As much as I tend to minimize the influence of Canadians in the art world, there are, of course, some exceptions, including some people of indisputable international standing.
One is Louise Blouin, a Montrealer living in London, who controls a virtual empire of art information properties and carries on an impressive agenda of philanthropic activities.
In the '80s and '90s Blouin and her second husband built the huge network of Auto Trader and "Auto Hebdo" publications and leveraged the internet at the earliest opportunity to seize a commanding position in the dedicated classified publications biz. [on reflection, as the "Hebdo" family was started and first flourished in Quebec, this could be one reason why local newspapers and weeklies are so pathetic in that province]
Blouin's properties now include: Art-Info, Art+Auction, Modern Painters, Culture and Travel, Gordon's Art Sales Index, Gordon's Print Price Annual, Gordon's Photography Price Annual, Davenport's Art Reference & Price Guide, the Hislop Pocket Price Guide and The Art of Buying Art reference book.
She has also established the Louise T Blouin Foundation, a non-profit art-related organization in London, which has a 45,000 sq. ft. flagship headquarters building in west London, to serve as a head office, as well as a showcase for both established and emerging contemporary artists, think-tanks and artistic performances of all forms. The building is impressive, as it should be for having around $40 M worth of renovations.
Among the Foundation's activities are a Global Creative Leadership Summit held annually in New York whose attendees are as illustrious as the foundation's objectives are ambitious.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment