A conversation with Art Advisors and Event Curators, Lisa Rosenberg and Alexandra Freedman

Lisa Rosenberg is the founder of LS Art Projects, a firm that curates contemporary art experiences and consults on projects.

Alexandra Freedman is the founder and Art Director of Electra projects, a full-service art advisory firm, both out of New York.

With Art Basel Miami Beach and most other art experiences going virtual, we recently sat down with them to discuss how their businesses, clients and experiences have changed since Covid-19 disrupted our artful lives.

Lisa Rosenberg

Tell us a little about yourself?

I graduated from Cornell University with a Major in Human Development and Minor in Art History. I continued on to complete my certificate in Global Contemporary Art at Christie’s in NY. When I started LS ART Projects, the original intent was to organize in-person tours of museums, exhibits and shows, which I did for several years, but it has evolved during the pandemic to Curating Virtual experiences for art enthusiasts.

Lisa, who is your typical client?

My typical clients for LS Art projects are art collectors, art enthusiasts, charity organizations and women who want to learn about the dynamic global art world today!

I also help art organizations such as art fairs, museums and galleries find the right media outlets/channels such as luxury magazines and digital media platforms for them to reach their specific audiences, whether it be collectors, international travelers or art enthusiasts.

How has the art world changed over the past year or so?

The art world has actually become more accessible! Being able to bring people together - globally - is an advantage now through the technology that zoom classes and virtual programs afford us.

Clients are gaining access to museums beyond their city limits. They can now visit museums across the US and abroad. I am currently planning a tour of the Paris Fashion museum during Fashion week with a well-known scholar, lecturer and curator of museums and galleries.

Recently we offered a program that explored the rapidly growing emerging gallery scene in Los Angeles. The opportunity now exists to offer events on a daily basis and a wealth of global knowledge connecting people all over the world and in the leading Art markets such as NY, Paris, Hong Kong and Berlin.

Has technology helped you reach a broader or different audience?

I have had to pivot my expertise to navigate this new digitally driven world, which will now be an exciting part of the art world going forward. Technology has helped me reach so many players in the Art World. Social media, specifically Instagram, talks and interviews with artists has been an exciting new way to learn about their stories and processes.

How did 2020 affect your business, personally?

People enjoy the live museum tours where possible. When this isn’t likely, we work on curating vibrant and engaging instructors that break through zoom fatigue and engage the audience virtually. The Art world has never been a black and white business; it is constantly evolving and changing; it thrives on creativity and so we follow suit with all of our programs!

Alexandra Freedman

Tell us a little about yourself?

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in Modern Art, Connoisseurship, and History of the Art Market from Christie’s Education, New York. I began my career at Christie’s, New York as an auction coordinator in the Impressionist & Modern Art department, learning from top specialists about collection management. I eventually transitioned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I gained a deep understanding of client relations and stewardship. I believe my comprehensive understanding of the contemporary and emerging art markets, along with my passion for travel, experience, culture, and conversation, are the forces behind Electra Projects.

Who is your typical client?

My typical client is someone who is ready to learn about art and is eager to start building, or adding to, their collection in a thoughtful and meaningful manner. My collection management services are available to any person with any budget and in any city.

In practice, this translates to a client roster of design-versed, curious individuals who see the value in amassing a thoughtfully curated collection to complement a well-designed living environment. I often partner with my clients’ interior architects and designers to ensure that the works we acquire together are well represented in the space. More than anything, I’ve taken care to foster a transparent and clear pricing model that lowers the barrier to entry and allows first-time collectors to engage me as a thought-partner and expert.

How do you assess their needs to make the right recommendations?

There are many facets and elements I take into consideration. First, it’s important to have a consultation to understand my client’s goals and vision. These conversations with my client help navigate my suggestions. I may learn about something personal or meaningful to my client and I love to find a way to incorporate that into my artwork recommendations.

Perhaps my client has recently moved into a new home, or just finished decorating, and is looking to acquire fine art that matches their interiors and needs professional guidance on navigating the art world’s offerings. Other times, I’m tasked with addressing multiple wallspaces of various sizes on a specific budget.

Ultimately, it is about understanding a client’s aesthetic and ethos. From there I am able to put forward works by artists and sourced from galleries I believe in, and it’s really my responsibility to educate the client on the merit of the selection.

What Art fairs do you lean towards?

The pandemic, unfortunately, capped a lot of travel to art fairs this year. I like to attend the blockbusters, like Miami Basel and Frieze New York, but I really enjoy the smaller, satellite fairs, as well… Untitled, SCOPE, Nada, and Volta… Independent in New York is one of my favorites. I’m also eager to attend Dallas Art Fair and EXPO Chicago in the near future.

What trends are you seeing amongst collectors?

More than anything, I see that collectors are appreciating art with a renewed interest in works by artists of color and artists who historically have been underrepresented. Further, I think the collecting practices are a direct reflection of the newfound mandate artists, dealers, and curators are embracing that promotes a more inclusive narrative, artworks that reflect a distinctive perspective, and perhaps those created from media that may otherwise not have been considered high art such as upcycled and discarded materials.

What type of art do you tend to recommend?

Every experience with a client is very personal and my approach to developing recommendations is centered around cultivating my client’s interests and honing in on their aesthetic. Motives for collecting vary from client to client. One collector may be interested in shifting their focus to emerging talent, while another may be interested in collecting works on paper by modern masters, so my recommendations are customized to each client’s vision. That said, more than ever, I aim to include underrepresented artists and artists of color into my proposals and provide the education and connoisseurship as to why it is meaningful to support their careers.

Are there significant similarities or differences between New York and Miami collectors?

There are savvy collectors across the board, but the most striking difference is perhaps the relative level of involvement in the arts that New York collectors hold. You have individuals who were raised with museums in their backyards, with a sense of art history and a deep-rooted citywide arts engagement. In Miami, there feels to be a sense of discovery, many collectors who have a strong aesthetic eye but may not know the backstory as to why an artist is working in a certain style or what they’ve gleaned from art history. That said, Miami has a spirit and energy and newfound sense of curiosity that is equally refreshing and makes for a dynamic art market.

How did 2020 affect your business, personally?

This year has certainly been different from the rest! The pandemic has curtailed so many in-person events, gallery openings, and viewings. It’s been a big adjustment; however, on the bright side, now that we are spending more time at home, we are eager to make our homes feel complete which means we may feel motivated to start placing art on our walls.

I’ve always been adept to working online - over email, text, facetime, and Zoom - I work with clients across the country, so working exclusively in a digital capacity has not been a major change, but I do miss the spontaneity of gallery hopping or dropping in to a client’s home to facilitate an install.

Do you have initiatives or new ideas to help collectors in the future?

I strive for my newsletter and social media outlets to be a source of inspiration, but also a resource for advising on interesting finds at digital art fairs, important reads and happenings in the art world, etc. I’ve recently participated in some online dialogues about my advisory practice and hope to continue to present and active in the public forum, such as this one with Indulge, to discuss best practices on collecting art.

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