Art Market Monitor

Global Coverage ~ Unique Analysis

  • AMMpro
  • AMM Fantasy Collecting Game
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us

Meet The Old Christie’s, Er, The New Phillips

September 10, 2015 by Marion Maneker

Phillips Berkeley Sq. Building

Katya Kazakina profiles the new leadership at Phillips but asks whether this time is really different:

Jean-Paul Engelen quotes the cartoon characters Phineas and Ferb to explain why, after working for Christie’s and the Qatari royal family, he joined the smaller auction house Phillips.

“Dude, we are getting the band back together,” Engelen, Phillips’s new worldwide head of contemporary art, said in an interview, citing the duo who concoct elaborate adventures. “That’s how it feels at Phillips now.” […]

“Would I have come to Phillips five years ago? Absolutely not,” said Engelen, 46, who left Christie’s in 2011 after 16 years to head the public art and exhibition program at Qatar Museums. “At the moment Phillips feels like the most exciting and challenging place to be.”

While a fierce rivalry between Sotheby’s and Christie’s grabs headlines, Phillips has been quietly gaining momentum. Executives said the goal is to boost profit by balancing innovation and expertise in tightly edited categories of 20th and 21st century art and collectibles.

The auction house faces plenty of challenges. “It seemed every few years, Phillips launched some exciting changes, ambitious plans with grand new locations, new partnerships, new strategies, but at the end, it didn’t meet the expectations or goals,” said Grace Rong Li, who advises European and Chinese collectors.

How Those ‘Dudes’ at Phillips Are Revamping the Auction House  (Bloomberg Business)

More from Art Market Monitor

  • Debate Over De Chirico Works Breaks Out Into Rival Authenticating EntitiesDebate Over De Chirico Works Breaks Out Into Rival Authenticating Entities
  • ‘Picasso Privileges’ Fade at LA Times‘Picasso Privileges’ Fade at LA Times
  • Titling at HirstTitling at Hirst
  • Picasso's Black Bands of BondagePicasso's Black Bands of Bondage
  • One Russian's ScorecardOne Russian's Scorecard
  • Art Auction Sales: Frieze Art Fair LondonArt Auction Sales: Frieze Art Fair London

Filed Under: General

About Marion Maneker

LiveArt

Want to get Art Market Monitor‘s posts sent to you in our email? Sign up below by clicking on the Subscribe button.

  • About Us/ Contact
  • Podcast
  • AMMpro
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ

twitterfacebooksoundcloud
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
California Privacy Rights
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Advertise on Art Market Monitor
 

Loading Comments...