Digital Commons @ SIA (Sotheby's Institute of Art)
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Janet Sobel: The rediscovery of Janet Sobel and her performance on the art market as an overlooked artist
No full textThis thesis examines the life and artistic legacy of Janet Sobel, a self-taught artist whose meteoric rise to fame was as astonishing as her following obscurity was undeserved. Sobel became a powerful presence in the New York art world, but due to societal biases against women artists and her unusual background, she was soon afterwards written out of history. While there has been increased interest in revisiting the legacies of those who have been historically marginalized, attention has been directed to Janet Sobel, and her contributions to Abstract Expressionism and modern art are being reevaluated. By examining reviews of the recent unprecedented museum exhibition dedicated to Sobel’s work, this study reveals that there is an evident need for rewriting the art historical narrative in which essential figures in the development of certain art movements have been overlooked. Through a combination of these reviews and research of her performance on the art market, this thesis shows that there has been a surge of interest in Sobel’s artistic contributions, and of her remarkable work. Drawing on archival research, family recollections, and analyses of artworks, this study also situates Sobel’s innovative techniques within broader artistic movements of the mid-20th century, and provides context to why she was neglected for a long period of time. Lastly, this thesis agrees with the many advocates of a more inclusive narrative that celebrates the overlooked contributions by women and self-taught artists
ArTAsk: A business plan for facilitating logistics in the artworld
No full textAcknowledging that there is a need to improve a major logistical gap in the art world when it comes to efficiently preparing to attend art fairs –Federica Jermann, recent Sotheby’s Institute of Art graduate, is providing a practical solution through the creation of an app called ArTAsk. Before completing her Art Business Master’s degree at the Sotheby’s Institute in New York, Federica Jermann has gathered several years of helping gallerists from the US, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Ireland in preparing and exhibiting at many renown international art fairs. Through this work she established a strong network and good relationship with many gallerists, and art world professionals. These consistently emphasized the same desperation and problems when dealing with the entirety of the logistical preparations – often within cultural contexts different to their own habits. On the newly developed ArTAsk app one can find and contact specialized service providers at the destination you need who can offer their help in what they do best. The logistical process is therefore simplified, making it a more transparent, reliable, secure, efficient and cheaper for the app users. ArTAsk will focus on providing the necessary service providers for and during major art fairs, but is not limited to only those circumstances, but also for providing these contacts for other art world professionals and other purposes like moving collections or traveling exhibitions. The idea of this business venture is for this app to be designed, developed and launched within one calendar year whilst simultaneously processing standardized service level agreements with the local and international logistical providers. The app would first come into play for Zona Maco art fair taking place in February of 2026 in Mexico City, followed by Art Basel in Basel in June of 2026. Once it has been inaugurated at these two fairs the portal will also launch its features Jermann 4 for other large art fairs like Frieze, The Armory Show, TEFAF, Art Basel’s other locations (Paris, Miami, Hong Kong), Art Dubai, Art Cologne, Photo London, eventually followed by other wellknown satellite fairs like Volta, art Miami, NADA, Untitled, 1-54 Marrakesh, Positions Belin, as well as for the Venice Biennial, and other major art events. Finally, the app aims to facilitate all preparation to an art fair as well as finding the same providers for other logistical purposes like organizing your own exhibition somewhere, planning a traveling exhibition if you are a museum, or simply wanting to ship an artwork or collection without the help of a gallery – if you’re an artist, a collector, an art advisor or other. The financial analysis shows that ArTAsk LLC would break even after the third business year and after 10 years it would reach a positive Net Present Value of USD 3.8 million
ArtAccess
No full textArtAccess is dedicated to revolutionizing the art market by making art accessible to everyone. ArtAcess provides flexible payment options through interest-free installment plans, enabling art enthusiasts to own and enjoy artwork immediately. Simultaneously, it empowers artists, galleries, and collectors by ensuring full and timely payments. Our in-house art advisory services offer tailored guidance, ensuring every client—whether a novice collector, seasoned investor, or corporate buyer—has the tools to make confident and informed decisions. ArtAccess is committed to fostering transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability within the art world, aiming to integrate art as a tangible and meaningful aspect of everyday life
The Skidmore Foundation
No full textThe Skidmore Foundation, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the landscape of the Missouri/Kansas area. Established in May 1994, the foundation has consistently demonstrated its commitment to community development and support through a strong governance structure that ensures transparency and accountability. Our mission is to provide targeted and impactful contributions to elementary art programs, ensuring that these often overlooked communities receive the support they need to foster creativity and cultural appreciation among young students. For the past thirty years, the foundation has been managed by Lindon Q. Skidmore, William Sisney (my grandfather), and now William Kyle Sisney (my father). The foundation has always been popular and sought after in our city, and we have always been consistent in delivering to local needs. However, the foundation has never had any real structure or organization in terms of where our money goes every year, and we have known for a very long time that it would be beneficial to start directing our funding towards something specific and consistent, that way we can create something long lasting and grow our legacy as a foundation. My idea, as the future of the Skidmore Foundation and its leadership, is to develop elementary art programs across the Kansas City metroplex, as art program funding is neglected and somewhat non-existent around our home area. Post pandemic, most rural schools are still recovering from budget constraints and many programs have been completely cut as a whole. This is an issue that we forecast will only get worse over time. Our organization is structured as a tax-exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, allowing us to maximize the impact of our philanthropic efforts by allocating more resources directly to the art programs we aim to support. The foundation\u27s leadership, now under the stewardship of William Kyle Sisney, is committed to advancing our mission through strategic vision and community engagement. Our services are grouped into two main categories: Art Program Funding and Educational Support Services, with a unique focus on supporting art programs in small rural elementary schools. This niche allows us to make a significant impact where it is most needed, distinguishing us from other philanthropic trusts with broader donation priorities. The Skidmore Foundation\u27s business strategy is designed to ensure sustainable growth and adaptability. Our flexible funding model adjusts annual allocations based on trust interest rates, fostering long-term relationships with the schools we sponsor and allowing for the development and growth of art programs over time. By structuring our allocations to allow for growth and development, we ensure that our contributions can increase and adapt to the evolving needs of the schools we support. This targeted school sponsorship approach enables us to provide substantial and focused support to three schools, making a meaningful difference in each institution. Our unwavering commitment to supporting local communities and prioritizing the development of art programs sets us apart, ensuring a sustainable and meaningful impact on the quality and availability of art education in rural communities
In Times of Urgency
No full textThe exhibition In Times of Urgency showcases how three female artists—amidunprecedented threats to the Earth\u27s ecosystem such as climate change, uncontrolled deforestation, and widespread water scarcity—explore the intricate relationships between the body and the environment, the mystical and the physical, and the dichotomy between destruction and rebirth. Using video and installation, Mashael Alasaie, Margherita Chiarva, and Martina Quesada portray ecofeminist ideas inspired by myths, rituals, and dreams, each offering a unique and diverse exploration of this complex and long-existing topic. Mashael Alasaie draws from the folklore and myth surrounding Ain Adhari, a spring in her hometown in Bahrain that vanished due to oil exploitation, as a poignant commentary on environmental loss and cultural amnesia. Her multimedia installation, Sea of Tears, consists of forty glass sculptures infused with frankincense suspended in a dark space, surrounded by two video projections of molten glass and fire, creating a visceral experience of transformation and renewal. Inspired by her grandmother’sstorytelling, Alsaie focused on The Myth of the Maiden of Adhari, which recalls a young maiden being menacingly approached by a strange man in a palm tree grove; she wails in fear until her gushing tears are metamorphosed into an eternal spring. In Sea of Tears, Alasaie mourns the ecological devastation and reimagines the spring through the glass sculptures as an anthropomorphized female entity similar to the maiden\u27s tears metamorphosing from a physical body into a mythical body of water. Margherita Chiarva\u27s performative piece titled 7 Steps captures the artist\u27s engagements with the Atacama Desert, emphasizing the esoteric power of personal ritual. Her seven-day ritual consisted of walking seven steps three times a day, at dawn, zenith, and sunset, at different locations in the desert - every day, with a different intention. Of each step, Chiarva took a black-and-white photograph, an act to transmit her intentions to the Universe. After completing the seven steps, she turned around, walked back, and collected seven stones as a grounding act. Her psycho-magical ritual was entirely recorded and transformed into a powerful video accompanied by a captivating sound. Steps offers an intimate meditation on the role of feminine energy and its power in fostering transformation: the 21 photographs of each day were printed in the dark room and then sewn, a traditional female occupation, on seven large linen fabrics with red thread and finally combined with the cyanotype fabric imprint and the video. The vast desert landscape profoundly impacted Chiarva, who, in deep connection with nature, started feeling very small and humble and realized that the Earth is a powerful entity capable of deciding humanity’s fate. Martina Quesada’s work, Like Earth in Heaven, consists of a big-scale installation, a digital video, and twenty pigmented papers inspired by two vivid dreams triggered by concerns associated with news about ecological devastation. The installation utilizes hand-formed clay figures and a mixture of ashes, plaster, marble dust, and white pigment to represent eroded landscapes, embodying beauty and destruction. The work is connected to a dream of a burnt forest where the ashes, the remains of branches, and burnt trunks are all white—the result of a tragic event caused by humans. However, the paradox is that ash is one of the most potent fertilizers, and a more lush and vigorous forest may be reborn after a major fire. The work speaks of climate change and the disastrous wildfires that have occurred in recent years due to global warming. It also reflects on our relationship with destruction and rebirth and our ignorance regarding the true meaning of the laws of nature. Accompanying the installation is a video based on another dream Martina developed from satellite imagery of Patagonia’s ice fields, presenting a spectral figure navigating a stark, surreal environment, reminding viewers of the precarious balance between human life and the planet’s ecosystems. In Times of Urgency, the works of Mashael Alsaie, Margherita Chiarva, and Martina Quesada offer a contemporary exploration of ecofeminism; each one draws from different esoteric dimensions—myth, dreams, and rituals— as a robust framework to convey their unique perspectives. Working with video, performance, land art, and installation, it celebrates the female spirit’s power to heal and bring awareness to a world needing urgent balance
Auction Houses as Architects of Emerging Art Markets: African Modern & Contemporary Art in the Global Auction Market
Full text linkThis research explores the evolution of the art market and the position of auction houses as market agents driving this transformation through their investment in emerging art categories. It will investigate the case study of African Modern & Contemporary Art, considering how the category has grown over the past several decades through the involvement of commercial and non-commerical actors, with a particular focus on how auction houses specifically have contributed to this development
East Meets West: Korean Modern Art’s Emergence in the Global Art Scene
No full textKorean modern art has emerged as a significant global art trend, capturing the attention of international art community. This paper studies how Korean art has rapidly gained prominence on the global stage, establishing itself as a significant trend within the international art world. The study explores the evolution of Korean modern art, its unique characteristics, and the factors contributing to its growing global influence. Furthermore, the study examines the historical context of Korean modern art, the impact of globalization, and the role of cultural identity in shaping contemporary Korean artistic expression. By analyzing key artists, movements, and exhibitions, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how Korean modern art has become a dynamic force in the global art scene today
The Impact of Digitalization on Primary Art Market Dynamics: A Comparative Analysis of Mega and Small Art Galleries
No full textThe paper examines the transformative impact of digitalisation on the primary art market, concentrating on both large and small art galleries. It analyses the impact of digital platforms, blockchain technology, and social media on sales techniques, audience engagement, and market accessibility. The study exposes differences in resource utilisation, digital adoption, and market positioning between mega galleries and smaller galleries through comparative analysis. Mega galleries deploy extensive digital frameworks to expand their global presence and exclusivity, whilst smaller galleries prioritise accessibility and inclusivity to democratise art ownership. The findings reveal the shifting dynamics of the art industry, highlighting the simultaneous opportunities and problems that digitalisation poses for galleries of various sizes
Aphrodite Conceiving Zeus Exploring its Attribution to Gustav Klimt oeuvre
No full textThis paper explores the hypothetical attribution of a painting titled ‘AphroditeConceiving Zeus’ to Gustav Klimt, a painting discovered in Romania in 2022,focusing on two main inquiries: first, the potential placement of the work withinKlimt’s established oeuvre, and second, the estimation of its fair market value,assuming the painting’s authenticity. While the authentication of the painting iscritical for determining its historical and financial significance, this study primarilyoperates under the assumption of authenticity, enabling a focused analysis of‘Aphrodite Conceiving Zeus’ within the context of Klimt’s known works from two ofhis artistic periods: (1) Historicist (1883–1897) and (2) post-Golden (1914–1918).Nevertheless, the research engages with the discussion surrounding the possibility of the painting being otherwise attributed and discusses the implications of its current documentation. This approach enables a comprehensive exploration of the painting’s stylistic, thematic, and compositional features while critically addressing the complexities and challenges inherent in art attribution. Moreover, this studyundertakes a detailed valuation exercise informed by auction results, market trends, and the economic behaviours associated with Klimt’s artworks. By adopting a multidisciplinary approach that bridges art history and financial analysis, this research provides insights into the implications of attribution and valuation within the contemporary art market. Furthermore, this thesis addresses necessary procedures for the authentication and verification of artworks, laying the groundwork for future inquiries into provenance research and technical analysis. This study serves as both an art historical investigation and an economic study, highlighting the intricate relationship between artistic legacy and market dynamics
Building for Change: Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky’s Architectural Legacy In Social Housing, Gender Equality, and Ergonomics
No full textThis thesis examines the works by Austrian architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky through the lens of social change, highlighting her pioneering role in 20th-century social housing projects. It analyzes how her designs for functional, affordable domestic spaces embodied principles of social equality. Her dedication to addressing the specific needs of housing women, eliminating household burdens, and designing kindergartens to provide dependable child care showcases her as a feminist architect within the modernist movement. The research also explores her groundbreaking work on the Frankfurt Kitchen, tracing its lasting impact on contemporary ergonomics and modern domestic architecture. Finally, this thesis examines her personal life, contextualizing her contributions to early socialist and feminist ideals and revealing how her architectural philosophy and activism sought to empower individuals and influence European housing policies. This thesis explores Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky’s pivotal role in early 20th-century architecture by examining political environments, housing conditions, educational background, and innovative designs. Through her work in social housing and feminist design, Schütte-Lihotzky transformed domestic spaces to support working women’s independence. Her efforts advanced modernist housing reform and feminist principles by prioritizing efficiency, affordability, and community-centered space