Curator, artist, writer, and collector Sabrina Wirth infuses her worldly sensibility in this intimate salon-style gallery that challenges the COVID times opening new bright horizons for the art market.
By Tommaso Cartia
A childhood dream come true thanks to that resilience that is forged in true passion – Wirth Galerie is an art oasis in the heart of New York that welcomes you into the marvelous life’s journey and the imaginary of its curator, Sabrina Wirth, a life-long New Yorker who had the chance to travel the world since she was a little kid and spent 6 years of her life in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
On June 3rd, as New York slowly remerges from the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 emergency, Sabrina opened the doors to a selected group of art lovers to give the world the first taste of this enchanting space inspired by the intimate “art salons” from the days of Peggy Guggenheim. “Wirth Galerie is a collaborative space for the positive exchange of ideas and for connecting people through art and design from around the world. When creative minds come together, anything is possible”. Stated Sabrina Wirth introducing the gallery. And that atmosphere was certainly palpable during the opening event that presented the “Superheroes” series by Colombian artist Gabriel Ortega.
Gabriel Ortega’s pieces were truly the perfect opening to identify the DNA of Wirth Galerie, with their unique blend of Western and Eastern culture, an art that audaciously displaces iconographies to construct new surprising narratives. “Ortega’s work combines painting with sculpture, making each piece a little scenario in which superheroes entrusted to any mission or presented as cult figures stand out.” States Sabrina Wirth presenting the exhibition. “His technique has an impeccable finishing touch with polished outlines and surfaces of pure color, influences by the ligne Claire (Claire line) comic style. The use of Tintin, the main character in the work of Ortega, is intended to show the iconic connotations of the character: moral values, and an unwavering determination to complete a mission. So, when Tintin embodies embodies a superhero or a Saint, it is intended to indicate that the mission is in good hands.”
Pictures from the opening on June 3rd.
Adventurous, bold and, inquisitive, Sabrina’s approach to the art market is fresh and yet nostalgic of the way pioneer collectors like Peggy Guggenheim changed the game and the history of modern art collectors with their bohemian, fearless aesthetic, and that innate flair for talent that turned niche artists into global phenomena.
Although just opened, Wirth Galerie has a lot on its plate already: “Next I will be exhibiting the work by Stephen Hannock and there will be film screenings at the gallery and then an exhibition of Mohamed Yakub‘s photographs inspired by Calatrava’s Oculus.” Tells us Sabrina.
Sabrina’s electrifying enthusiasm as she toasted to the realization of her dream, her warm smile, and her sparkling eyes leaned towards the future of her artistic enterprise, is what NYC and the world need right now to never stop believing that yes, creativity will and can save us as we co-create, all together, our Imaginarium of tomorrow, not a new normal… but a new exceptional like Wirth Galerie promises to be.
More About Sabrina Wirth & Wirth Galerie
Before considering myself a “lifelong New Yorker”, I spent the first 6 years of my life in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, surrounded by art and artists everywhere. It is no wonder I absorbed this love for art, which has become a passion and obsession: it was a major part of my childhood. I have been since deeply fascinated by the art market, and the psychology behind art, value creation, and the stories that make up this world. At Williams College, I developed my knowledge of the history and practice of art, and later studied the business side with a Masters from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. My first business, upon graduating, was an art advisory company, Helac & Wirth, later Wirth Art Advisory, with which I curated exhibitions in multiple non-traditional (and under-utilized) spaces within New York City, a pioneering concept back in 2009. I have worked as the first Chief Curator for the art startup IndieWalls, upon recommendation from a former SIA mentor, and have written about art exhibitions and profiled artists in the following publications: The Art Newspaper, Cultured Magazine, The Economist, Musée Magazine, ArtObserved, and Bal Harbour Magazine among others. I am a curator, artist, writer, and collector. Combining my experiences, along with my continued interest in seeing how the art world is evolving, I would like to share my world with you.
For more info check: www.wirthgalerie.com
Thirsty for more creativity? Sabrina Wirth is also the host and guiding voice of our #CreativityWillSaveUs Podcast series! Check it here below and ready, set, imagine!
