Why Art Consultants Sidel & McElwreath Want a United Artistic World

Is it possible to have both happiness and success? Sidel & McElwreath thinks so. Everything their advisory thinks, says and does aligns perfectly with that ideal. Such bold objectives make for a lively platform where diverse artists, thinkers, and collectors can grow together.

When we at A Women’s Thing caught word of Sidel & McElwreath’s inaugural exhibition “HARVEST: A Convening of Materiality & Form,” we decided to visit with co-founder Emily McElwreath and Ellie Hayworth (their PR representative at Hayworth Co.) to discuss the show, the history of artist representation and how their advisory pushes the envelope.

McElwreath’s earlier years were spent working with blockbuster blue-chip artists and MFA students, oftentimes within the same day, at the Brant Foundation. There, they worked toward developing a strong insight into the similarities, differences and potential of what younger artists could bring to the table in today and tomorrow’s contemporary art world.

It’s apparent that the art industry is at a crossroads with representation, as the way people interact changes drastically with their use of technology. Advisors and gallerists have to develop their presence to serve the range of generations and how they take in information. For example, this “Artsy” report unpacks the similarities and differences between online collectors’ spending patterns, motivations and challenges, while also comparing them to those of traditional art buyers.

“Look at the difference between the 70s and 80s, then the present. We need community now more than ever and we contribute as an art advisory through promoting dialogue and education. We believe in building personal relationships, reinforcing connections, and in learning as much as possible about what’s happening around us,” says McElwreath. In order for Sidel & McElwreath to reach their full potential as an art advisory, they provide full-service to artists, thinkers and collectors by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional partnerships, and most importantly, acquisitions.

At Sidel & McElwreath’s exhibition opening, McElwreath points out that, “8 out of 9 of the artists made it to the reception for this show. One couldn’t make it because she lives in LA. Everyone brought their friends and we make it a point to reinforce the connections between our artists.” Many other art advisories channel all connections through their platform and often only promote works they have consigned. However, McElwreath says when she is facilitating exposure for her artists she “never wants to get in the way of the artists.” She goes on, “The good things that happen to them come full circle.”

Sidel & McElwreath’s “HARVEST: A Convening of Materiality & Form,” on view until November 20 at 172 East 4th Street, elegantly connects every intention of the advisory–merging interdisciplinary and intergenerational artists that expand the traditional ways we view, interpret and invest in art.

“Abundant in texture and iconography, the works can be understood as a cornucopia of artistic methodologies and subjectivities, queered ideologies, and ultimately a democratic treatment of the artistic landscape of the present day. The title speaks to the process of bringing together disparate artists and artistic practices in community with one another, compounded with the spirit of conviviality and the gathering of a harvest.”

McElwreath, who is constantly searching for and visiting with new artists, found Fumihiro Matsuzaki, who is also featured in Sidel & McElwreath’s online viewing room on Instagram. “I trust my eye and love the art that I work with. Matsuzaki’s work is deeply emotional and it translates on social media and at any physical scale. As soon as I saw his work on Instagram, I had to see it in person and acquire a piece for myself.” Aligned to the core of Sidel & McElwreath’s intentions, Matsuzaki aims to “observe, to listen and to express” with his everyday life.

As you move throughout the exhibition, a diverse conversation develops between each artist and their material, as they each reference their own natural and human ecologies. Jennifer Caviola, who is often commissioned as a street artist, exhibits installations of her wheatpastes and paintings, demonstrating the broad scales her personal narratives can interact with.

Similar in scale but contrasting in medium, Jeila Gueramian takes a sculptural site-specific approach, giving audiences an opportunity to imagine their own fantastical world through incorporating found objects and knitting. There’s a visual cohesion in the movement from natural iconography in Gueramian’s installation to the use of organic materials in Rachel Garrard’s work, which uses dirt and other organic pigments.

Don’t miss “HARVEST: A Convening of Materiality & Form”, which is open until November 20 at 172 East 4th Street New York NY 10009.

For more information on Sidel & McElwreath, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.

In support of their mission to educate, a portion of the proceeds from each online and exhibition sale will help support Wassaic Project Artist Residency as part of Sidel & McElwreath’s Living Artist Fund. For more information on Wassaic Project, please visit their website.