NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s unveiled today their newly-expanded and reimagined New York City galleries, located in their global headquarters at 1334 York Avenue.
Designed in collaboration with Sotheby’s by Shohei Shigematsu, of the internationally-acclaimed architecture firm OMA New York, the redesign features vast new galleries that were designed to provide the optimal exhibition space for everything from single objects to expansive collections, and can accommodate works of art of any scale.
Opening today with Sotheby’s May exhibitions and auctions – including masterworks of Impressionist & Modern and Contemporary Art by Claude Monet, Mark Rothko, Francis Bacon and more – the new galleries increase Sotheby’s exhibition space from 67,000 to more than 90,000 square feet (the equivalent of two acres). Comprising 40 public galleries and 9 private sales salons of varying sizes spread across four entirely transformed floors, the new space rivals major museums around the world in scope, scale, quality and flexibility.
Sotheby’s galleries were designed to provide the optimal exhibition space for everything from single objects to expansive collections, and can accommodate works of art of any scale – the tallest gallery measures more than 20 feet in height, while the smallest gallery is 350 square feet.
Tad Smith, CEO of Sotheby’s, said: “Our ambition was to completely reimagine the client experience in our building – from arrival into our lobby, and the path taken to view an exhibition and participate in an auction, through to collecting new purchases. We are thrilled with the way Shohei Shigematsu and OMA New York have realized our vision for a dynamic space that can serve our clients today, and grow with our business and the market into the future.”
Shohei Shigematsu said: "We wanted to embody Sotheby’s ambition to reinvigorate and enhance the client experience by introducing high-flexibility through reorganization of programs and diversification of gallery spaces. The new headquarters is designed for openness and discovery—all public facing programs are shifted to lower levels, unlocking the public potential of the building. A taxonomy of galleries can be used separately or as clusters to allow curatorial freedom, driven by business model shifts and expanding repertoire of programming.”
NOW ON PUBLIC VIEW
IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN ART
Leading the Impressionist & Modern art auctions this season is an enduring symbol of Impressionism from Claude Monet’s iconic Haystack series. Of the 25 canvases that the artist created in the early 1890s, Meules from 1890 is one of only four works from this series to come to auction this century and one of only eight remaining in private hands. Having remained in the same private collection since it was acquired by the present owners at auction in 1986, Meules is estimated to sell for in excess of $55 million.
CONTEMPORARY ART
Sold on behalf of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) to benefit the institution’s Acquisitions Fund, Untitled, 1960 by Mark Rothko will lead the Contemporary Art auctions. An important work completed at the apex of Rothko’s artistic prowess, the masterpiece is one of just 19 paintings completed by the artist in 1960 and will be offered with an estimate of $35/50 million.
IN BLOOM – FLORAL-INSPIRED JEWELS
The selling exhibition In Bloom celebrates the history and evolution of the flower as a design motif in jewelry, from the 19th century to the present day. Curated in partnership with Carol Woolton, the celebrated historian, author, and Contributing Director of Jewelry of British Vogue, In Bloom offers an array of jewels that embody the vibrance and beauty of nature – from the sunny hue of daffodils to the painterly palette of blossoming irises. Comprising 75 pieces, the collection will showcase vintage floral designs from distinguished houses Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, David Webb, Boucheron, Verdura, and Belperron, alongside exquisite pieces by leading contemporary designers from around the world, including Solange Azagury-Partridge, Neha Dani, Eliane Fattal, Fernando Jorge, Sabba, Jessica McCormack and Irene Neuwirth.
AFRICAN & OCEANIC ART
Sotheby’s will offer exceptional Pacific Art from the Collection of Harry A. Franklin, Beverly Hills this May. Franklin's impressive collection of Pacific Art has remained in the family since his passing in the early 1980s and includes a deep selection of sculpture from the ancient island cultures of Oceania including works from New Zealand and the Polynesian Islands, as well as Melanesia and Papua New Guinea, in particular. Notably, the collection features a number of works that Franklin acquired directly in the legendary 1966 auction of the Collection of Helena Rubinstein at Sotheby’s Parke-Bernet in New York. The appearance of the Franklin Collection at auction represents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire pieces which have not been seen on the art market in half a century.
THE LIBRARY BY LORO PIANA
With a long history of producing the finest raw materials in its own mills, storied Italian textile manufacturer Loro Piana is the epitome of discrete, unassuming luxury. The brand’s sophisticated design philosophy is exquisitely articulated in the Library by Loro Piana, an exclusive, bespoke venue in the heart of Sotheby’s New York headquarters. Designed by Loro Piana and appointed with the Italian heritage brand’s elegant textiles, the Library is a comfortable private space for collectors to peruse auction catalogues or view works of art in a cozy environment.
