The elite art world and market is opaque and mysterious. Luckily we have insiders who illuminate us by sharing their experiences.https://youtu.be/FtQzpbAVhYo
Michael Findlay started directing gallery programs in 1960s New York and has written about that period in his latest book, Portrait of the Art Dealer as a Young Man: New York in the Sixties.
I talk with Michael about his extensive career and how things have changed over the past 60 years.
He discusses the qualities of a good collector, the evolving relationship between dealer and artist, and the current focus of many collectors on art as investment rather than appreciation. We also talk about the importance of looking—of immersing oneself in the art rather than relying on text and labels.
We finish up with a funny personal story about Andy Warhol.
Listen
Mentioned
- David Hammons
- Profumo Scandal
- Acquavella Galleries
Michael Findlay Quotes
On the best collectors: “They were open-minded. They didn’t have a list. They had a generosity of spirit and they were buying things, dare I say it, for personal enjoyment.”
“I think good art deserves to be expensive, but I don’t think you make it good by putting a big price on it.”
“Every artist should be free to do exactly what they want and not be dictated to by the market or by a group of collectors or a dealer for that matter.”
“You can’t believe it. I got to play a dead transvestite in an Andy Warhol movie.”
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About My Guest
Michael Findlay is an internationally renowned art dealer and director of Acquavella Galleries in New York. His career began in 1964, when he became a pioneer of SoHo’s legendary gallery scene, presenting the first solo exhibitions of many then unknown artists who went on to become household names.
He is the author of The Value of Art and Seeing Slowly (both published by Prestel).
Follow Michael on Instagram: @michaelalistairfindlay
