AH Arts, the fine art gallery and full-service advisory firm in New York City founded by Alix Holloway, is celebrating its five-year anniversary this year with an exhibition opening in November.
Since its inception in 2020, AH Arts has established itself for its expertise, integrity, and transparency, helping art collectors navigate the complex world of Modern, Post-War, and Contemporary Art. Specializing in a bespoke curated approach, AH Arts functions as both a trusted art advisor and a private secondary market dealer. The firm’s core mission is to source the right works for each client and offer them at the best price, a process rooted in deep listening to client interests and leveraging scholarly expertise.
“Our aim is to be your most trusted and approachable resource in the industry,” says AH Arts founder, Alix Holloway. “From presentations of curated selections to extensive market analysis and targeted strategic planning, everything we do is designed to help you navigate the art world – not only when buying and selling artwork, but also by providing the ongoing support that ensures your collection maintains lasting value while in your care.”
Holloway, whose career spans almost two decades in the secondary market, notably at the renowned James Goodman Gallery, brings a rare blend of deep art historical knowledge, keen market insights, and established relationships. She is particularly adept at “uncovering hidden gems” – sourcing long sought-after works of art and skillfully negotiating on behalf of clients. Her impressive track record includes navigating transactions for works by major artists from a 1932 Picasso painting to de Koonings and Lichtensteins, to Kusama Infinity Net paintings. A graduate of New York University with a master’s degree in visual arts administration, Holloway’s commitment to integrity and professionalism safeguards collectors. AH Arts performs thorough market analysis and due diligence, illuminating an otherwise opaque industry to guide, educate, and protect clients for a meaningful and enjoyable collecting experience.
In an increasingly digital world, AH Arts champions the irreplaceable value of seeing a work of art in person and the power of one-on-one connection with a trusted advocate. Holloway speaks to Our Culture Mag about her unique exhibition program, relationship building in the art world, and creating enjoyable art collecting experiences that meet the needs of our time.
What prompted you to start AH Arts after your tenure at the James Goodman Gallery?
Alix Holloway: James Goodman was an incredible mentor and believed in supporting young art dealers. I spent 10 years at the gallery; it was a small family business and when he passed away at 90 years old in 2019, the plan was always to close. We spent 2020 methodically winding down operations. With his family’s and his estate’s full support, I began a new chapter from this historic program. The gallery wrote letters (printed and mailed letters) to all our clients encouraging them to continue to work with me. It was such an opportunity to build from that foundation. From this archive and wealth of information, I work in much the same capacity with many of the same clients buying and selling blue-chip art on the secondary market.
How did this all start as a summer passion project from 2015 to 2018?
This period was a real high point in the market, and for me, the art world began to feel overly commercial. I needed balance and partnered with a young gallerist, Celine Mo (who I still work with today), and curated two-person shows at her then Bushwick space of emerging artists. It was a great experience for me to learn the grit of exhibition programming and gain confidence as a curator. She later helped me at art fairs with James Goodman, and we both developed this deep understanding of each other’s topography. This enabled us to seamlessly work together when I opened AH Arts at our shared space at 242 West 22nd Street.
How has it grown over the years?
For me, relationships are pivotal, and nothing is more important than working with good people. It takes time to nurture, develop, and establish deep roots – so that when a client is considering selling from their collection, I am top on their call list. My manageable seasonal exhibition program complements this agenda and creates meaningful touchpoints. Over the years, I have experimented with new projects, including curating a show with Adelson Galleries in Palm Beach in 2023 and participating in Master Drawings New York uptown earlier this year. A deep love of art historical research is what drives me back to secondary market work and keeps me enthralled every day. Cultivating connoisseurship is an ongoing process.
You show art in a modern house. This shows fine art in an intimate setting. Why does this work for you, presenting art within and ‘beyond the white cube’ experience?
I adore my space – it’s a modern townhouse on a residential tree-lined block in Chelsea, not an anonymous and expansive warehouse. It was a deliberate choice. There is the ground floor gallery with a downstairs that houses the library, storage, and a small workspace. Upstairs are shared offices. There is even a beautiful private garden in the back. Since we tend to be open only by appointment (outside of two seasonal public exhibitions held in May and November during the marquee auctions), we don’t get walk-in traffic the same way like other Chelsea galleries do. Visitors arrive with clear intentions and are pleased to stay longer. When so much of the art world is reduced to PDF previews and passing art fair conversations, it’s a pleasure to engage in deeper exchanges about art, collecting, and cultural life.
Where does the magic lie in 20th century art, in your opinion? I love that it was made during an analogue era.
It is amazing the perspective and appreciation of time that having kids gives you. I had twin boys in 2021, and curated an exhibition the following Spring titled MOTHER & OTHER, inspired by depictions of women and motherhood in 20th Century Art. Motherhood is certainly a theme that goes back centuries, but one that can feel incredibly relevant. That is the magic of art – human connectivity – whether it’s historic or contemporary, great art speaks to humanity’s collective experiences.
Who are some 20th Century artists that you love showing at AH Arts? Calder comes to mind. So does Lichtenstein.
I’ve sold some incredible Alexander Calders, and we held a solo show at James Goodman Gallery in 2014. Also, from my tenure there, Roy Lichtenstein is an artist I dealt with in-depth, and am completely fascinated by. The Lichtenstein Foundation’s online catalogue raisonne is an extraordinary resource, and I cannot wait for his retrospective to open at the Whitney Museum next year. At the moment, I have a Lichtenstein sculpture and two works on paper that have been in private collections for decades. One drawing was a wedding present from the artist to the current owner in 1979, the year it was created. The other is a large to scale drawing for his monumental outdoor sculpture, the Mermaid, which resides outside the Miami Convention Center. It was a gift to the architect who advised on the structural aspects of the project, one of the artist’s first works of that scale.
Another artist I am enamored with and always thrilled to get on consignment is Rauschenberg. Every time I look at his work, I discover something new. I had a terrific 1960s transfer (one of the rubbings where he finds photographs in printed media on the street then uses a solvent to transpose the image to the paper, making a visual collage of sorts). The Rauschenberg Foundation came to closely examine the piece at the gallery, and they were able to identify the exact images from magazines at the time that had been transferred. Rauschenberg’s art was a direct response to the world around him, blurring the lines between art and life, famously stating, “I try to act in the gap between the two.” The market for his work is also quite interesting, varying dramatically based on series, period, and medium, yet consistently achieving stronger results through private galleries than at public auctions. Some works inherently perform better at auctions, while others benefit from the reflective pace of private sales.
Tell us about your exhibition program. What fall show do you have opening in November? What can we expect to see?
You will have to come to find out, or at least join my mailing list. Each public show features a range of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper from the last 100 years. Some exhibitions of new acquisitions tend to focus on an idea or cultural moment, while others draw connections across periods or media. My inventory is constantly changing, and the works in November’s exhibition will be just a selection. Currently, I have work by a few Italian Modern Masters, including Burri and Pomodoro, as well as a terrific Boetti embroidery, and paintings by Abstract Expressionists, like Gottlieb, Motherwell, and Riopelle. In terms of scale, I have a small early Rosenquist painting and a late diptych painting by the artist that measures 14 feet wide. It really runs the gamut.
What events do you have lined up for the fall?
I just hosted a pre-performance reception for a young dance company called Hivewild. I have served on their board of directors for seven years, and it is remarkable to see how they’ve grown. This September, the company performed an evening length premier for three nights of nearly sold out shows at New York Live Arts, just down the street from the gallery. Contemporary dance is a real interest of mine. I also serve on the Development Committee and co-chair the Young Leaders Circle at the Joyce Theater, which is launching an underwriting fundraising campaign this Fall for DYPTIK and their New York Debut at the Joyce. We’ll likely host something for the theater at the gallery in late October. I am always thrilled by opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration.
In addition to my Fall exhibition, I have been invited to speak on a few panels. I am quite involved with the alumni council for my Master’s program in Visual Arts Administration at New York University. I will be in dialogue with fellow alumni in a colloquium for current students titled Art Advising & Working with Collectors on October 10, followed by a Salon Talk forum hosted by Gallagher Insurance titled Young Innovators in the Art World on October 15. There is certainly more to come.
For more information, visit ahartsllc.com.
Great Job Abbie Wilson & the Team @ Our Culture Source link for sharing this story.
