NEW YORK, NY.- Artsy announced its acquisition of social impact auction platform Greenhouse Auctions, and the appointment of its founder and CEO, Shlomi Rabi, to VP of Artsys auctions business. As VP of Auctions, Rabi will lead Artsys commercial and benefit auctions businesses. This important acquisition and appointment marks Artsys continued investment in its growing secondary-market business, further deepening its art industry talent and enhancing the value provided to Artsys partners and collectors. The strategic acquisition also spotlights Artsys commitment to social responsibility and increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
With Artsys acquisition of Greenhouse Auctionsfounded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemicRabi joins the online marketplaces leadership team as VP of Auctions following a successful 20-year career in the art industry. With his deep auction-world experience, which spans a variety of leadership roles at premier international auction houses including Phillips and Christies, Rabi will work closely with executive leadership to strategically grow Artsys commercial and benefit auction business. He will also manage Artsys growing team of art experts who specialize in post-war and contemporary art, prints and multiples, and other collecting categories to support in sourcing, selling, and appraising artworks.
Greenhouse Auctions is a social-impact auction platform with a unique structure. It unlocks opportunities with a growing number of nonprofits and key players in the primary market who are drawn to Greenhouses commitment to social justice initiatives, and its dedicated scholarship fund for art history students in HBCUs. This strategic acquisition supports both Artsys and Greenhouse Auctions mission of combining profit with purpose, and is neatly aligned with the values of next-gen and established collectors.
Discussing Artsys acquisition of Greenhouse Auctions and the appointment of its founder to VP of Auctions, Dustyn Kim, Artsys Chief Revenue Officer, commented: I am delighted to welcome Shlomi to Artsy. From our initial conversations, it was clear how much we were aligned, from our shared core values to his mission for Greenhouse to evolve, diversify, and democratize the art world.
Kim added: With his unique combination of entrepreneurial and art world experience, and depth of auction knowledge spanning 20 yearsas both founder and leaderShlomi is perfectly positioned to accelerate our next phase of growth for our commercial and benefit auctions, and I am excited to work closely with him in this endeavor.
Commenting on his new position at Artsy and its acquisition of his auction business, Shlomi Rabi, Artsys newly appointed VP of Auctions, said: I am thrilled and honored to bring Greenhouse Auctions to Artsy. As the art worlds preeminent online platform, Artsy supports the values that Greenhouse was built upon, including democratizing art collecting, diversifying the art ecosystem, and centralizing the global art market into a single click of a button.
Rabi continued: Greenhouse was founded during the pandemic as a safe space for artists, galleries, and nonprofits to connect, exhibit, and raise funds. Additionally, by feeding a unique scholarship for HBCU art history students with each auction, Greenhouse has promoted cross-strata diversity and turned the act of art collecting into a statement of social justice. There is no better partner than Artsy to continue championing diversity and inclusivity to a global, digital audience.
Inaugural Greenhouse Auction under Artsys Brand, Higher PowerBrothers@: Benefit Auction 2021
As part of the new partnership, Artsy will launch Greenhouses first social-impact auction, Higher PowerBrothers@: Benefit Auction 2021, on November 29th in support of Brothers@. Founded by Dariel Vazquez, Brothers@ is a dual-beneficiary high-school retention and college persistence organization with the mission of improving the academic and social-emotional outcomes of young men of color in both secondary and post-secondary education. The nonprofit organization is designed to empower men of color to pursue their academic goals and enter the workforce, particularly in industries that have lagged in diversity.
Curated by rising star K.O. Nnamdie, recently featured in New York Observers Arts Power/50 issue, the auction features works by over 15 artists who have lent their support to Brothers@s mission through their participation. By leveraging the collective platforms, this auction marks a unique opportunity for collectors and artists alike to support the next generation of men of color to enter, shape, and lead the future of the art world.