Ascent Sotheby's International Realty • Vail, CO • 2014 Catalogue RESIDE® Magazine︱Summer 2014 | Page 7

Opposite page:
The S|2 gallery in Sotheby’s
New York premises, showing
of Canadian abstract art.
This page:
An opening at Sotheby’s S|2 gallery in
London (left) and the inaugural show
of work by Joseph Beuys (below).
Forthcoming exhibitions at S|2
include a show in New York entitled
Power, which juxtaposes young
artists next to the likes of Fontana,
Manzoni and Daidamano.

with ‘pop up’ exhibitions in Hong Kong and Los Angeles

The move into private sales by auction houses marks

prior to the opening of a gallery in London last year. As

a significant development in the art world. As Tholstrop

with New York, this was a separate entity from the auc-

elaborates: “Auctions are the most transparent compo-

tion house, this time, however, with its own premises

nent of the art market, and establish publicly paid prices,

over two floors on St George Street, itself the home to a

from which the entire market, dealers and collectors alike,

number of other cutting edge galleries and across from

benefit. Today’s rapidly evolving global art market creates

Sotheby’s London headquarters.

a need for a multi-channel art business, which Sotheby’s

Experienced curator Fru Tholstrup has been appointed

is well-positioned to provide while leaving scope for many

to run the programme, commenting at the opening: “I

other players.” Perhaps it indicates that dealers and auc-

have great plans for S|2, in terms of both museum-quality

tion houses are moving closer together, yet there is no

selling exhibitions and high-profile curators, which I look

doubt that while boundaries may be blurring, Sotheby’s,

forward to unveiling over the coming months. Certainly our

through S|2, is at the forefront of this change.

clients can expect the unexpected.” This has undoubtedly
been the case, as the opening show of works by German
artist Joseph Beuys has been followed by three curated
shows, the latest entitled This Side of Paradise featuring
paintings from young contemporary artists across Europe.

What these exhibitions all
revealed was the appetite
of clien