Portrait by Vicente Munoz
Gallerist Audrey Rose Smith’s participation in the New York art scene is
inspiring. It is no surprise that she cites art world figures such as Paula
Cooper and Helene Winer as her influences. Like her heroes, she is guided by an
inspiring ethos be it in her role as associate director at the international
art gallery Mendes Wood DM or as the editor of the biannual art publication, Balcony,
which she co-founded. Here she offers a glimpse into her world, her work and
shares advice on navigating the art world.
Text and Interview by Joy Kaunda
Audrey, was a career in the arts something you had always intended to pursue?
I grew up in an
artistic household where art, architecture, and artists were always a part of
my life. I think in many ways my subconscious engagement with these things is
what led me to pursue a career in the art world, but it wasn’t as neat and
tidy as that—when you’re young, you’re just trying to find good and inspiring
people to work with and learn from and sometimes that is a crooked path.
Are there specific people who influenced your desire to participate in the art world?
I suppose I found
myself drawn to people and characters that showed a degree of eccentricity or
artistic sensibility, but also those with exceptional taste and the ability to
influence others. Female art dealers such as Paula Cooper, Helene Winer, even my
own mother who had her own gallery, these are the figures that inspired me.
What aspects
of your role as associate director do you most enjoy/love?
I love the
day-to-day rhythm of working in a gallery. I get to live with incredible
artistic worlds that change from month to month, that’s invigorating. I spend a
lot of time talking to clients, friends, or art lovers who visit the gallery.
When I’m not at the gallery, I might be traveling for an art fair, at an
artist’s studio or so on. Each day is somewhat open-ended in this sense.
Can you share
some of your favourite art-related memories in New York?
My favorite art memories in New York are the small and unexpected things. Turning a corner in The Metropolitan Museum to stumble upon a favorite painting, visiting a new gallery in an unconventional location. Just last week, my husband and I were leaving a Halloween party in the Lower East Side and walked by my friend Nick Poe’s gallery space, American Standard Co. He had just installed an incredible photograph by Luigi Ghirri. The vitrine gallery at night, gleaming brightly from the street was such an uncanny and beautiful sight. It’s those kinds of moment’s that remind me that New York is truly a city of doers and makers and even a quiet artistic gesture can find a home here amongst all the hustle and bustle.
"I love the day-to-day rhythm of working in a gallery. I get to live with incredible artistic worlds that change from month to month, that’s invigorating."
Can you tell
us about artist's works you’ve acquired?
Recently I
acquired a work by a young British photographer named Isabelle Young. I
discovered her work in Dallas at an art fair and was immediately mesmerized by
her mysterious compositions that possess a unique tension—a kind of suspension
in time between the stillness of the photo and a sense of anticipation or
impending action. The work I acquired depicts a scene from Venice, Italy.
Unbeknownst to me at the time of seeing it, the image is a maquette of a famous
stair in Venice. What I perceived to be true was in fact a myth, and upon
discovering this, I loved it even more.
As an art
enthusiast in New York, the art capital, do you have any personal rituals when
it comes to taking in exhibitions/going to museums?
As cliché as it
may sound, I think few New York experiences exceed going to The Met with no
agenda, just freely wandering. I usually follow that up with what I am
convinced is New York’s best hotdog at Schaller’s Stube just a few blocks east.
In the winter months, a trip to the Neue Gallery followed by dinner or cake and
coffee at Café Sabarsky is pretty great. I love the Viennese menu and setting
which truly transports you to Europe. The Noguchi Museum is also a personal
favorite. It’s a world entirely unto itself. The museum occupies what was Isamu
Noguchi’s home and studio in Queens. I highly recommend the gift shop as well
for specialty Japanese gifts and a unique selection of books.
You worked in
fashion in the past. Are there moments when you feel art and fashion
intersected in a way that was profound and memorable?
I have felt that
in the work of Lukas Gschwandtner, a dear friend and talented artist. His
recent collaboration with Acne Studios for their Paris show was mesmerizing. I
know his work and background and was excited to see it experienced by others in
the context of a fashion show.
What are your
thoughts on the topic, Is fashion art?
I believe there
are fashion designers that absolutely make art—there are the obvious examples
like Rei Kawakubo, Alexander McQueen, Martin Margiela. I think art is defined
by intention and intention only. If you intend something to be art, then it is.
Then if it’s wearable, does it also become fashion, that’s to me the more
interesting question. The works of Joseph Beuys or Franz Erhard Walther, more
recently Barbara Sanchez-Kane, these are artists who have incorporated
“fashion” in the expression of wearing or inhabiting, transforming and
camouflaging. But I do believe the term fashion evokes a multiplying of
something for commercial purposes, and that is where I believe it diverges from
art in its intention.
Participante, past
or present, whom you find inspiring?
Cecilia Vicuña is
an artist of enduring spirit, activism, and poignancy - I am inspired by the
work she makes, the things she stands for, the voice she continues to use.
Mati Diop is an
inspiring woman. I first came upon her film work with A Thousand Suns
(2013) in 2014 when it was screened at MoMA. Her vision and storytelling is
powerful, direct and inventive.
Laura Stoloff is a friend and inspiring woman. I love the way she sees the world, be it through fashion, travel or art. There is a calm beauty about her that I really admire.
What advice would
you give to women who would like to participate in the art world?
Work for people
whose ethic, commitment, and intelligence inspires you. Seek these people out
and make them your mentors.
"Cecilia Vicuña is an artist of enduring spirit, activism, and poignancy - I am inspired by the work she makes, the things she stands for, the voice she continues to use."
Can you tell us about Balcony magazine, which you co-created and edit?
Balcony is a print journal that my partner and I developed in 2020. We created Balcony as a counter-voice to art journalism with the vision to bring art more into the everyday. So much art journalism is created for and around commercial objectives in the art world. With Balcony, we dreamed of creating a print product that is truly timeless, conversational, intimate. Imagine sharing a cup of coffee or a walk in the park with an artist you admire—that’s what Balcony is.
Something you would like to see change in the realm of
art?
Salary
transparency is incredibly important. Exploitation thrives on mystification and
the art world has a lot of work to do on this front.
Take a look at our latest edit HERE, a selection of Audrey Rose Smith’s
new season picks.
Find us on Instagram @ParticipanteJournal. Find @AudreyRoseSmith on Instagram.
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