Il Ponte Casa d’Aste Adapts to Pandemic with Online Sales and #RESTIAMOCONNESSI Campaign

In an interview with Artribune, Rossella Novarini, director of Il Ponte Casa d’Aste, and Freddy Battino, head of the Modern and Contemporary Art department, discuss how the Milanese auction house is responding to the prolonged lockdown and the shift to online sales. Novarini explains that the team of over 60 professionals has continued working remotely, maintaining client connections through consultations and valuations via photos and descriptions. The house launched the #RESTIAMOCONNESSI campaign to share positivity and increase engagement, resulting in new followers and views. The new online platform, IL PONTE LIVE, inaugurated in January 2020, is expected to be crucial for recovery. Battino notes that the pandemic may accelerate the online art market, but Il Ponte is prepared, having already achieved over 60% of lots sold abroad in 2019 through online and phone bidding. He predicts a rebound in sales post-crisis, especially for works priced between €10,000 and €50,000, as clients trust the house's condition reports. The interview, conducted by Cristina Masturzo, highlights the auction house's strategies to balance technology with the human element of live auctions.