Talk: The Tortoise, the Hare, and the Art Market

Robin Starr (Bonhams Skinner, General Manager)

Museums work at a steady, methodical pace. Exhibitions are planned months if not years in advance, patrons are cultivated over years and decades to become donors, and art is collected slowly in accordance with institutional vision. On the other hand, auction houses move like lightning, with ever-changing focuses. Entire auctions are put together and sold within two to three months. Client relationships, though often long-lasting, are usually built quickly and circumstantially and subject to the whims of the art market. Despite their difference in pace, however, museums and auction houses hold an important relationship, supplementing and supporting art, artists, and each other.

In this expert talk, Robin Starr of Bonhams Boston (formerly Skinner) will share stories about her work with museums, including a look behind the scenes at some of your favorites in the Worcester Art Museum’s collection.