Recent Bylines
A few pioneering building developers in Manhattan linked with art advisors to give residents unique access points to the art world. In a property with units going for upwards of $60 million, that access point is an exhibition of works by internationally renowned contemporary artists, staged in a penthouse. And in a building with units worth $1 million, that access is an in-house, on-call art advisor. Both are clever responses to market-driven buyer concerns: For high net worth individuals, the trouble is finding art, as large galleries close and art-world hotspots shift in reaction to influencer and internet culture. For “normal” net worth individuals, the problem is a perceived barrier to entry that’s one part intimidation and one part no idea where to start.
I am on neither end of this particular net worth spectrum, but while writing this piece, I began to realize that my personal barrier to entry was largely an issue of self-conception mixed with a few long-standing assumptions. The first assumption was that buying prints at, say, IKEA didn’t count as building a personal art collection. Second, and relatedly, was that these kinds of IKEA prints couldn’t possibly be swapped for one-of-a-kind prints made by working artists, and for roughly the same price. The third assumption was that I didn’t have an art collection. I certainly did, I just hadn’t expanded my understanding of the phrase to include objects like bowls and vases, knickknacks and wall sconces or postcards framed and strategically placed. Even doodles made by friends’ kids could, given the right context, count. You never know where a piece will take you. Published by ELLE Decor in August 2025. Read it here.
