David Zwirner hires influencer Elena Soboleva as first director of online sales

David Zwirner, the German art dealer celebrating 25 years since opening his first gallery, has appointed Elena Soboleva as his first director of online sales. Soboleva, a millennial social media influencer with 13,900 Instagram followers, previously worked as a contemporary art specialist, collector relations manager, and lead curator for special projects at Artsy. Zwirner, who recently opened a new New York exhibition space designed by Renzo Piano and now operates six galleries across New York, London, and Hong Kong, stated that 30% of clients purchase works solely based on emailed images. He compared the online platform to opening a new gallery, saying it will be managed like a physical space with senior staff. Soboleva described the digital space as a natural extension of the gallery, noting that the art world is growing online as galleries and auction houses recognize digital's value for reaching broader audiences and understanding collectors. Zwirner also launched the podcast "Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast," hosted by his son Lucas Zwirner, editorial director of David Zwirner Books, featuring conversations between artists and cultural figures on creativity and art's role in society.