Where Art and Commerce Meet

Decor NYC's Pamela Auchincloss

Silver Gelatin Photographic Collage by Mary Miss

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Bruce Tilley’s furniture consignment shop Decor NYC (I wrote a piece about him a few weeks back.)   I was in Chelsea last Friday, so I stopped in to see what new inventory had arrived.  While browsing I found Bruce in his office with Pamela Auchincloss, who he’s enlisted to extend his concept of “Re-purposed Luxury” to the world of fine art.  Trading in pieces of fine art by selling them on consignment?  I found myself intrigued, so I pulled up a chair.

Auchincloss shared how she’d spent a childhood surrounded by the ever-expanding art collection her father amassed, and how her love of art eventually led her to become a gallery owner.  I asked her to help me understand her career, and life as a curator.

“As a gallery owner one is, effectively, a curator, and I owned and operated my own gallery in Santa Barbara and then New York for 15 years.  Following the close of the gallery I reorganized and started Arts Management Services in 1996, a curatorial services company focused on mid-sized, regional museums, university art galleries, and not-for-profit art spaces. I curated a number of the shows including works by Pat Steir, Gregory Amenoff, and Gary Stephan. I’ve also co-curated several group shows working with Klaus Ottmann and Vicky Clark, to mention a few.   I’ve also traveled on behalf of other museums exhibitions featuring David Smith, Carrie Mae Weems, and Jean-Claude and Christo, among others. Currently I am the Curatorial Director of Artist Pension Trust, a financial planning program for artists around the world.”

Because of her background, Tilley asked Auchincloss to work with him at Decor NYC, essentially bringing her knowledge and talent to his consignment concept.  I asked Pamela to explain.

Decor NYC has a commitment to art as a part of the home setting.  For the consumer,  it’s a user friendly setting where one can easily imagine how art fits in the home. For the collector, it is a way to renew one’s collection and grow their aesthetic taste by effectively “trading” their art in through our consignment/acquisition program. For the trade, it is an option to the gallery system and an alternate consignment platform.  It’s also a way to find great value as the prices are less than full retail.”

The duo showed me some pieces in their current collection. There are works by Sol LeWitt, Pat Steir, John Walker, Scott Jacobson, Giuseppe Gallo and others.  There’s also a photographic collage by Mary Miss (very much like the image at the top of this post) on the far left wall which I particularly loved.

Tilley and Auchincloss are hosting an event on August 14th to show the current collection of works available.  If you’re interested in hearing more about it, send me a message via the contact link above, or call Decor NYC directly and mention my blog.

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Pamela Auchincloss  Art Program Director at Decor NYC

Decor NYC   159 West 25th Street   New York  10001   212-488-4977

http://decornyc.com/#