Inside Oceana Bal Harbours Art Collection
Meet the art advisors who helped curate works for its lobbies.
When Oceana Bal Harbour unveiled its fine art collection in December, Jeff Koons outdoor sculptures werent the only works to catch the art worlds attention. As an art collector and founder of the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, developer Eduardo Costantini also acquired and commissioned works from several other artists to exhibit in the residential propertys lobbies. OSIR spoke to Sarah Jane Bruce and Flavia Masetto, the art advisors who helped curate the permanent exhibit as a generous gift to residents.
The seven artists, including Callum Innes, Juan Usl and Garth Weiser, represent an incredibly diverse range of mediums and geographic regions. What unites their works?
Given that the site is surrounded by water, we chose works that are based on rhythm and reflection.
In addition to the oceanfront site, the property boasts the brightest minds in architecture, landscape and interiors. How important was art within the grand scheme?
Art plays a large part in the overall concept in providing an emotional core to the project. Oceanas collection is a gateway to understanding the forces at work in both the natural environment and the buildings architecture.
How does art enhance the lives of Oceanas residents, and why should other properties consider art as a must-have amenity?
The goal of Oceanas collection is the integration of art with daily life. Just as the open plan of the structure and ease of movement between the indoor and outdoor spaces were planned to foster a sense of natural serenity, the art works have been carefully curated to inspire and connect the buildings residents in spaces where they can feel a sense of tranquility but also community.
You collaborate on projects while running separate, independent art advisory firms. What are your backgrounds?
Masetto:
I was born in Argentina, where Im based, and grew up in Brazil. I was exposed to art at a young age, since my mother was an artist and art professor. After studying fashion design at the University of Buenos Aires and painting with Argentine master Carlos Caas, I did a complete 180 and went into finance. I had no idea at the time how important the combination of the two fields would become in giving me a unique, advantageous perspective on the rapidly changing art landscape. Contemporary Latin American art, my expertise, has gained global prominence.
Bruce:
Im from Louisiana and studied art history at Emory University and Columbia University, where I received a masters degree. Before founding my own firm for modern and contemporary art, I worked at galleries like Cheim & Read in New York and Christopher Grimes in Los Angeles. Having experience on both sides of the business benefits my clients. I have many celebrity clients due to my locale, Los Angeles, but Ive also helped people in all stages of collecting, from someone in tech whos just starting out to very experienced collectors who require extra services like appraisals and collection management in addition to acquisitions.
What's a typical day in your world?
Bruce:
It starts very early (Im on PST) with calls to Europe and the East Coast. The rest of the day is spent with gallery and studio visits, installations and client meetings. Theres a great deal of travel involved, whether attending art fairs around the world or checking in on projects from New York to Miami.
Masetto:
I begin by posting on my educational blog (http://blogs.infobae.com/bellas-artes/) when Im at my freshest and most inspired. After catching up on financial and art newsThe Art Newspaper is a great sourceIll Skype with clients about themes and budgets for new works and the day-to-day operations of a collection like shipping and storage. Besides viewing art in museums, studios and private collections, Im working on a project to promote 20th-century Argentinean art to international institutions and private collections.
How much of your work is for private collections vs. commercial and residential real estate projects like Oceana?
Seventy percent still involves private collections and museums, but were seeing an uptick in financial institutions and real estate projects as more developers understand how fine art adds value.
Who are currently some of your favorite artists?
Masetto:
I like to recognize artists who are contemplating the world with a new poetry that makes one think, meditate and connect with other disciplines. I also like artists who are easy to read. Pierre Huyghe, Jannis Kounellis and Louise Bourgeois are just a few at the top of my ongoing list.
Bruce:
I'm in love with Andr Butzer's NASAHEIM series. He's mostly known as a figurative painter, but his new abstract works are equally important.Ive always been a fan of Jacqueline Humphries, but her most recent series is brilliant; you cant quite make out its emoticons from a distance until they emerge as you draw closer. The paintings fit perfectly into her oeuvre of abstraction but are also current and fresh.
On the younger side, Toyin Ojih Odutola and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, two female painters from Nigeria who are based in New York and Los Angeles respectively, are making beautiful, fascinating figurative compositions that explore cultural identity.
Other than Art Basel Miami Beach, what art fairs do you recommend?
Masetto:
Frieze NY and Frieze Masters in London, FIAC in Paris, SP-Arte in Sao Paulo, ArtBo in Bogota, and Zona Maco in Mexico.
Bruce:
NADA is the strongest and most interesting of all the satellite fairs during Miami art week. Its selection committee is the most rigorous, and the exhibitors are on the cutting edge of emerging contemporary. Art Basel in Switzerland always has an incredible selection of modern and post-war works in addition to blue chip and emerging contemporary. Frieze NY is another favorite with its light-filled tent, manageable size and layout.
For more details about Bruce and Masetto, contact their websites at sjbfineartservices.com and flaviamasettofinearts.com.
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