Association of Professional Art Advisors

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Association of Professional Art Advisors

The APAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and advocating for ethical, professional standards in the art advisory field.

The Association of Professional Art Advisors (APAA), founded in 1980, is a non-profit organization comprised of leading independent art advisors, curators, and corporate art managers dedicated to developing and advocating for ethical, professional standards in the art advisory field. Membership to APAA is by invitation. As the only standard setting organization for art advisors, we ensure that any

one considering hiring one of our members can rely on APAA to have vetted them thoroughly and can attest to their abilities, integrity, and connoisseurship. As advisors, we are objective advocates who work solely for our clients, and unlike art dealers, do not maintain inventories for sale nor represent artists. APAA members work worldwide, serving as advocates for their clients by providing education, access to works of art, and ensuring the future well-being of their client's art collections.

08/14/2026

APAA Advisor Virginia Shore was featured in Galerie Magazine’s list of “6 Women Shaping the Art World in 2026.”

After joining the Obama Presidential Center project in early 2019, Shore devoted seven years to developing its contemporary art program, which brings together 28 commissions from 30 artists, making it the only contemporary art program of its kind at a presidential library.

Drawing on her 25-year career with the State Department’s Art in Embassies program, Shore suggested transforming what was intended to be a plain window into an artwork. The result is Julie Mehretu’s “Uprising of the Sun.”

“I feel very comfortable looking at architecture and thinking outside the box about how to take over spaces and infuse them with art,” says Shore.

Read more: https://galeriemagazine.com/meet-6-visionary-women-shaping-the-art-world-in-2026/

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Virginia Shore at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., with a work by Rachel Whiteread. Photo Courtesy of Lesley Lau and The Sunday Times Style Magazine

Installation of “Uprising of the Sun” by Julie Mehretu at the Obama Presidential Center Museum Building in Chicago. Image Courtesy of the Obama Presidential Center.

08/12/2026

“The Way We Live Now,” on view at The George Economou Collection in Athens through March 2027, is the collection's first contemporary group exhibition drawn solely from its own holdings, co-curated by Hilton Als and Ann Philbin in close collaboration with APAA board member Skarlet Smatana, who has directed the collection since its Athens exhibition space opened in 2012.

For Observer, Smatana discussed what it means to guide a collection built around someone else's eye. She described her role as helping Economou stay engaged with new work while keeping his reactions to it entirely his own, and pointed to the collection's approach to living artists as one of its defining traits. "We stay with them throughout their lives," she said.

Read the full article: https://observer.com/2026/07/billionaire-george-economou-art-collection-the-way-we-live-now-athens/

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Installation view: "The Way We Live Now," The George Economou Collection, © Henry Taylor. Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth, © Lucas Arruda. Courtesy of the artist and David Zwirner, © Xinyi Cheng. Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery, © The Easton Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY / OSDEETE, Athens 2026. Photo: Natalia Tsoukala

08/11/2026

For The Highlands Current's "5 Questions" series, APAA Executive Member Astrid Oviedo Clark discussed what the work of an art advisor actually looks like, from helping first-time collectors discover what moves them to making sure they understand the real value behind what they're buying.

Oviedo Clark got her start as an intern at the Leo Castelli Gallery, whose roster included Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol, and later worked at the Citibank Art Advisory. She holds an art history degree from Georgetown, a master's from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and pursued a doctorate from CUNY.

On how she identifies talent before the market catches up, she pointed to Van Gogh, who sold only one painting in his lifetime, as proof that timing and taste don't always agree. "You need to know what is motivating the artist — the 'why,'" she said.

Read the full piece: https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/07/10/5-questions-astrid-oviedo-clark

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Image Courtesy of Astrid Oviedo Clark.

08/10/2026

In Cultured Magazine's 2026 Young Collectors list, Miami-based collector Meredith Virnig credited APAA member Pilar Vahey with teaching her how to navigate the art world, praising her "wealth of knowledge, patience, and resilience" in building a collection with her husband, Chip Virnig.

Vahey has helped guide the Virnigs as they built on the collection they started together, spanning both emerging and historical work. "Meredith is an adventurous and decisive collector with a real depth of art historical knowledge," Vahey said. "She's curious about the artwork and materials, but also about the creative impulses behind each piece." Among their early purchases together: Rachel Mica Weiss's "Dark Opal VI" (2025), acquired last year at Untitled Art Miami Beach through Carvalho Gallery.

Read the full feature: https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2026/07/08/art-young-collector-meredith-virnig/

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Featured left to right: Cam Caldwell, ”Jeff Goldblum,” 2025; Rachel Mica Weiss, ”Dark Opal VI,” 2025; (yellow sculpture); and Tara Walters, ”The Summoner,” 2025. Image by Kris Tamburello, Courtesy of Cultured Magazine.

On wall: Jeppe Hein, ”Light Gold Bubble,” 2022. Image by Kris Tamburello, Courtesy of Cultured Magazine.

08/07/2026

This summer, APAA members have been sharing personal guides to the cities they call home. Next, APAA Executive Member Erica Barrish, Founder and Principal of EAB Fine Art Services, shared her guide to Chicago, where she splits her time alongside New York.

Barrish called The Art Institute of Chicago one of the top institutions in the world, highlighting "Willem de Kooning Drawing," on view through September 20.

At the The Richard H. Driehaus Museum, Barrish called it the most important regional decorative arts institution in America and pointed to "Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin," on view through September 13.

At Wrightwood 659, designed by Tadao Ando, Barrish recommended the "Statue of Athena," a Roman marble sculpture dated to the first century CE, on extended view courtesy of the Halsted A&A Foundation.

Volume Gallery, known for its material-driven program across disciplines, recently presented Joe Feddersen's "Urban Drama." The gallery's next show, featuring Christy Matson and Arina Erdélyi, opens September 17.

For dining, Barrish recommended Rubi's Chicago for tacos and The Ives, recently opened inside the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, for drinks.

For local finds, she pointed to the Chicago Music Exchange, a vintage shop for guitars, basses, and speakers, and Design at 329, a resource for private design dealers and galleries.

Read Erica's full Chicago guide: https://www.artadvisors.org/apaa-blog/erica-barrish-chicago-summer-city-guide

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Exterior of the Art Institute of Chicago. Image Courtesy of Erica Barrish.

The Main Hall. Photo by Steve Hall of Hedrich Blessing. Courtesy of the Driehaus Museum.

“Statue of Athena,” Roman. First half of the first century CE, marble, height 74.5 in., Halsted A&A Foundation. Photo: Daniel Eggert, Courtesy of Wrightwood 659.

Installation view, “Joe Fedderson: Urban Drama.” Image Courtesy of Volume Gallery.

Handmade corn tortillas prepared at Rubi’s Tacos. Image Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.

The Ives. Image Courtesy of the Chicago Athletic Association.

Guitars at the Chicago Music Exchange. Image Courtesy of Erica Barrish.

Image Courtesy of Design at 329.

08/06/2026

Rarely seen works from U.S. embassies are now on public view in New Canaan, CT. The show draws from the collection of Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies - FAPE, led by APAA Treasurer Jennifer Duncan.

In collaboration with FAPE, the Onera Foundation presents "AMERICA ABROAD: Art, Architecture, and Diplomacy – Works from the FAPE Collection," on view now through December 31, 2026. The exhibition traces how art and architecture have shaped American diplomacy since the Cold War, featuring artists such as Loretta Pettway Bennett, Ellsworth Kelly, Julie Mehretu, Martin Puryear, and Ed Ruscha, among others.

"This exhibition brings together works by American artists whose gifts and talent are at the heart of FAPE's mission, serving as silent ambassadors, bridging cultures, and fostering mutual understanding," said Duncan.

Learn more about the exhibition: https://www.onerafoundation.org/exhibitions/fape

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View of the façade of the Onera Foundation in New Canaan, Connecticut, with banners for “America Abroad: Art, Architecture, and Diplomacy: Works from the FAPE Collection”. The exhibition is on view through December 31, 2026. Photo by Simon Cherry.

Installation view featuring Martin Puryear, Connecting (maquette, 2016); Roy Lichtenstein, Composition III (1996); Julie Mehretu, Vertiginous Fold (2014); and Glenn Ligon, Left Leaning (2016). Artworks courtesy of the artists and the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies. Photo by Simon Cherry.

Installation view of “America Abroad: Art, Architecture, and Diplomacy: Works from the FAPE Collection” at the Onera Foundation, New Canaan, Connecticut. Featured in this view are Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, The Flying Komarov (1994), and Brett Weston, Building Reflections (c. 1980). Artworks courtesy of the artists and the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies. Photo by Simon Cherry.

Installation view of “America Abroad: Art, Architecture, and Diplomacy: Works from the FAPE Collection” at the Onera Foundation, New Canaan, Connecticut. Featured in this view are Ed Ruscha, Column with Speed Lines (2003); Martin Puryear, Connecting (maquette, 2016); Joel Grey, The Statue of Liberty (2023); and Frank Gehry, Colonnade (2016). Artworks courtesy of the artists and the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE). Photo by Simon Cherry.

Installation view featuring Carrie Mae Weems, Echoes For Marian (2014). Artwork courtesy of the artist and the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies. Photo by Simon Cherry.

View of the façade of the Onera Foundation in New Canaan, Connecticut, with banners for “America Abroad: Art, Architecture, and Diplomacy: Works from the FAPE Collection”. The exhibition is on view through December 31, 2026. Photo by Simon Cherry.

08/03/2026

A family's move from Bethesda to DC's Spring Valley neighborhood called for classic charm with room to entertain, including two mantels in need of artwork.

The Washingtonian recently featured the newly renovated home, naming APAA advisor Lauren Hilyard alongside interior designer Johanna Howe of Howe Interiors for the project's art selections. Lauren tells us she came on board through Johanna, a longtime friend, working within a defined budget and specific dimensions for pieces in the living room and den. The selections, including Kirsten Deirup's "Decoy" and Lisa Sanditz's "Barge/Hudson," resonated enough that the family expanded the commission to a third work for the living room.

🗞️ Read the full feature https://washingtonian.com/2026/07/21/this-chic-colorful-spring-valley-home-blends-family-friendliness-with-sophistication/

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Kirsten Deirup’s “Decoy” hangs above a mantel in the living room. Image Courtesy of the Washingtonian.

In the den, built-in bookshelves flank Lisa Sanditz’s “Barge/Hudson” painting. Image Courtesy of the Washingtonian.

07/31/2026

Rick Kinsel, President of The Vilcek Foundation and APAA member, served as Executive Producer of "Danh Võ: Rebuilding Liberty," an exhibition on view now in New York.

The exhibition brings together three monumental copper fragments from Võ's "We the People" series alongside his newly commissioned work, "Live Free or Die" (2026). Presented during both the 250th anniversary of the United States and the Vilcek Foundation's 25th anniversary, the exhibition considers how familiar American symbols can be dismantled, reassembled, and understood anew through the perspective of a Vietnamese-born Danish artist.

"As Executive Producer of the exhibition, I had the privilege of conceiving of the project, collecting the works by quietly watching the market for years, collaborating with Danh Võ on the new commission, and producing the accompanying publication," said Kinsel. "We also kept the project 100% confidential so that it would be surprising when unveiled."

Learn more about the exhibition: https://vilcek.org/news/danh-vo-rebuilding-liberty/

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Danh Vō, “Live Free or Die,” 2026. Thirteen mild steel stars and wood logs, Dimensions variable, Courtesy of the Vilcek Foundation Collection. © The Vilcek Foundation.

Installation view of “Danh Vō: Rebuilding Liberty” on view at the Vilcek Foundation, from June 22, 2026, through June 25, 2027. Photo courtesy of the Vilcek Foundation. © The Vilcek Foundation.

Danh Vō, “Live Free or Die (detail),” 2026. Thirteen mild steel stars and wood logs, dimensions variable, Courtesy of the Vilcek Foundation Collection. © The Vilcek Foundation.

07/29/2026

APAA members are sharing personal guides to the cities where they live, work, and travel. This installment comes from board member Skarlet Smatana, who guided us through Athens.

At The George Economou Collection, "The Way We Live Now" marked the museum's first contemporary group exhibition drawn from its own collection, on view through March 2027. At Gagosian Athens, Urs Fischer paid homage to photographer Eugène Atget in "Eugène Atget," a series of collage paintings set against the gallery's neoclassical architecture, on view through September 12.

The National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum - Μουσείο Ακρόπολης offered two distinct views of Greek history, from Mycenaean gold to the finds of the Sacred Rock itself.

For dining, Smatana recommended Iodio in Kolonaki for fresh seafood and Manári Taverna for regional specialties and grilled meats. The National Garden, Lycabettus Hill, and the historic streets of Monastiraki, Plaka, and the Roman Agora rounded out the guide.

Read the full guide: https://www.artadvisors.org/apaa-blog/skarlet-smatana-athens-city-guide

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Installation view: “The Way We Live Now,” The George Economou Collection, © Katharina Fritsch, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn / OSDEETE, Athens 2026, © Lisa Brice. Courtesy the artist, © Allison Katz, © Charles Ray. Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery. Photo: Natalia Tsoukala

Installation view. Artwork © Urs Fischer. Photo: Stathis Mamalakis. Image Courtesy of Gagosian.

Installation view, “Sculpture Collection.” Image Courtesy of the National Archaeological Museum.

The Acropolis Museum in Athens. Image Courtesy of Discover Greece.

Iodio Athens. Image courtesy of Cycladic Spaces.

Image Courtesy of Manári Taverna.

The National Garden of Athens. Image Courtesy of Greek Boston.

Lycabettus Hill. Image Courtesy of Why Athens.

Image Courtesy of Greek Boston.

07/24/2026

APAA member Lydia Lopoukhine, founding principal of LFA Art Management, will be serving as the Art Advisor for the Lavine Bekenstein Cancer Hospital at Dana-Farber. She will collaborate with the Art and Environment Committee and the Project Team to develop an art program that enriches the patient experience and contributes to a welcoming, compassionate environment for patients, families, and staff.

The 300-bed hospital, designed by Payette, will be the region's only freestanding hospital dedicated exclusively to cancer care. The appointment builds on Lopoukhine's long-standing history with Dana-Farber, where she has previously guided the art collection at the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care — one of several major healthcare projects in a career focused on how art shapes the experience of care.

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Renderings of the Lavine Bekenstein Cancer Hospital at Dana-Farber. Image Courtesy of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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