Artful Curation is a collaboration between art dealers Julie Green and Clare Mora
What is the backstory of Artful Curation. How did you meet? We met five years ago doing voluntary work at our sons’ school art show fundraiser (Clare doing the art curation and Julie the marketing). A friendship began and mutual respect for the expertise they brought to New Zealand art. Fast forward five years and Artful Curation is launched.
How does the technology work?
Using our VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) technology, we help you visualize the artwork in your own space. From the clients’ perspective it’s pretty simple. You hover over the QR code provided which leads to the VR template, from there you follow the instructions to see the art in your home. The viewer can then overlay the artwork [to scale] into their living room, kitchen, bedroom, garden and so on, bringing the artworks to life before committing and taking away the risk while being convinced that you are investing in something you love. It gives that little bit of extra confidence in the decision making. It’s almost a “try before you buy” process, which is novel and the whole family can get involved with the selection.
Is there a timeline with clients?
We like to refer to the timeline as an organic process where your art experience can be quickly executed or be a meandering journey as you like. We take our guidance from our clients when it comes to timeline. Our objective is that you walk away feeling totally connected to your artworks no matter how long it takes to get there. And hopefully the journey is enjoyable.
I like the concept of try before you buy. Is that a successful strategy?
Everyone is at a different stage in their journey/experience with art. Some clients are very confident and know what they want, whereas others just need a little help with the selection of artworks or with the connection of the artworks throughout the home and with the family. Clare is a talented art curator and helps to bring the artworks to life in a co-ordinated manner so the total collection feels fluid and connected [this includes existing artworks and new artworks]. So, the 'try before you buy' technology enables the client to confidentially see the works in their house, cutting down time spent reviewing artwork options. This is particularly relevant for those people who are time poor.
Tell us about some of the artists you work with.
We are so lucky to be working with some of New Zealand’s most wonderfully talented artists. This can come via a commission in collaboration with the dealer gallery, such as David McCracken in collaboration with the Gow Langsford Gallery, as well as working from an idea or inspiration and coming up with a totally bespoke, client specific art installation and experience that pushes boundaries for all involved. How cool is that! But our key focus is to match artworks/artists with the client, so we look to a large pool of talented artists whom we work with.
One of the things you emphasize is that you are independent. Why is this important?
Because we are independent, we are able to cherry-pick from all the galleries and their treasure-trove backrooms. And we have a network of galleries sourcing artworks on our behalf with eyes in every part of New Zealand and the world making us incredibly mobile and able to deliver the variety, quality and creativity which our clients deserve.
Are there any trends that you are seeing in art collecting at the moment?
With Covid-19 and the need to spend more time at home, we are seeing interest in connecting people’s interiors with the exteriors, and interest in outdoor artworks. We have a great stable of artists who are delivering very beautiful artworks for gardens, courtyards and exteriors of buildings, in different proportions depending on space available. And with our technology we are able to present these in an easy to relate to way.
Why do you think your service is special or different to what else is out there?
We offer a wraparound service from art procurement to installation and documentation. The process of art selection is enhanced and made more comfortable by being able to see some of the works in virtual and augmented reality in our clients home or garden before committing. From client feedback we believe it to be the intuitive artwork selection, project management, including the client wish list, and sometimes pushing boundaries that makes what we offer special. That comes from the close relationship that we form with our clients and the research we put into each individual client art selection and curation. We understand our clients’ needs and aim to deliver beyond expectation.
As our clients in Los Angeles commented: "What amazes me is the detail that everything is thought through. The artworks all work individually, they all work together as a linked collection and work with the interior of our home. Plus, the aesthetics make us individually happy and as a family. Just so successful, we couldn’t be happier."
Call Julie on 027 503 5116; or Clare on 021 0222 7293; www.artfulcuration.art
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