0 commentsThe father of a WFU '03 graduate sponsored this new class at Wake Forest. Today was the last day as a part of our Spring Break New York City trip, so our class visited his gallery's Manhattan location to pay thanks and ask questions. The interior design is sophistafunk extreme, much more than double quadrupling the last prime space we visited.
The three children work here at their father's gallery. The two sons share a huge desk space in the same office as the chief. "We're the only ones with computers - he doesn't use one. Things are starting to happen by e-mail now." Alex went out for dinner with us last night, and the girls from class fawned over him!
Inside, the Family Gallery features quite a few supreme masterpieces. A fantastic blue period Picasso that I was leaning against was sold in the 80s to the Japanese for $50 million. A large company aquired the piece after aquisition of the holding company, and the Gallery now serves as their agent. More of the same on every wall - huge paintings by amazing artists each.
It is a global art market. One dedicated employee represents Japan, and another Asia. I asked about China - Have you seen any interest? "We're all expecting it - but not yet." It seems like a lot of time must be spent looking for buyers. "Actually, the hardest part about art dealing at this level is buying. We spend 85% of our time looking for new paintings, and only the rest of our time goes towards selling."
After some more Q&A, the brothers take us down the street to visit their Central Park apartment. The youngest still lives here, along with a cocker spaniel and a dozen Picassos and half-dozen Matisse's. Their private collection is amazingly full of master works. "Those two paintings in the living room are part of a larger set of 13. The last one up for auction, about five years ago, sold for $6.5 million. Dad bought these back in the 70s, I think." These boys are amazingly humble for such circumstance. Polished and honest, shy and normal.