Sophia Penske on Hybrid Art Advisory and Collecting

Sophia Penske, who works at Gagosian Art Advisory and runs Penske Projects, discusses her hybrid role in the art world. She distinguishes between her independent projects and her advisory work, emphasizing that her exhibitions are driven by personal belief in artists rather than market considerations. Penske compares collecting emerging art to venture capital (high risk, high reward) and blue-chip art to private equity (more stable). She joined Gagosian Art Advisory in 2023 to deepen her secondary market knowledge while continuing to champion younger artists. Penske is drawn to contemporary figurative painting with strong visual identity and the intersection of art and fashion. Her pop-up model, exemplified by a recent Paris exhibition with Ruttkowski;68, allows flexibility beyond traditional galleries. She also collaborates with Ketabi Bourdet and Phillips, and explores projects involving classic cars. Penske sees independent curators as creative directors building personal narratives. She emphasizes transparency and authenticity across all relationships. Looking ahead, she wants to expand the pop-up model with unexpected contexts and site-specific collaborations.