As anybody who has tried to curate an artwork assortment for his or her house will let you know, it takes an eye fixed to place the suitable items in the suitable locations. Cassi Younger has the attention, as evident by the work that had been on show on the Artwork Works Gallery in One Holland Village again in September. She had fastidiously curated the vivid artworks from budding artists Kate Florence and Sylvie Kettle for the gallery’s exhibition, titled The Spirit Of Life. Curating such exhibitions has been certainly one of Younger’s many tasks since she turned the worldwide positive artwork director of Artwork Works Group in Might this 12 months.
Younger has each the attention and the experience for the job. Earlier than becoming a member of Artwork Works Group, she was the previous director of Publish Warfare & Up to date Artwork at Bonhams in London. She beforehand held roles in different esteemed public sale homes, together with Christie’s London.
At Artwork Works Group, a Singapore-based positive artwork gallery and advisory that was established in 2011, Younger has her finger on the heart beat of the Asian artwork market; she leads the corporate’s mission to counterpoint, develop and diversify the collections of artwork collectors within the area. She is especially enthusiastic about championing rising artists, and hopes to supply Artwork Works Group’s purchasers a style of up to date artwork that they could not have seen earlier than.
Forward, Younger tells us extra about her function at Artwork Works Group, her path for the corporate, and what she believes units high-quality artwork aside.
What drew you to a profession within the artwork world?
Cassi Younger (CY): I’ve all the time recognized that I needed to work within the arts. In highschool, I used to be intrigued by something inventive. I used to be tremendous desirous about classical historical past, however then I used to be considering, how do you pivot that right into a profession apart from being a historian? One in every of my favorite issues to do once I was rising up was to go to artwork galleries. Most famously, in Adelaide, there’s the Artwork Gallery of South Australia. It’s fairly a giant establishment and I might go there with my mother [when I was younger]. I cherished being misplaced within the artworks, immersed on this totally different world. I knew earlier than I completed highschool that I needed to have a profession within the arts, in all probability as an artwork vendor or working at an public sale home.
Talking of public sale homes, you beforehand labored at Bonhams and Christie’s London. How do you suppose these experiences contribute to your function at Artwork Works Group?
CY: One of many lovely issues about public sale homes is that you simply study a lot and you’re uncovered to a lot due to how worldwide these corporations are. They’ve so many alternative departments, not only for artwork however for jewelry, watches, vehicles and manuscripts. Coming from a serious public sale home like that, you achieve loads of data about how the posh market works. However personally, the interplay with such wonderful artworks was clearly the spotlight. These are the kinds of works which have been hidden away for possibly 50 years in a non-public assortment, come up for public sale as soon as, after which go to a different non-public assortment. They is probably not seen once more for an additional 50 years. It was a privilege to deal with such artworks, to stand up near them and study concerning the follow of the artists. These experiences and the those who I encountered, from purchasers to colleagues, have been integral to my profession. I’m bringing all of that data to my new function in Artwork Works Group.
You’re the world positive artwork director of Artwork Works Group. What does that function entail?
CY: It’s fairly a giant function. I’m overseeing the inventive curation of the corporate, and there are a number of pillars at Artwork Works Group. The gallery focuses on rising to mid-career artists. It’s an actual ardour venture of mine. One of many causes I joined Artwork Works Group was as a result of I needed to work carefully with artists for a very long time. For the gallery, my function is to decide on the artists we associate with, and form and curate what we current. The advisory, which is one other pillar of the corporate, is a really acquainted house for me as we advise purchasers on their artwork collections, corresponding to which artists to purchase, what artwork works to promote, or the place to promote them, for instance.
What’s your imaginative and prescient for the Artwork Works Gallery?
CY: What I actually need to do is assist native inventive expertise and to convey thrilling modern artists from everywhere in the world to Singapore, and showcase their works right here in order that collectors, each aspiring and established, can expertise one thing slightly bit totally different. That’s actually our aim.
What do you look out for when selecting artists to signify at Artwork Works Group?
CY: Expertise, firstly. You realize, while you’re standing in entrance of an paintings, do you take pleasure in it? Does it convey one thing to your expertise? Are you moved by it? These are all of the issues that [I consider and] I search for. Nevertheless it’s additionally vital to contemplate totally different artists for various areas. In Southeast Asia, sure artists and supplies work higher right here. For instance, if not sorted works on paper don’t fare as nicely in Southeast Asia due to the humidity. So I are inclined to search for canvases or sculptural works—items with a extra strong materials. Additionally, I have a look at the artist’s trajectory and their match throughout the gallery’s roster. Can we assist them in one of the best ways? That’s actually vital as nicely.
What do you suppose artwork collectors in Singapore are on the lookout for?
CY: I feel that color may be very widespread right here. And having good feng shui and a way of concord throughout the artworks is vital as nicely. I feel that purchasers right here know what they like however are additionally open to embracing modern beliefs and worldwide artwork, and we need to convey that to them.
Is there a launch that you simply’re enthusiastic about?
CY: Our upcoming Notion exhibition is our subsequent present and a venture I’ve been passionately engaged on since I joined. It opens on 24 October and it options three UK-based artists: Araminta Blue, Max Boyla and Callum Harvey. It’s titled “Notion” as a result of every artist seems to be at actuality, their notion of house, and the way that’s perceived on the floor of the compositions. As artists they’re all fairly totally different, however there may be an underlying thread [in their art] about the way in which that all of them have a look at actuality, whether or not it’s actual or imagined, and all three are very thrilling artists to observe. Araminta simply had her first solo museum present in Italy, which is a giant second. Max has a solo present that not too long ago opened in Palma, Spain. And Callum has exhibited with a few of the most spectacular younger galleries in London. I’m thrilled to be bringing them out to Singapore.
Pictures: Jaya Khidir
Artwork Route: Marisa Xin
Styling: Kelly Hsu
Pictures Assistants: Aliy Alam And Nowo Kasturi
This story initially appeared on Grazia Singapore and within the October 2024 subject of GRAZIA Singapore.
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