There are a handful of professions in which the gap between excellence and competence is especially large. Plastic surgeons. Olympic swimmers. And, yes, art advisors.
As the art market has grown precipitously over the past three decades, so has the business of art advising. There are simply too many art fairs, galleries, and auctions for an ambitious collector to canvas alone. Plus, the elite art advisor does a lot more than just look. They carry out original research to uncover overlooked gems, handle pesky elements of collecting like shipping, framing, and appraisals, create custom travel itineraries and art lookbooks, and continually push their clients to expand their horizons.
CULTURED consulted expert contributors, gallerists, art-fair executives, and collectors from around the globe to assemble a group of trustworthy and influential advisors shaping some of the world's top collections. They range widely in age, offer expertise that stretches from Old Masters to ultra-contemporary, and work with clients across the tech, entertainment, sports, and finance sectors. What they share is a passion for hunting down the best work they can find and playing matchmaker with a collector who will treasure it. While their efforts often unfold behind the scenes, these figures are critical to informing what we value—and to building the art history of the future.