Have you ever wanted to get a behind the scenes look at the New York art scene? Learn how to invest in art? Navigate any Contemporary art exhibition?

You can learn all of that and more, from anywhere, with our NEW online courses that begin March 23. Click here to view our course offerings.

Sotheby’s Institute of Art has been educating leaders and enthusiasts on the business of art for more than 40 years. With our new online courses you can learn from some of the world’s most experienced experts in the art world, from bankers to gallerists to international art lawyers. Click here to gain insider access to the art world—knowledge that only Sotheby’s Institute of Art can offer.

For further information, please contact:
Email: online@sothebysinstitute.com
Tel. UK: +44 (0) 20 7462 3232
Tel. US: +1 212 517 3929

Have you ever wanted to get a behind the scenes look at the New York art scene? Learn how to invest in art? Navigate any Contemporary art exhibition?

You can learn all of that and more, from anywhere, with our NEW online courses that begin March 23. Click here to view our course offerings.

Sotheby’s Institute of Art has been educating leaders and enthusiasts on the business of art for more than 40 years. With our new online courses you can learn from some of the world’s most experienced experts in the art world, from bankers to gallerists to international art lawyers. Click here to gain insider access to the art world—knowledge that only Sotheby’s Institute of Art can offer.

For further information, please contact:
Email: online@sothebysinstitute.com
Tel. UK: +44 (0) 20 7462 3232
Tel. US: +1 212 517 3929

Sotheby’s Institute of Art Offers Behind the Scenes Course on the Contemporary Art Market in New York

Studio to Auction: Conversations in Contemporary Art  a Six Week Course, meets,

New York — New York offers one of the most dynamic contemporary art scenes in the world, and over the years has been the proving ground for many of today’s most influential artists, galleries, museums, and auction houses. Through intimate and public dialogue with distinguished artists, curators, critics, gallery owners, and specialists, the course provides in-depth insight into the production, selection, exhibition and sale of contemporary art in the city today. Students will experience the New York art market from an insider’s point of view and hear from the experts in their own places of business.

Please note – after the first class the course will meet at different venues around the city.

The course is led by Kathleen Madden, a critic, art historian and author. She contributes regularly to Artforum, and un. magazine in Australia and has curated exhibitions for Tate Modern, London. Previously she was the Commissioning Editor of Contemporary Art at Phaidon Press.

Course Dates
Times: 10:30am – 12:00pm
Dates: Fridays February 25, March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25
570 Lexington Avenue, New York

Course Fee
$550

To register email publicprogramsNY@sothebysinstitute.com or go online to www.sothebysinstitute.com/shortcoursesNY

Sotheby’s Institute of Art Explores the World of

Fine Art As An Investment

Art & Finance: Where Two Worlds Meet, a Six Week Course to Demystify Fine Art as an Investment, Wednesdays April 27, May 4,11,18, 25, June 1
6:30-8 pm

New York — Today, art is increasingly sought as an investment instrument. But to be successful, investors need to understand how fine art performs over time, what pitfalls and advantages come with these investments, what categories of investment are available, and how fine art investment compares with other financial instruments.  

 
Art & Finance: Where Two Worlds Meet is a six week course designed to help students better navigate the fine art marketplace. The class, an offering of Sotheby’s Institute of Art New York Professional Studies and Public Programs, is open to all and especially relevant for people who are interested in strengthening their existing experience, as well as for those pursuing a passion for art. The class meets Wednesday evenings, 6:30 pm,  April 27, May 4,11,18, 25, June 1
at Sotheby’s Institute of Art New York campus, 570 Lexington Avenue, 6^th Floor.

The course facilitates discussions regarding the hows and whys of valuations, if works of art can be used as collateral and how buyers should approach fine art investments. Students learn about the varying collecting categories within fine art and observe how an art investment compares with the performance of an equity or fixed income investment. During this class students learn the value of fine art in the context of the current economy and what this may mean for the future, examine famous and infamous cases and come to understand differing views of fine art as a financial asset.

Looking at art as a financial asset may require setting aside certain prejudices about considering a work of art merely for its monetary value – to be sure, the value of a work of art goes beyond what a person pays for it. However, this course attempts to help students come away with an understanding of fine art as an asset that can be measured in a portfolio similar to a stock, bond or alternative asset.

Having been provided with appropriate art and financial market tools and vocabulary, students compare differing expert positions, analyze market data and are able to formulate their own opinions and projections.

The course relies on student discussion facilitated by the instructor through presentation and case studies. Participation and debate are encouraged throughout.

Instructor

The course is led by Noah Kupferman, Vice President and Private Client Manager at US Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management.  He is responsible for the management of his high net worth clients’ wealth planning needs including investments, credit, banking and estate planning.  Mr. Kupferman began his career at Sotheby’s as a Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy specialist.  He has lectured about the intersection of fine art and finance at New York University, Columbia Business School and The Sotheby’s Institute.  He has an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business, a Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s School for International and Public Affairs and his B.A. from Oberlin College. He also studied in China as part of Johns Hopkins University’s School for Advanced International Studies.

Course Dates
Times: 6:30 – 8:00pm
Dates: Wednesdays April 27, May 4,11,18, 25, June 1
570 Lexington Avenue, New York

Course Fee
$600 for 6 sessions

To register email publicprogramsNY@sothebysinstitute.com or go online to www.sothebysinstitute.com/shortcoursesNY

Dr. David Bellingham, Art Business Director at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London Identifies Hallucinogenic Plant in Botticelli’s Venus and Mars

Discovery leads to radical rethinking of the meaning of the painting, which hangs at the National Gallery in London

London, UK— Venus and Mars, The National Gallery, London’s most famous Botticelli, has long been regarded as a tribute to the “conquering and civilizing power of love.” However, new evidence suggests that the painting has another meaning hidden to scholars for years.

While researching the painting for a study of Venus in art, Dr. David Bellingham, Director of the Art Business program at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, became curious about a satyr at the bottom right corner of the painting. The fruit he proffers toward viewers bears a resemblance to the fruit of the plant known to scientists as Datura Stramonium, also known as “thorn apple,” “locoweed,” or “the Devil’s trumpet.” Its hallucinogenic effects were recorded in Ancient Greek texts, so were known to Botticelli at the time, and it has been used as an aphrodisiac and a poison. Bellingham showed the image to experts at Kew Gardens, where they have a specimen of the plant, and they confirmed his hypothesis.

In its notes on the painting, the National Gallery says: “The scene is of an adulterous liaison, as Venus was the wife of Vulcan, the God of Fire, but it contains a moral message: the conquering and civilizing power of love.” Dr. Bellingham believes that Botticelli’s message is more subversive and complex. “This fruit is being offered to the viewer, so it is meant to be significant,” he says. “Botticelli does use plants symbolically. The mischievous smile of the satyr makes it clear that Mars/Adam has been drugged with this highly narcotic fruit.  Datura is known in America as poor man’s acid, and the symptoms of it seem to be there in the male figure. It makes you feel disinhibited and hot, so it makes you want to take your clothes off. It also makes you swoon.”

Dr. Bellingham, who first reported his findings in a paper for the journal Old Masters New Perspectives, believes the 15th-century painting was intended not only as a depiction of Venus and Mars but also of Adam and Eve. He believes that the Datura may represent the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge that Eve offered to Adam, triggering their ejection from the Garden of Eden. The fruit is commonly depicted as an apple, but was not specified as such in the Bible. “It is also telling that this satyr is on his belly, projecting his tongue like a serpent.” Says Bellingham, “This obviously brings to mind other characters from Paradise, reminding the viewer of God’s punishment of Satan for tempting Eve with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.

“In his multi-semantic presentation of Venus and Mars,” Bellingham continues, “Botticelli involves the spectator in the contemplation of a constantly changing interplay of meanings on the themes of earthly lust and spiritual love. We are taken on a journey that spans across Western history, myth and religion- from the adulterous love affair of Venus and Mars, to the dynastic marriage of Roxana and Alexander,  the contemporary tragedy of Simonetta Vespucci and Guiliano de’ Medici, and finally the Christian redemption of Mary Magdalene by the sacrifice of her beloved Jesus.   Botticelli’s final layer of meaning-the biblical Temptation of Adam and Eve, is perhaps the greatest tragic love story of them all.

Sotheby’s Institute New York Names Mary Rozell Director of Art Business

New York, NY—Lesley Cadman, Director of Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York, today announced the appointment of Mary Rozell as Director of the Art Business program at Sotheby’s Institute in New York.

“Mary brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience that reflects the core of our Business Program,” said Ms. Cadman.  “Her extensive experience as an art historian, art lawyer and manager of visual arts enterprises makes her the ideal person to lead our program. Working with the combined talent and dedication of the faculty and staff, Mary will help us to maintain our leadership position preparing the next generation of art world professionals.”

Ms. Rozell has been a member of the Sotheby’s Institute faculty since the Fall of 2008. She earned her MA in Modern Art (German Expressionism) at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, a JD from Pepperdine University School of Law and her undergraduate degree at Hamilton College. She is a member of the California and District of Columbia Bar Associations. An art historian and art lawyer, Ms. Rozell specializes in private art collection management and is a legal advisor to collectors, artists, and foundations.

 While living in Berlin for almost a decade, Ms. Rozell was the Germany correspondent for The Art Newspaper, a curator of contemporary art, and a consultant to galleries and Villa Grisebach Auctions. She wrote and lectured extensively about the emerging art scene and architectural landscape, and is the author of numerous journal articles, catalog essays, and translations. She is currently writing a book on post-Wall Berlin.

Ms. Rozell has also served as the Director of the European Studio Programme for the ACC Galerie/City of Weimar, Managing Director of the Swiss Institute-Contemporary Art, and as director of a major private art collection and related foundation.

“This appointment is a great honor,” said Ms. Rozell.  “The Art Business Program is at the heart of what makes Sotheby’s Institute of Art the most distinguished and unique graduate program of its kind internationally.  It is a privilege to be leading such an illustrious team, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help the program grow as we enter the next phase of our development.”

Sotheby’s Institute New York Senior Lecturer Judith Prowda Named Chair of the Entertainment Arts and Sports Law Section of the New York Bar Association

New York, NY—Judith B. Prowda of New York is the new chair of the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Prowda is senior lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York, where she teaches Art Law and Ethics & Policy in the Art Profession in the graduate level Art Business program. She also is an attorney, mediator and arbitrator in New York, concentrating in copyright, art and entertainment law, as well as a recognized leader in the intellectual property field. She has advised a law firm in Paris on U.S. copyright law, and has consulted at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva. Prior to studying law, she was a reporter in the World Section at Time Magazine and French-English interpreter at the U.S. Department of State.

A member of the State Bar’s House of Delegates, Prowda served as Vice-Chair of the Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section and has been a member of its Executive Committee since 2000. She chairs the Fine Arts Committee and co-chairs the Section’s Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution, which she co-founded. She previously was a member of the Committee on Media Law. In 2005, she was honored by the State Bar’s Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of alternative dispute resolution in New York. She also is a member of the Dispute Resolution Section as well as the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section’s liaison to the Executive Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section.

A frequent speaker and commentator on art law, copyright, and dispute resolution topics, Prowda has published numerous articles in law journals and won prestigious awards. She is a member of the Art Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association and has served on the Copyright & Literary Property and Entertainment Law Committees.  She is on the Roster of Neutrals, New York State Supreme Court Commercial Division and a member of the Commercial Panel of the American Arbitration Association and the Mediation Register, U.S. Bankruptcy Court (Eastern District of New York). She also is a member of the International Literary and Artistic Association and the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. 

Prowda, a native Binghamtonian, received her undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College and earned her law degree from Fordham University School of Law. She also received an LL.M. from New York University School of Law, an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, an M.A. in French Literature from Middlebury College and a Certificate from l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris. She was the first Research Fellow at the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy at New York University School of Law.

Sotheby’s Institute of Art London Receives Validation for Semester Courses, Names Jonathan Woolfson Director of Semester Courses and Summer Study, and Adds Faculty for Growing Programmes in Art Business and Contemporary Art

Semester Courses are now validated as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by the University of Manchester allowing Students to Receive CPD Credits

London, UK— In a reflection of its growth and growing stature in the international art world, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, has received validation for Semester Courses from the University of Manchester under a new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework. In addition, the Institute has appointed four new faculty members, including Jonathan Woolfson as director of Semester Courses and Summer Study. Additional faculty appointments include Dr. Anna Demster as Senior Lecturer in Art Business, Dr. Edgar Schmitz, as Lecturer in Contemporary Art, and Dr Maxa Zoller, Lecturer in Contemporary Art.

This is the first time that the University of Manchester has validated courses using the CPD framework. One full-time Semester Course carries 60 undergraduate University of Manchester credits. Headed by Dr Jonathan Woolfson as the Institute’s new Director of Semester Courses and Summer Study, these courses are set for new developments building on a solid foundation of over 30 years’ experience. Courses include Art & Business, Styles in Western Art, Arts of Asia, and Decorative Art & Design.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Woolfson to the Institute and look forward to a re-invigoration of our increasingly popular Semester Courses which attract a truly international student body,” said Professor Jos Hackforth-Jones, Director of Sotheby’s Institute of Art – London.

Dr Woolfson comes to Sotheby’s Institute of Art – London from his role as Academic Director at Lorenzo de Medici, Florence where among other achievements he spearheaded programme development and accreditation in both the US and UK systems.  He has a broad experience of academic leadership and mentoring and has taught in a range of institutions, including the University of Oxford, the Warburg Institute, the V&A plus NYU (Florence).  Jonathan is a  graduate of The Queen’s College, Oxford, with a PhD from the Warburg Institute, University of London.   He is a cultural historian of the Renaissance and has published widely – including on Renaissance art collecting and the Tudor royal image.

As a new Senior Lecturer for Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s Master’s Degree in Art Business, Dr. Anna Dempster will be leading units on Finance and Research Methodologies in the programme. 

“Dr. Dempster is a most welcome addition to our 12-year-old programme,” said Dr. David Bellingham, Programme Director of the Art Business Programme- London.  “She comes to the Institute with an ideal balance between arts and business.”

Dr. Dempster is an extremely well-qualified academic, Cambridge-educated with a BA in History, an MPhil in Historical Studies and a prize-winning PhD in Management Studies.   While at Cambridge she won the Annual Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Award for Management and Governance. With expertise both in the Arts and Humanities and Business studies, Dr. Dempster has developed an extended teaching and research portfolio grounded in theories of finance, economics and strategic management, and applied to the creative sectors. Dr. Dempster’s last lectureship was at Birkbeck College, University of London, and she has also taught at the London Business School, the Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University) and the Judge School of Management (University of Cambridge).  Her textbook, Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship in the Creative Industries is due to be published by Oxford University Press in 2011.

Dr. Edgar Schmitz and Dr. Maxa Zoller join the Contemporary Art Programme in London as half time faculty.

“Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Zoller are outstanding additions to our already stellar Contemporary Art Faculty,” said Dr. Anthony Downey, Director of the Contemporary Art Programme-London. “These two half time appointments will bring much to the expertise of our MACA team and will continue to help develop the distinctive, international reputation of our MA in Contemporary Art.”

Dr. Schmitz has a BA in Visual Arts from the Academie Royale des Beaux Arts, Brussels,  an MA in Art History from Ruhr University, Germany and a Ph.D in Visual Culture from Goldsmiths College,  University of London. He has extensive teaching and curatorial experience including teaching on the BME curatorial training programme (funded by the Arts Council England) and the Curating Programme at Goldsmiths.   He has also been in the vanguard of developments in contemporary curating and the ‘educational turn’ in curating.  He is a regular contributor to a number of contemporary visual arts magazines and journals and has acted as a consultant for a number of think tanks – most recently on the intersection between contemporary visual art and globalisation.

Dr. Zoller has a BA in the History of Art and in Romance Languages and Literature from the Albert Ludwigs-Universitat, Frieburg,  an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a Ph.D from Birkbeck College, University of London. She is very active in the contemporary art scene with a particular interest in new media.  She has taught at Goldsmiths College and Kingston University and has given lectures and workshops and spoken at art fairs all over Europe – most recently at the Cologne Art Fair, the Oslo Academy of Art and the Vienna Academy of Art.  She has curated a number of exhibitions and writes regularly for Tate and Art Monthly. Maza’s classical art historical training in Germany combined with her encounter with critical theory, mean that she brings a balanced methodology to her teaching – both in its rigorous formal investigation as well as its contextual framing.