At this year’s edition of the Aspen Art Fair (July 29–August 2) at Hotel Jerome, IRL Gallery’s presentation was filled with an array of unmissable installations—including Nicholas Devlin’s castle-like wall mirrors, Laura Garcia Karras’s oil paintings, Olga Titus’s digital sequins on fleece piece, Stephen Morrison’s food sculptures, and Esther Ruiz’s neon works. The exhibition was a striking, seductive peek into how the New York-based gallery has supported emerging talent over the past five years.
While in the booth, Whitewall caught up with the gallery’s co-founders—Alice Demoëte and Christopher Cerny—to hear where they find inspiration and what’s not to miss in Aspen.
Installation view of The Aspen Art Fair 2025, photo by Zach Hilty, courtesy of BFA.
WHITEWALL: Where do you find inspiration in Aspen?
ALICE DEMOËTE & CHRISTOPHER CERNY: The mountain light is magical and changes by the hour. We also love sitting outside Paradise Bakery—their pistachio ice cream is bonkers, there’s often live jazz or classical music drifting through the plaza, and Aspenites of every generation move through the square. It’s unexpectedly wholesome.
WW: The best off‑the‑beaten‑path to see art?
AD & CC: Collector’s homes. People actually live with art here—serious stuff.
WW: What’s the best‑kept secret in Aspen?
AD & CC: The Buck at night. No frills, solid bar food (the Elk Chili!), friendly bartenders, and cheap drinks.
IRL Gallery’s Favorites in Aspen
1. Paradise Bakery
Courtesy of Paradise Bakery.
“Thousands of guests enjoy Paradise each year. Wonderful people join our team to greet and serve those guests. Our hope for each employee is that whether they are with us long term or just a season… that “they” feel they have grown and become better people from the experience. It is hard and challenging work at times. It takes a special person with true passion for people. This experience is enhanced when they can share our spirit of giving back to the community. Every day platters of freshly baked cookies and muffins are produced by our team and sent out to schools and special charity events in the community that we support. The work of over 100 local organizations benefit from our donations. We measure our success not so much by the number of guests we serve but how it allows us to give back to the community.” via Paradise Bakery.
2. Collector’s Homes
Courtesy of Erin Leider-Pariser.
“At Erin Leider-Pariser‘s home in New York and Aspen, gems by artists—like Sanford Biggers, Marilyn Minter, Vic Muniz, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Huma Bhabha, Carol Dunham, Gabriel Kuri, Rashid Johnson, Lawrence Weiner, Zoe Crosher, Michael Dean, Andrea Bowers, Olafur Eliasson, Shara Hughes, Kelly Woods, Richard Prince, Elad Lassry, Suki Kong Seokyeong, Chris Ofili, and Robert Lugo—illuminate every square inch.” via Whitewall.
3. The Buck
Courtesy of The Buck.
“Our kitchen takes classic bar favorites to the next level, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create dishes that are both comforting and refined. Enjoy signature items like Southern fried chicken sandwich, and loaded truffle fries, all while sipping on a local craft beer, a rare whisky or keep it classy with a Coors Banquet. With 22 seats at the bar cradling 22 high top seats and 8 table seats it’s a social, lively environment. We are a great place to catch a game, with Sunday Ticket, college pass, and many more streaming options for local and international sports.” via The Buck
