Gertrude

02GertrudeWordmarkLockupsmallI have been interested in the art world as far back as I can remember.  It is an industry that has been operating a certain way for a very long time.  I have watched the tech industry roll up their sleeves with attempts to disrupt the industry for years.  I thought it was a big deal when galleries began to send a jpeg to you instead of a photo copy of the work.  Many of the sites have been powerful in their own separate way from 20X200 ro Artsy.  More information and certainly more opportunites to buy editions or originals.  There seems to be more art out there than ever.

Kenneth Schlenker the CEO and entrepreneur behind Gertrude, came to see me awhile ago about his concept for building a platform on the Internet to change the way people learn, socialize and experience art.  The company is called Gertrude, after the ultimate angel investor, Gertrude Stein.  The concept is modeled after what Stein has built in her own home where artists, people and collectors came to her place to experience art.  She called them salons.  The difference between Gertrude Steins home and Gertrude.co is that they can put on salons across the globe every night. Bringing art salons into the 21st century. 

Gertrude event
Fred and I attended one the other night and we both walked away talking about the experience excited.  We were invited into someones home with 38 other people.  We got to meet a group of people interested in art.  Ari Lipkis was the curator that evening who works with the artist Alexandra Posen.  Listening to them talk about the art made both of us look at her work in a way that we would not have been able to experinece just walking into a gallery or an art show.  The audience asked many questions that really helped them understand the process that Alexandra went through to create her work.  It was just awesome.

Beckettposen
I loved the concept of Gertrude immediately when I met with Kenneth and now after attending an event I am even more excited.  Friends always come to me and ask how do you
start to collect art?  I now have the answer, Gertrude.  Sign up for the
site, see what interests you, sign up for a salon, go listen to a
curator talk about the art perhaps meet the artist, perhaps buy a piece
but maybe just go to salons over and over again to meet other people in
the community and educate yourself through your own art history class.
Unique art experience every single time.

 

Comments (Archived):

  1. awaldstein

    I’m in.

    1. Gotham Gal

      fantastic.

      1. awaldstein

        This actually excites me.Sent a link to a photo curator I know to have them get in touch to wire in private collections of photography.

        1. Gotham Gal

          that is good to hear. i am really excited too.

  2. hyjuma

    Thank you for sharing Gotham Gal! Really exciting 🙂

  3. AG

    Thanks for sharing!!!