ABOUT

My first studio visit at the age of 15 was with Austrian artist Arik Brauer. This initial experience in the studio has grown into a life-long immersion in the art world. Over the last twenty-five years my evolution as an artist and a curator has included visiting many studios ranging my established artists, such as Arnulf Rainer and Andres Serrano, to art students in the United States and abroad. I value each of these encounters and am inspired by the dedication of artists I meet with. 

My personal art collecting became formalized in 2004 by collecting graduate school work and has continued to grow to include more established artists. Prior to directing the NYCAMS undergraduate art residency, I assisted the Citigroup Art Collection curator in all of the tasks of managing an art collection. Most importantly this professional training taught me about the powerful influence collecting has on visual culture by determining which works will become important over time, as well as experiencing the privilege of living with amazing objects.

For the last ten years I have worked with collectors and galleries in New York and abroad to build and shape important collections. My background in studio art uniquely informs my curatorial practice and allows me to effectively facilitate between artists, galleries and collectors. My passion is to contribute to a larger conversation of art and ideas that is enriched by the many contributors in the art world. Although based in Brooklyn, my vision is for art to operate as conduit within a larger global context.

DOWNLOAD CV


johnsilvis.tumblr.com

anafternoonwith.com

Essl Museum: New. New York

outletbk.com

Portrait: Ira Lippke