VISIT US IN NEW YORK!
KAC has boots on the ground in the big apple! Bet you didn’t know that our very own, Kimberly Landa has been operating in New York for almost two years covering projects for Kinzelman Art Consulting? We thought it would be fun to catch up with her about officing in the city, navigating NY during COVID and how she’s managing to access incredible art for our clients.
Kimberly @ Perrotin Gallery Gift Shop
Q&A:
Q: You relocated to NYC prior to the pandemic, how has your experience in the city changed during this time and how do you manage to keep work going?
A: Watching the pandemic work its way through the city was a wild experience. Witnessing nightly 7pm applause, a dead empty Broadway Street, protests and riots, then boarded up windows covered in fresh street art made me appreciate the resilience of New Yorkers. Despite the circumstances, it was cool to experience the city in a different, quieter way without the buzz of my busy schedule. Now it feels like NY is getting its groove back, and as hard as some days were, I think I’ve earned some street cred by toughing out the majority of 2020 here!
The key to my tiny apartment-office lifestyle is spending as much time as possible outside, even if it’s for 10 minutes to drink my coffee or between calls. Also, infusing life into my space with my tiny art collection makes my “home office” way more bearable. Lastly, I make a conscious effort to move around my apartment frequently to change it up. Big things happen for KAC when I move from my kitchen table to the couch!
Bloomingdales windows mid-pandemic
Q: Now that galleries and museums are slowly opening, accessing art exhibitions first hand must be a welcome respite. How are you feeling about seeing art in person again after being separated from the gallery scene for so long?
A: I swear I didn't feel human again until I reentered The Whitney last month! Previously, my weeks were packed with openings and gallery appointments. There was never a dull moment and my mental art inventory and iPhone camera roll were always growing at an exponential rate. When the world screeched to a halt in March it was definitely a transition.
I recently attended Tribeca art night and saw a handful of shows in Chelsea. Now I’m far less concerned with my schedule, and spend more time engaging in conversation and really being present with the work. I used to try to pack it all in, and now I am okay with seeing less in a day but having a more meaningful experience. It's hard to top the convenience of speed dating with artwork via online viewing rooms in my slippers, but I really missed the human element, and the irreplaceable experience of stepping into a bright airy gallery and having an instinctual first reaction to a show.
Kimberly at Alex Dodge exhibition at Klaus Gallery, LES
Q: How has living in NY shaped the way you service our projects?
A: I like to say I used to have a long distance relationship with the NY art scene, and now I do with our Texas-based clients. Aside from the obvious answer that I live in the center of endless art opportunities for our projects, moving here pre-pandemic definitely gave me a jump start to working remotely and relying on technology and zoom to manage projects, a way of working we didn’t know would soon be universal!
Q: Can you describe a project that has directly benefitted from you being in NY?
A: Recently, a client of ours had trouble deciding between two artworks that were at a show in Chelsea. It was so convenient (and fun) to have the luxury of hopping over to the gallery in minute's notice to study them further and help our client make a final call. I sent videos in the space to our client so she could understand the scale and texture better, then we had a discussion while I was at the show to make a quick decision based on my first hand experience with both artworks. A decision that can take numerous phone calls and email exchanges was made in just a few minutes, and enriched my work day! We also have a handful of clients with global collections, which result in much easier management of the the New York collections now that I am here and ready to go when something comes up.
Film Forum in Chelsea, mid-pandemic
Q: Got any funny or peculiar stories about life in NY?
A: There are so many I could truly write a book. I tend to be a magnet for peculiar stories, which is only amplified living in the ultimate city of unpredictability. Most recently, I had to hire a “couch surgeon” in order to fit my beloved pink couch into my new apartment because the entrance to my building was too narrow. I drove his car around so he could avoid parking expenses while he deconstructed my poor couch on the sidewalk to it’s bare bones, and completely rebuilt it inside of my living room within an hour. I've since learned that couch surgeons are not uncommon here.
The real kicker was the close proximity of my building entrance to the neighboring, very nice restaurant. I’m sure it really glorified the NYC outdoor dining experience to enjoy a lovely sushi meal alongside an invasive couch surgery!
Kimbelry at Donald Judd show, MoMa
PARK DISTRICT DALLAS
At the heart of the Dallas Arts District, a new mixed-use development recently unveiled their art collection at a public event last month. In collaboration with Trammell Crow Company, Kinzelman Art Consulting acquired 4 works of art for the lobby of their 900,000+ square foot office tower. Among these pieces are a wall-based sculpture by Olafur Eliasson, two site-specific commissions by Billy Childish and a 16 foot painting by Jennifer Bartlett.
Olafur Eliasson wall-based sculpture at Park District, Dallas.
The lobby's sleek open space is punctuated with a pristine Eliasson sculpture titled "The Breathing Moon." Eliasson's work examines consciousness and cultural conditions, and how they define human interaction and perception of the world around us. Nearby is Jennifer Bartlett's dynamic sky painting, consisting of a dense crosshatching that creates texture amid vibrant colors that illuminate the clouds in the composition.
Jennifer Bartlett painting at Park District, Dallas.
Two paintings commissioned by British artist Billy Childish are also included in the collection. In his emotive oil and charcoal paintings, Childish skillfully illustrates his signature fluid and gestural painting technique.
Billy Childish painting at Park District, Dallas.
ORRICK, HOUSTON
KAC recently completed a collection for LA-based law firm, Orrick's new Downtown, Houston office space. The space houses a diverse list of artists, both national and internationally represented, and includes works on paper, paintings and wall-based sculptural works.
Graham Caldwell installation and detail images at Orrick.
Among Orrick's collection are works by Matt Kleberg, Alex Katz, Katy Stone, Evan Robarts, Linda Martinello and others.
Evan Robarts and Matt Kleberg pieces at Orrick.
Former Director of Affiliates for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Alison Weaver, walks KAC through the exciting transition into her current position as Executive Director at Rice University's Moody Center for the Arts. Check out our interview below to get the details on Weaver's return to the Houston art community!
Don't miss Rice University's new Moody Center for the Arts, opening to the public in February of 2017.
Rendering of the new Moody Center for the Arts
KAC asked Curator of The Menil Collection, Michelle White for an inside look into her daily life and points of inspiration. See what this Houston art community power house has to say.
Inside of The Menil Collection
Garbriel Orozco at the Jumex Collection
After our recent visit to Mexico City, it is clear that the city’s burgeoning art scene lives up to its hype. After being introduced to several impressive Mexico City galleries at the Texas Contemporary Art Fair, we were excited to explore what else the city had to offer. During our stay, we managed to visit multiple museums and galleries, an artist’s studio, and two art fairs, Zona Maco and Material. Every experience left us continually impressed by the fresh perspective within this growing arts community. Below are a few of our favorite works from the weekend.
Julieta Aranda at the OMR Gallery Nancy Rubins at Gagosian Gallery
KAC's Adrienne Johnson at Under the Same Sun: Art from Latin America Today at the Jumex Collection
Elizabeth Atterbury at Document Space
Carlos Irijalba at Galería Moisés Pérez de Albéniz
Kim Ye at JAUS Kim Ye (detail) at JAUS
Imi Knoebel at Von Bartha Gallery
