since online art fairs replaced in-person events when Art Basel Hong Kong first pivoted to an online fair last March. Since then, innovations with art fair and gallery online viewing rooms (OVRs) have amounted to what is could be described as a digital renaissance. Galleries and art fairs have continuously transformed the collector experience of viewing art online in the last year. 

Before the pandemic, emailed digital images and online exhibitions featuring simple grids of images were the norm. Now the new OVRs have become more informative and immersive experiences. With video walk-throughs, podcasts with artist and curators, and the ability to view works to scale in rooms, galleries are recreating the sensation of in-person experiences that we have with them at their galleries and at fairs.

With our clients, we have found some keys to success in navigating the OVRs that help us make informed decisions on acquisitions that have added real value and inspiration to our clients' collections—without getting hypnotized by hours of endless, fruitless scrolling. Oddly enough, those keys to success are not unlike the processes we used when going to in-person fairs:

1. Plan ahead. Just as with "live" fairs, we map out where we will go first based on those works that are real priorities for our clients. We plan by learning ahead of time what our favorite galleries will be offering at the OVR, and then visit those first.

2. Focus. Rather than scrolling through the OVRs gallery by gallery, we focus on the artists and types of work that we know our clients are most interested in collecting. It’s easy to get ‘lost’ in the online fairs, and keeping a focus helps us to find works that truly meet our client’s interests and collecting goals.

3. Research. We then vet the works we find just as we would at an in-person fair, evaluating them according to the standards and processes we use for evaluating all acquisitions. In our research, we are assessing whether these are the "right" works for our clients’ collections using our specific metrics for evaluating acquisitions.

4. Dig deeper. Since we cannot see the works in person, we work to get more essential information from the galleries—using video to inspect the works closely with the gallerists, and using our network of trusted colleagues and professionals (other art advisors, conservators, for example) located across the world to “see” these works in person on our behalf. Every aspect of a work is vetted for our clients before we make our decisions.

5. Expand and explore. After focusing and researching the specific pieces on our clients’ "wish lists," we spend time together exploring and discovering new artists and works. OVR presentations ‘democratize' the works in the way they are displayed, with images of works presented at all the same scale online. It can be disorienting to look at art this way, but it also makes exploring the vast offerings of these fairs possible—and it’s easier on the feet than walking through a convention center for hours!

   So much is missed from in-person fairs and we all look forward to returning to looking at art together and having real interaction with the works, artists, and our colleagues. In the meantime, giving yourself the time and space to lose yourself in these online fairs is still rewarding, especially if you allow yourself to be engaged, explore deeply, have fun, and let passion guide you.

Anton Kern Gallery, Nathalie Du Pasquier, Untitled, 2019, oil on canvas 150 x 150 cm., From Art | Basel OVR: Pioneers, March 2021

UNDERSTANDING THE APPRAISAL PROCESS AND STANDARDS OF PRACTICE 

Your works of art, antiques, and collectibles have an aesthetic and personal value which  cannot be quantified. They also have a financial value and understanding that value accurately is important for you as a collector.  Understanding the appraisal process and what type of appraisal best serves your needs is an essential first step.  With a little preparation, you can be assured of an accurate and useful appraisal of your collection. 

WHAT IS AN APPRAISAL?

An appraisal is actually an opinion of the value—prepared by a qualified appraiser after thorough research and documentation and with clear support of the information that led to the valuation opinion.  Appraisals of fine art are used for many purposes such as  insurance coverage and damage or loss claims, decisions about purchases or sales, for charitable contributions, financial planning, estate tax, equitable distribution, or legal disputes.   A qualified appraisal of your fine art collection provides you with an understanding of the value of your works by providing a clear, independent and  opinion of their value. 

WHO WE ARE.  WHAT WE DO.

For over 20 years, Megan Fox Kelly Art Advisory has been trusted to provide certified appraisals for many of the most prominent private collectors, museums, and foundations in the U.S. and Europe.  We have appraised the estates of some of the most important American artists of the 20th century.  A Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America, Megan specializes in Post-War and Contemporary Art, American Art, and 19th and 20th century European and American art.   Withher unique perspective and engagement both as art advisor and appraiser, Megan uses expertise and understanding of the market to provide clients with unparalleled data and analysis that inform her valuations . Senior Advisor, Elizabeth Beaman brings over 20 years of auction experience and expertise in American and 20th century art to her appraisals.

Together the team at Megan Fox Kelly Art Advisory provides timely, thorough, and accurate appraisal reports.

REQUEST OUR APPRAISAL GUIDE AND FORMS

We have created a informative guide which explains the various types of appraisals and how they can be used by collectors, their attorneys and financial advisors. Our guide outlines the appraisal process for start to finish so that you can understand clearly what to expect.

Given current conditions due to the global pandemic, on-site appraisal inspections are neither practical nor feasible.  We have organized a process for conducting remote or ‘desktop’ appraisals which comply with the USPAP and IRS standards so that we can continue to provide appraisals for our clients during this time.

Please contact us for our appraisal guide and forms to begin your appraisal by emailing us at info@meganfoxkelly.com. We look forward to working with you.

We have put together a list of our favorite art books from 2020. While we cannot travel around the world this year to see art in galleries or museum exhibitions, we can lose ourselves in these books and feel transported.

From all of us at Megan Fox Kelly Art Advisory, we hope that you and all on your gift list enjoy!

1. Artemisia by Letizia Treves, with Sheila Barker, Patrizia Cavazzini, Elizabeth Cropper, Larry Keith, Francesco Solinas and Francesca Whitlum-Cooper .

Artemisia Gentileschi is the most celebrated female artist of the Italian Baroque era. Her career spanned more than 40 years as she moved between Rome, Florence, Venice, London and Naples, gaining recognition and praise across Europe for her representations of strong, heroic, female subjects. In 17th-century Europe, at a time when female artists were not easily accepted, Artemisia challenged conventions and defied artistic expectations, continuously depicting and empowering female subjects that were traditionally the preserve of male artists.

This beautifully illustrated catalogue has been published in conjunction with the first major exhibition of Artemisia’s work in the UK at the National Gallery, London. While the Gallery remains closed to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the museum recently launched an £8 virtual guided tour through the exhibition, thus sharing Artemisia’s work with a wider audience far beyond Trafalgar Square.

[Reopening December 3, 2020 - January 24, 2021]

National Gallery London; May 19, 2020

2.  Anni and Josef Albers: Equal and Unequal by Nicholas Fox Weber

An unprecedented visual biography of the leading pioneers and protagonists of modern art and design. This 500 page study of Josef and Anni Albers is the first monograph to celebrate the rich creative output and beguiling relationship of these two masters in one volume highly illustrated and visually stunning volume.

Phaidon Press; November 18, 2020

3. Vincent’s Books: Van Gogh and the Writers Who Inspired Him by Mariella Guzzoni

An insatiable reader, Van Gogh spent his time reading whenever he was not painting and drawing. He read and copied books written in Dutch, English and French by the likes of Dickens, Balzac, Zola, Shakespeare and Homer. This study by independent scholar and curator Mariella Guzzoni examines what Vincent read, what we wrote about and how these literary works influenced his artistic production.

University of Chicago Press; March 10, 2020

4. Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play by Shirley M. Mueller, MD

While this book was published last year, we had to include it in this year’s list.  In this enlightening study, neuroscientist Shirley M. Mueller, MD, relates her own experiences as an internationally renowned collector of Chinese Export porcelain and the neuro-behavioral economics which motivate art collectors. From the pleasurable aspects of collecting—the thrill of the chase, intellectual discovery, and leaving a legacy—to the pain of overpaying or buying something fake—Mueller presents the complicated study of neuroscience in a way that is both compelling and easy to understand for non-scientists.

Lucia Marquand; August 5, 2019

5. Phillip Guston: A Life Spent Painting by Robert Storr

Philip Guston is often considered one of the most influential American painters of the last century. Best known for his cartoonish paintings and drawings from the late 1960s onwards, Philip Guston audaciously returned to figuration at the height of Abstract Expressionism. Drawing on more than thirty years of his own research, renowned critic and curator, Robert Storr maps Guston's entire career in one definitive volume, providing a substantial, accessible, and revealing analysis of his work. With more than 850 images, including key works, numerous unpublished paintings and drawings, and an extensively illustrated chronology featuring photographs, letters, articles, publications, and other ephemera from the artist’s archives, this extensive look at Guston’s life and career is a must-have.

Laurence King Publishing; September 15, 2020

6. Hollywood Arensberg: Avant-Garde Collecting in Midcentury L.A. by Mark Nelson, William H. Sherman, and Ellen Hoobler

In 1913, Louise and Walter Arensberg began assembling one of the most important private collections of art in the United States. They have long had a central role in the histories of Modernism and collecting, but images of their collection in situ have never been assembled or examined comprehensively until now. The Arensbergs were major collectors of works by Sir Francis Bacon, Marcel Duchamp, Constantin Brancusi, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, as well as Pre-Columbian sculpture. They created meaningful associations between diverse works of art in their collection and saw the collection as a form of self-representation. Louise and Walter Arensberg were not simply buyers, but curators selecting and placing each piece with intention in their home. They stand as an example for today’s collectors who seek to grow their collection with passion and purpose.

Getty Research Institute; October 20, 2020

7. Short Life in a Strange World: Birth to Death in 42 Panels by Toby Ferris

In 2012, Toby Ferris undertook the seemingly impossible task of tracking down and looking at every painting still in existence by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the most influential and important artist of Northern Renaissance painting. That mission led to remarkable travels across continents to major museums and out-of-the way collections.

Ferris’ analysis of the paintings reveals new insights into Bruegel’s art while at the same time teaching us how to look both at art and at our world. Beautifully illustrated, this volume is both art history, philosophical meditation and personal memoir.

Harper Collins Publishers; February 25, 2020

8. London’s New Scene: Art and Culture in the 1960s by Lisa Tickner

Extensively illustrated and researched, this book offers an unprecedented, rich account of the social field that constituted the lively London scene of the 1960s which had become a vibrant hub of artistic production a “new capital of art.” Tickner focuses on major artists of the decade including David Hockney, Anthony Caro, Peter Blake, Pauline Boty and Derek Boshier.

Paul Mellon Centre for British Art / Yale University Press; July 7, 2020

9. Cecily Brown by Francine Prose, Courtney J. Martin, and Jason Rosenfeld

British-born, New York-based artist Cecily Brown rose to prominence in the late 1990s and her consistently innovative paintings have made her one of the leading artist’s of her generation. Originally influenced by Abstract Expressionism, Brown has developed her unique voice, which investigates the sensual qualities of oil paint through a process inspired both by abstraction and realism. This is the first and highly anticipated monograph on one of the most influencial painters in Contemporary art. 

Phaidon Press; November 18, 2020

10. Picasso’s Demoiselles: The Untold Origin of a Modern Masterpiece by Suzanne Preston Blier

Suzanne Preston Blier uncovers the previously unknown history of Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, one of the twentieth century's most important, celebrated, and studied paintings and a treasure of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Drawing on her expertise in African art, Blier reads the painting not as a simple bordello scene but as Picasso's interpretation of the diversity of representations of women from around the world that he encountered in photographs and sculptures.

Duke University Press Books; December 13, 2019

11. The Hidden Mod in Modern Art: London 1957-1969 by Thomas Crow

In this study, art historian Thomas Crow examines the outsized influence of the Mod subculture on key figures of the 1960s London Art Scene including, David Hockney, Pauline Boty, Bridget Riley and Bruce McLean. The triumphant arrival of the Mod counterculture movement forced both young Mods and established artists to reassess and regroup in novel, revealing formations.

Paul Mellon Centre for British Art / Yale University Press; October 13, 2020

12. Flavor: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage

Okay, I realize this is not an art book, but I just had to include it. The photographs are beautiful so in that way, it counts. Award winning London-based food, drinks and still life photographer, Louise Hagger, along with food stylists Emily Kydd and Jennifer Kay, are responsible for each photographic masterpiece. Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage are responsible for the culinary masterpiece recipes.

But here’s the real reason why this book makes our list: In October, I made my first business trip since the pandemic with my colleague Susan Davidson—a trip to Maine for an appraisal which was for me, an unprecedented 4 days away, eating out, and not cooking. On our long drive home, I confessed that I was so utterly bored with my own cooking after the last 7 months at home and that my poor husband likely was too (though he is far too kind to say so). Susan fixed that problem right away—opening up Instagram on my phone as I drove, and following Ottolenghi and instructing me to look at his feed for ideas. Which I did. The result has been a transformation of the daily menu at the Kelly household and a very happy husband Sean. (who left this book under the Christmas tree for me).

Ten Speed Press; October 13, 2020

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season!

Megan Fox Kelly was recently quoted in an article written in Worth Magazine by Ron Marans. The article, “How to Become an Artist’s Patron,” examines the benefits, merits, and the how-to’s of patronizing emerging artists who are just embarking on their careers.

From the From the opening paragraphs of the story:

“Although getting in on the ground floor of an emerging artist’s career can be a lucrative financial investment, it is universally accepted that the raison d’etre for patronization has to be passion, not profits. “When collectors want to get involved with the young artists or emerging artists it’s because they have a real interest in and love for the work that they’re making,” says MEGAN FOX KELLY, president of the APAA and an art advisor with offices in New York and Los Angeles.”

The article goes on to discuss the advantage of hiring an Art Advisor to assist collectors and act as their representative in all dealings.

“While gallerists and dealers are often keen to create relationships with customers, by nature, their primary interest is in the artist. This can create conflicts of interest. Art advisors, on the other hand, are “objective advocates who work solely in the best interests of our clients,” according to the APAA’s website.

Art advisors are different than art consultants, with whom many are familiar from the corporate world. Among other tasks, consultants often act as a kind of liaison, helping to find art to fill commercial and corporate spaces. Art advisors are more like guides for their clients as well as someone who can open doors to those super-selective galleries. Having the right advisor offers an immediate stamp of approval.”

Read the full article here - Worth Magazine

Tulips by Jeff Koons at the Broad Museum. Photo by Santi Visalli / Getty Images.

Journalist Ron Marans reports on how collectors can nurture great artistic talent, beyond just purchasing their work.

Quoted in Marans’ article, ‘How to Become an Artist’s Patron’ (March 2, 2020), Megan Fox Kelly shares that, “When collectors want to get involved with the young artists or emerging artists it’s because they have a real interest in and love for the work that they’re making.”

Read the full article by Ron Marans here.

We’ve put together a list of our 25 favorite art books from 2019 that we hope will be favorites of those on your holiday gift list. Remember to put yourself on that list!

1. Cezanne’s Gravity by Carol Armstrong

Focusing on a single artwork by Paul Cézanne (1839–1906), Carol Armstrong sheds new light on this Post-Impressionist artist, connecting him to artists and thinkers, including Roger Fry, Virginia Woolf, Albert Einstein, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty.

November 13, 2018

Yale University Press

296 pages, 8 x 10

108 color + 18 b/w illus.

ISBN: 9780300232714

2. Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again by Ed Schad, Farzaneh Milani, Godfrey Cheshire, and Shirin Neshat

Published in conjunction with the largest exhibition to date of internationally acclaimed artist, Shirin Neshat, this volume examines the artist’s 30-year career and artistic journey as she explores topics of exile, displacement, and identity through photography and video art.

[October 19, 2019 - February 16, 2020, The Broad, Los Angeles, CA]

October 15, 2019

Prestel

240 pages, 9.3 x 1 x 11.3

ISBN-13: 978-3791358758

3. Shunk-Kender: Art Through the Eye of the Camera: 1957–1983 by Jack Cowart, Marcella Lista, Florian Ebnerm Glenn Phillips, and Didier Schulmann

Accompanying the first retrospective of photographic duo Shunk and Kender at the Centre Pompidou, this impressive volume focuses on the defining images of the international avant-garde of Paris of the 1960s and ‘70s candidly captured by two spirited and collaborative photographers.

May 21, 2019

Éditions Xavier Barral

484 pages, 8 x 1.5 x 10.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-2365112369

4. Boom: Mad Money, Mega Dealers, and the Rise of Contemporary Art by Michael Shnayerson

Michael Shnayerson, longtime Vanity Fair contributing editor, chronicles the rise of the contemporary art market, the largest unregulated financial market in the world, and the mega-dealers who he says created it.

May 21, 2019

PublicAffairs

464 pages, 6.7 x 1.7 x 9.7 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1610398404

5. Black Lives 1900: W.E.B. Du Bois at the Paris Exposition by W.E.B. Du Bois, Jacqueline Francis, Stephen G. Hall, David Adjaye and Henry Louis Gates

At the 1900 Paris Exposition, pioneering sociologist and activist W.E.B. Du Bois presented an exhibition of hand-drawn charts, maps and graphs representing the progress of African Americans since the abolition of slavery, alongside photographs by anonymous photographers that depicted the changing status of newly emancipated people across America. This beautifully designed book, featuring an essay by celebrated art historians, Jacqueline Francis and Stephen G. Hall, reproduces these photographs and Du Bois’ graphic works for the first time

October 29, 2019

Redstone Press

144 Pages

10 x .8 x 13 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1942884538

6. Great Women Artists by Phaidon Editors

Featuring more than 400 artists from more than 50 countries and spanning 500 years of history, Great Women Artists is a compendium of the great female artists that shaped art history, including Artemisia Gentileschi, Mary Cassatt, Lee Krasner, Yoko Ono, and Rachel Whiteread.

October 2, 2019

Phaidon Press

464 pages, 11.8 x 1.8 x 11.8 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0714878775

7. Lucian Freud: The Self-portraits by Jason Sharp, David Dawson, Joseph Koerner, Sebastian Smee, and Lucian Freud

Published in conjunction with the exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, Lucian Freud: The Self-portraits explores the artist’s biography and provides viewers with an insight into the development of his style through the artist’s portrayals of himself.

[October 27, 2019 - January 26, 2020, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK]

December 17, 2019

Royal Academy of Arts

160 pages, 9 x 10.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1912520060

8. Venetian Heritage by Toto Bergamo Rossi, foreword by Peter Marino

Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Venetian Heritage--whose mission is to safeguard Venetian cultural legacy as manifested in architecture, music, and fine art--this stunning volume highlights the organization's work in restoring, preserving, and promoting the cultural heritage of Venice.

September 3, 2019

Rizzoli

176 pages, 12 x 12 inches

ISBN: 978-0-8478-6738-7

9. Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson

Former longtime employee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Christine Coulson presents a novel that takes readers behind the scenes of the Met’s magnificent collections to the offices, conservation studios, and storerooms to learn about the private side of New York’s famous museum and its devoted staff of 2,200.

October 8, 2019

Other Press

256 pages, 5 x 7.5 inches

ISBN 9781590510582

10. Robert De Niro, Sr.: Paintings, Drawings, and Writings: 1942-1993 by Robert Storr, Charles Stuckey, Robert Kushner, and Susan Davidson, with an introduction by Robert De Niro, Jr.

This lavishly illustrated monograph is the first to explore the work of American painter and poet, Robert De Niro, Sr. (1922–1993), bringing together the artist’s paintings, prints, and drawings, as well as a selection of his poetry and never-before-published writings. Authors present the innovation, creativity and conviction of the artist and the passion with which he lived his life.

October 8, 2019

Rizzoli Electa

256 pages, 9.5 x 12 inches

ISBN: 978-0-8478-6288-7

11. Vija Celamins: To Fix the Image in Memory by Gary Garrels, Ian Alteveer, Briony Fer, Russell Ferguson, Suzanne Hudson, Frances Jacobus-Parker, Meredith A. Brown, and Nancy Lim

The first major publication of the American visual artist, Vija Celmins, this beautiful catalogue accompanies the critically-acclaimed Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition. The exhibition and catalogue explore the full range of Celmins’s work since the 1960s, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and prints.

[September 24, 2019 - January 12, 2020, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY]

December 11, 2018

Yale University Press

272 pages, 12 x 9.8 x 1.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0300234213

12. Leonardo by Leonardo by Martin Kemp

Written by one of the leading authorities on the immortal Renaissance artist, Leonardo da Vinci, to coincide with the artist’s 500th anniversary commemoration, Leonardo by Leonardo presents the master’s 27 existing paintings and preparatory drawings in a lavishly illustrated volume.

June 7, 2019

Callaway Arts & Entertainment

192 pages, 11 x .8 x 14 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0935112825

13. Ann Craven: Birds We Know by Christopher B. Crosman, Ann Craven and Suzette McAvoy

American artist, Ann Craven, is well-known for her bold and lushly colored depictions of birds, drawn from enlargements of photographs from a single out-of print ornithology book, which were the subject of a survey exhibition at the Center of Maine for Contemporary Art. The exhibition and catalogue include the natural imagery that Craven is known for.

November 12, 2019

Karma Books, New York/Center for Maine Contemporary Art

112 pages, 11.5 x .8 x 11.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1949172300

14. Mike Kelley: Timeless Painting edited by Jenelle Porter

Timeless Painting, the catalogue of the exhibition curated by Jenelle Porter at Hauser & Wirth Gallery, NY, features paintings from series created over a 15-year period between 1994 and 2009. Porter’s introduction to the catalogue is joined by texts by visual artists responding to Kelley’s work. As much an “artist’s artist” now as he was in his lifetime, the texts reveal Kelley’s continued inspiration.

[November 12, 2019 - January 25, 2020, Hauser & Wirth Gallery, New York]

November 26, 2019

Hauser & Wirth Publishers, in collaboration with The Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts

200 pages, 10.5 x 13 inches

ISBN-13: 978-3906915456

15. Surrounded by Art: Panoramic Views of America’s Museums by Thomas R. Schiff and Nina Rappaport

Photographer, Tom Schiff, presents America’s most important art museums, including the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. through a series of beautifully composed photographs that will compel viewers to revisit these historic and modern cultural institutions.

October 29, 2019

Rizzoli Elect

224 pages, 12 3/8 x 7 ¼ inches

ISBN: 978-0-8478-6688-5

16. MoMA NOW: Highlights from The Museum of Modern Art by Quentin Bajac, Christophe Cherix, Stuart Comer, Rajendra Roy, Martino Stierli, Ann Temkin, and Glenn Lowry

In October 2019, the Museum of Modern Art celebrated its 90th anniversary with the reopening of its extensively renovated and expanded Manhattan facility. Highlighting 375 artworks from MoMA’s permanent collection of almost 200,000 objects, MoMA NOW provides a chronological overview, celebrating both the museum’s iconic and lesser-known, but equally significant artworks.

October 22, 2019

The Museum of Modern Art

424 pages, 9.8 x 1.4 x 12.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1633451001

17. Lee Krasner edited by Eleanor Nairne

Coinciding with a major exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery, Lee Krasner features an outstanding selection of the artist’s most important paintings, collages, and works on paper, and celebrates one of the twentieth century’s most inspiring female artists and pioneers in the field of abstract of expressionism whose work stands shoulder to shoulder to that of her male colleagues.

June 25, 2019

Thames & Hudson

240 pages, 9 x 1 x 11.4 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0500094082

18. Robert Irwin: Untitled (Dawn to Dusk) edited by Rob Weiner

Inaugurated in July 2016 after 17 years of planning, Untitled (Dawn to Dusk) by San Diego-based artist Robert Irwin, is the most recent addition to the Chinati Foundation’s permanent collection in Marfa, Texas. This recently released publication documents the Irwin project and the effect that the changing seasons and times of day have on the experience of the work.

August 20, 2019

The Chinati Foundation

252 pages, 10 x 1.1 x 11 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1942884422

19. Tintoretto: Artist of Renaissance Venice edited by Robert Echols and Frederick Ilchman

Published on the 500th Anniversary of Jacopo Tintoretto’s birth and in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, Washington’s exhibition Tintoretto: Artist of Renaissance Venice, this lavishly illustrated publication celebrates the great Italian Renaissance painter of regal portraits of the aristocracy, and religious and mythological narrative scenes. Contributing essays by leading scholars and curators and curators and scientific studies make this a groundbreaking publication on the Venetian master.

October 16, 2018

Yale University Press

336 Pages, 10 x 1.2 x 12 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0300230406

20. Bridget Riley: Dialogues on Art edited by Robert Kudielka

In 1992, on the occasion of a major exhibition of Bridget Riley’s work at the Hayward Gallery, BBC Radio broadcasted a series of five dialogues, each between Riley and an art world personality. In honor of the current retrospective organized by the National Galleries of Scotland and the Hayward Gallery, the original BBC broadcasts have been collected and published in this expertly edited volume.

[October 23, 2019 - January 26, 2020, Hayward Gallery, London, UK]

October 22, 2019

The Bridget Riley Art Foundation

128 pages, 6.8 x .5 x 9.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1999853921

21. Warhol Women by Blake Gopnik, Lynne Tillman, Alison M. Gingeras, Corice Arman, Brett Gorvy, and John Giorno

Published in conjunction with Lévy Gorvy Gallery’s exhibition Warhol Women, this volume is dedicated to Andy Warhol’s fascinating portraits of women from the early 1960s through the 1980s. This beautifully illustrated publication explores the artist’s female subjects and the complex relationship of the ideals of femininity, beauty, and power.

December 5, 2019

Lévy Gorvy

192 pages, 13 3/4 x 10 inches

ISBN: 978-1-944379-30-8

22. Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll by Jayson Kerr Dobney and Craig J. Inciardi

Play It Loud, the Met’s wildly popular exhibition visited by over 500,000 was the first major museum exhibition to examine the instruments of rock and roll, one of the most important and influential artistic movements of the twentieth century. With iconic guitars owned by Chuck Berry, Bruce Springsteen and the incomparable bassist Tina Weymouth, Play It Loud is a Christmas essential.

April 23, 2019

Metropolitan Museum of Art

236 pages, 9.2 x 1.2 x 10.8 inches

ISBN-13: 978-1588396662

23. Marsden Hartley edited by Lærke Jørgensen

Focusing on a defining protagonist in American modernism, Marsden Hartley is a concise survey of the painter and writer’s daring innovations in American painting, featuring commentaries on his work by contemporary artists.

[September 19, 2019 - January 19, 2020, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark]

January 21, 2020

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

144 pages, 9.5 x 10.2 inches

ISBN-13: 978-8793659230

24. Edith Halpert, the Downtown Gallery, and the Rise of American Art by Rebecca Shaykin

For over forty years, Edith Halpert’s Downtown Gallery gallery brought recognition and market success to many of the most important American artists of the 20th century. The fascinating story and legacy of Halpert as an art-world tastemaker who relentlessly championed nonwhite, female, and unknown artists is the subject of this richly illustrated book, which is published in association with the Jewish Museum, New York.

[October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020, Jewish Museum, New York]

November 12, 2019

Yale University Press

232 pages, 9 x .9 x 11 inches

ISBN-13: 978-0300231007

25. Richard Diebenkorn: A Retrospective by Sasha Nicholas

Featuring hundreds of paintings, drawings, and prints covering five decades of Richard Diebenkorn’s illustrious career as both a figurative and abstract painter, this book presents new scholarly research and firsthand reflections by fellow artists, friends and relatives, further cementing Diebenkorn’s place in postwar American painting.

September 10, 2019

Rizzoli

384 pages, 9 7/8 x 11 ¾ inches

ISBN: 978-0-8478-6621-2

Byron Kim Synecdoche, 1991-1992 Wax and oil on panel 100 panels 8 x 10 in. each (JCG10305) Collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. © Byron Kim 2019. Image courtesy the artist and James Cohan, New York.

We are thrilled to announce that the 2019 Robert De Niro, Sr. Prize has been awarded to Byron Kim. Established in 2011 by Robert De Niro, in honor of his late father, the accomplished painter Robert De Niro, Sr., the prize recognizes a mid-career American artist for significant and innovative contributions to the field of painting. Nominated each year by a distinguished selection committee, Byron Kim is the eighth recipient of the $25,000 merit-based prize, administered by the Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) for which Robert De Niro is a co-founder. 

It was a pleasure collaborating with the 2019 selection committee: Carmen Hermo, Associate Curator of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum; Norman Kleeblatt, former Chief Curator of The Jewish Museum and now an independent curator and critic; and William S. Smith, Editor of Art in America. 

Byron Kim’s work sits at the threshold between abstraction and representation, between conceptualism and pure painting. Kim explores issues of time, identity, and deeply personal ruminations through a minimalist approach. To learn more about Byron Kim, please see: (https://www.jamescohan.com/artists/byron-kim)

Megan Fox Kelly Art Advisory began managing Robert De Niro, Sr.’s estate in 2010. Robert De Niro, Sr. (1922-1993) was part of the celebrated New York School of Post-War American artists. His work blended abstract and expressionist styles of painting with traditional representational subject matter, bridging the divide between European Modernism and Abstract Expressionism. 

(http://www.robertdenirosr.com) 

ARTnews : “Byron Kim Wins Robert De Niro, Sr. Prize, Coveted Award for Mid-Career American Painters” 

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/byron-kim-robert-de-niro-sr-prize-1202670016/

Megan Fox Kelly was honored to join The Aspen Institute Artist Endowed Foundation’s Initiative as a part of the panel discussion on “Strategy Spotlight: Navigating the Art Market.” She joined panelists Sanford Hirsch, Executive Director, Adolf and Esther Gottlieb Foundation; Leah Levy, Executive Director, Jay DeFeo Foundation; moderated by Evan Beard, National Art Services Executive, Bank of America Private Bank. The panel successfully examined the changing state of the art market and how this may influence artist-endowed foundations’ options and strategies for representation.