Curating an Art-ful Interior
Two specialists in art and design share their tips for conjuring up spaces filled with contemporary and collectable pieces. Hint: consider art from the start, build up a rapport with your favourite gallerists, and don’t be afraid to call upon the services of a consultant when required. Let Alcaston Gallery Manager Adriana Del Medico and Nexus Designs Director Sonia Simpfendorfer tell you how it’s done.
Moving it around with Sonia Simpfendorfer
What is the relationship between art and decoration?
I feel like it’s a disservice to art and artists when art is reduced to being purely decorative, particularly when it’s being used to fix-up a deficient, lacking space. I prefer art to be in an interior space by choice – not necessity. Ideally spaces are beautiful and complete architecturally first, and art is a personal, meaningful layer that enhances the experience of the interior and reveals something about the people who inhabit it. Alternatively, interiors can be designed as an environment to enhance artworks.
What emotional value can art add to a home?
The sentimental aspect of art can be very powerful indeed. I have a drawing in my own home that was in my grandmother’s house that is from her hometown in Germany. It is a drawing by the locally famous artist in that area of the country she grew up in, so it’s a direct connection to my grandmother and her life before she came to Australia. All of the pieces I have in my home are there for a reason – I didn’t just decide to go shopping for art one day, they have all come to me through different avenues at different points in my life. If you find a piece and it really gets you right in the heart, I would say you should do whatever you can do to get it. Don’t let it slip through your fingers – that has happened to be me, and now that artist is twice as expensive.
Should you move art around from room to room?
Absolutely! This is something [Nexus Designs founder] Janne Faulkner taught me, as in her own home she was always moving her works of art around, allowing her to see them with fresh eyes. You don’t ever want your interior to feel like a stage set fixed in place where things can’t evolve. And don’t be afraid to rest art from time to time – everything doesn’t need to be up or installed all the time, particularly if you like buying more art than you have room for. I would rather have a rest period than have too much art overcrowding the walls. If you don’t have ample storage space you could always loan a piece or a work to a friend.
What if the client has existing art that you don’t like or that doesn’t work with your interiors?
If there is something in their collection that falls within this category, we like to get to the bottom of what the client’s connection is to the work. Sometimes people have art that they are holding onto because it has a deep emotional or sentimental meaning, in which case we try to find a way to use it more creatively in a way that works within the interior we are creating. Hopefully we discover the meaning of a piece at the beginning of working with someone so we can be active in making it work right from the start, so we do have that discussion with them in the early stages of the project. We do this with a great deal of sensitivity and respect.
Why and how do you work with commercial galleries?
We work collaboratively with galleries because we really value their opinions and advice. Sometimes we ask them to put art works forward, and other times we select the art ourselves. We like to work with people that we trust and that have a calibre of artists appropriate to our projects and clients. Working with galleries is also important as they can assist us and our clients to learn about the artist and what stage they are at in their career. Good galleries have a sense how an artist’s career is evolving and it’s lovely to be able to follow that person and support their career.
Bringing an aesthetic narrative in with Adriana Del Medico
How can people begin their art collecting journey?
An unexpected journey to art collecting can often start by seeing a great interior setting inclusive of art in magazines, online, social media and friends’ homes. Visiting public and private art galleries, museums, joining virtual memberships, as well as following galleries and artists on social media platforms, can assist knowledge and the path for collecting. An art collection should be built on what you love – a collection of artworks that suit your personal aesthetic and resonate with you or works by artists whose practice or story you connect with.
What aesthetic value can a piece of art add to a home, compared to say a sofa or a chair?
Furniture and art have always been considered within major interiors throughout the ages; however, art isn’t simply decorative, it is imbued with feeling, ideas, and concepts and can bring an aesthetic narrative into your home. Taking the step to acquire great art, even by emerging artists, not only adds aesthetic value but starts you on a journey for life. Building an art collection is overlayed with your connection to the works – how you acquired it, what stage of life you were in, and the way the work makes you feel. The aesthetic value becomes something deeply personal, a reflection of your relationship with the collection as it is built over time. Alcaston Gallery can emphatically encourage this journey that many collectors have taken, especially in acquiring First Nations art, as it enhances their lives and knowledge, as well as benefiting the artist and their families.
How about placing art in unexpected places – like a sculpture in the bathroom or a very large painting in the bedroom?
Many clients, when renovating or building new homes or offices, already know or acquire art for in-situ plans. Often the art piece commands the design to fit – or a space is designed around the artwork. But great art can be enjoyed anywhere, and sometimes the unexpected or less obvious areas are the best spots for particular works and give your home a unique personality.
What investment value can art potentially add to a home – noting of course that primarily you should buy something because you love it?
Investment in good art can reap rewards in the long term, however research, knowledge, time (and patience) are usually prerequisites. We have found clients with an eye for an emerging artist who paints distinctively from the mind’s eye can develop into something extraordinary. Trailblazing First Nations artists Ginger Riley and Sally Gabori are perfect examples. Lastly, an art collecting rule for all is: follow your instincts – if a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is, so be savvy and simply buy what you love!
Image credits: Marie-Luise Skibbe, Van Sarki, James Geer, Nexus Designs, Simon Strong, Alcaston Gallery