Based in New York City, Chicago, and Paris, Andrea Hazen of Hazen Art Advisory has her finger on the pulse of the global creative landscape. With degrees in Studio Art, Art History, and Interior Design, Hazen assists in the meticulous assembly of collections for discerning private clients, corporations, and more. With an ever-evolving admiration for the ways in which art enriches our lives, Hazen imparts to Whitewall the world’s urgent need for transformative art, and the profound exhibitions she can’t wait to embark upon.
WHITEWALL: Within your role as an advisory, what are you looking forward to in New York in May during the fairs?
ANDREA HAZEN: I’m looking for a wide variety of clients whose interests vary—from blue chip to more emerging artists. The various fairs and auctions in New York during the month of May always provide a great opportunity to find treasures. The galleries put their best foot forward this month for the onslaught of fairgoers. Aside from the shows themselves, “Art World May Madness” ushers in an effervescent energy in New York City. During a time when there is so much pain in the world, art has the ability to instill hope, provoke thought, and inspire change; based on the turnout it is obvious we need art more than ever.
“Art has the ability to instill hope, provoke thought and inspire change,” — Andrea Hazen
WW: What do you have your eye on at the fairs?
AH: There are so many great artists that are represented at the numerous fairs, so it’s nearly impossible to distill a list. However, there are a couple of artists that are perhaps lesser known in America that I am excited to view.
Mor Charpentier Gallery from Paris always puts together a thoughtful and interesting presentation; this year at Frieze they exhibited works by Colombian artist Nohemí Pérez whose practice revolves around the relationship between men and nature; the conflicts, tensions, and genesis that arise from this constant friction.
I’m equally enthused about Hiroshi Sugito’s solo booth with Tokyo-based Tomio Koyama Gallery. The artist’s work oscillates between complete abstraction and subtle referentiality, depicting dreamy scenes with recurring motifs of mountaintops, waves, blossoms, and houses.
And the work of Alex da Cort’s work at Matthew Marks is always a highlight. At TEFAF, I’m looking forward to David Zwirner’s presentation, which positions Giorgio Morandi’s soft-toned oil paintings of ceramics in conversation with George Ohr’s avant-garde earthenware vases produced fifty years prior.
WW: What are the exhibitions on your must-see list?
AH: I’m looking forward to seeing the Petrit Halilaj installation on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum. Experiencing the roof garden art commissions on the roof of the Met, with views spanning Central Park and the skyline of NYC, is always a highlight of my year. Halilaj’s work is deeply connected to the recent history of his native country, Kosovo, and the consequences of cultural and political tensions in the region. The installation’s metal sculptures are inspired by children’s doodles, drawings, and scribblings found on desks at the school he attended in Runik, Kosovo, as well as schools in Albania and countries from the former Yugoslavia. While at first look they may seem cute and silly, upon closer examination, they evoke a profound sense of sorrow, reflecting the enduring impact of war on children.
Ever the provocateur, Maurizio Cattelan is having his first solo exhibition at a gallery in more than two decades at Gagosian. Covering the gallery’s massive wall in gunfire-altered 24-karat gold-plated steel panels. While the enormous installation is gorgeous and glitzy, Cattelan is commenting on the ubiquity of and accessibility to weapons in the United States.
Hugh Hayden’s conceptual and interactive sculpture set within bathroom stalls at Lisson Gallery is a captivating exploration of societal norms and personal boundaries. Through his thought-provoking installation, Hayden challenges viewers to reconsider the significance of private spaces and the social constructs surrounding them.
Lucas Arruda at David Zwirner, Jennifer Rochlin at Hauser & Wirth, Antony Gormley at White Cube, and an exciting artist on the rise, Jennifer Coates at Chart are all shows that I’m excited about.
The Best Spots for Delicious Drinks and Bites
WW: Where are your go-to places to grab a bite or drink after the fairs/opening?
AH: In Chelsea, I frequent Tia Pol, Orchard Townhouse, Cookshop, and the Chelsea Hotel Bar (which is apparently haunted and I get the sense that many of the guests and staff are ghosts).
East Pole on the Upper East Side is a welcome respite after walking TEFAF. While it’s not in an area near galleries, art fairs, or auction houses, I like to bring clients post-fair/gallery tours to Anton’s in the West Village for a delicious meal in a cozy setting.
Andrea Hazen’s Shares Recent Acquisitions and Ardent Advice
WW: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
AH: A client recently purchased a classic and stunning Mary Heilmann watercolor from the Hauser & Wirth show of the artist’s rarely exhibited works on paper. The presentation was curated by Gary Simmons, Heilmann’s former student at New York’s School of Visual Arts. In curating this exhibition, Simmons became immersed in Heilmann’s practice, underscoring the artist’s ability to refine her experiences and memories into abstract gestures.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
AH: Art Collecting 101 rests on two essential pillars: education and exposure. You’ll need to see a lot of art to get to know what you like; go to art fairs, walk around NYC’s gallery hotspot neighborhoods, do some exploring via Instagram. I always recommend people who are just getting started to push themselves out of their comfort zone. One’s taste in art, much like music, food, and drink, evolves and matures with exposure over time.
Last but not least, working with an experienced art advisor offers a myriad of benefits ranging from education, expert guidance in navigating the often-opaque art world, access to exclusive works not typically shown to the public, trends in the market, and art events worldwide!
The New York Top 5, According to Andrea Hazen:
1. Lucas Arruda: “Assum Preto” at David Zwirner
Work by Lucas Arruda; photo by Gui Gomes, courtesy of the artist and Camilla Barella.
David Zwirner is pleased to present new work by the Brazilian artist Lucas Arruda, on view at the gallery’s 537 West 20th Street location in New York. Arruda is known for his intricate, meditative compositions that blur the boundaries between mnemonic and imaginative registers. His evocative landscapes are more products of a state of mind than depictions of particular locales. As he has noted, “The only reason to call my works landscapes is cultural—it’s simply that viewers automatically register my format as a landscape, although none of the images can be traced to a geographic location. It’s the idea of landscape as a structure, rather than a real place.” — Source
2. “Jennifer Rochlin. Paintings on Clay” at Hauser & Wirth
Jennifer Rochlin Studio, Altadena, CA,
© Jennifer Rochlin, Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth, Photo by Keith Lubow.
Opening May 2, “Jennifer Rochlin. Paintings on Clay” is an organic and lavish voyage through memory, community, and art history at Hauser & Wirth. Los Angeles-based painter Jennifer Rochlin first discovered a penchant for clay making during a teaching opportunity 16 years ago, and since then her intuitive practice of producing picturesque clay vessels has grown into a renowned vocation. Cinematic narratives starring the beloved individuals in Rochlin’s life are meshed with prismatic imagery of flora and fauna, culminating in a celebration of the hand-crafted subtleties of life and art.
3. Antony Gormley: “AERIAL” at White Cube
Antony Gormley, “AERIAL,” White Cube, New York, 30 April–15 June 2024;
© Antony Gormley, Photo © White Cube (Theo Christelis).
White Cube is pleased to present ‘AERIAL’, an exhibition by Antony Gormley, in which the artist considers sculpture as an instrument for proprioception – the body’s innate capacity to sense and perceive its position, movements and orientation in relation to itself and the environment. The exhibition features two recent developments in Gormley’s practice: one explores physical proximity in mass and scale, where two over-life-size bodies merge as one, while the other endeavours to catalyse space almost without mass. — Source
4. Visit Cookshop for a Vivacious Culinary Experience
Published by Cookshop, New York.
“Cookshop came about through a longstanding desire to more fully incorporate the range of ingredients available in the northeast, whether it was farm animals, agricultural products, or the emerging artisanal cheese movement. To this day we continue to make every effort to ensure that the beliefs and values that were an inspiration on opening day continue to be a part of every dish we create.” -Chef Marc Meyer — Source
5. Relish in the Legendary Chelsea Hotel Lobby Bar
Published by The Chelsea Hotel, New York.
A classic European-style Lobby Bar with a focus on expertly concocted cocktails and small plates. Enough has been written about—and, perhaps, more written within—the Chelsea to satisfy history hounds the world over. Indeed, it is the hotel’s uniquely rich past which has made it iconic. Yet, those who know it do not define it by its historical significance, but, instead, by its ever-evolving, unmistakable otherness. Solid and sumptuous, eccentric yet beautiful, the Chelsea is a world unto itself: a decadent palace of peculiarity. — Source
