Alexandra Schafer

Alexandra Schafer, the driving force behind the international brand – VELVENOIR. A hospitality and marketing professional who brings her passion for contemporary art into the company. Having worked over 10 years within the field of hospitality, events, marketing and PR – she decided to build a company which not only makes contemporary art accessible at a global level but also has a personal and professional approach as part of the entire art experience. Through her entrepreneurial and hands-on approach, she has built a firm that breaks the boundaries of today´s art world and targets strategically niche industries.  To make art acquisition a personal experience and an exciting journey for her clients. Alexandra has been acquiring, curating and installing contemporary art from emerging to established career artists sourced from leading art galleries and art fairs as well as from artists to place within various residential, hospitality and commercial projects to create unique art experiences around the world together with a global network of experts, she selected and vetted to join her on the journey to transform her clients collection and spaces. Alexandra´s exposure to richly diverse cultures informs her entire approach and unique ability to translate each client´s desire to acquire contemporary art with a personal service allowed her to offer global access for her HNWI to acquire top-notch art for their private collection or project.  She gained invaluable experiences and insights throughout the last 10 years while living in London and Sydney.  Throughout the years, she worked for companies such as Four Seasons, David Jones, Merivale, HSBC, Sportsworld, The Star Sydney and many other boutique firms.

Luna

Luna, our office dog – supports us throughout the day

Catherine Asquith

Catherine’s expertise rests with a working knowledge of contemporary art practices inclusive of painting, sculpture, photography, and works on paper, in addition to a nuanced understanding of the unique Australian Indigenous art practices. Specialist areas include Australian Art (Impressionist, Modernist, Contemporary), Aboriginal Art (Pintupi / Papunya Tula), and Asian Contemporary Art.

Over the years, Catherine collaborated with auction houses on selected exhibitions; and has placed numerous artworks with significant institutional and corporate art collections, in addition to private and institutional art collections located across the globe.

Isabel Tapp

Isabel Tapp, has been a major player in the luxury travel market for over 30 years. Working with international brands such as the Jumeirah Group, Rocco Forte Hotels, the renowned Glion Hospitality Management School in Switzerland, the Mandarin Oriental Group, VisitBritain, Expedia as well as private island resort North Island in Seychelles, Isabel is one of the GCC Region’s leading high-end luxury lifestyle experts. A board-level strategic consultant, Isabel’s well-rounded communication expertise includes PR, Marketing, Sales and Events. Commencing her successful career as Director for Sales and Marketing for Corinthia Hotels, Isabel then moved to Switzerland to help the Marketing and Communications department for the renowned Glion Hotel School. She was then snapped up by the Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts group to set up their Public Relations department, swiftly being promoted to the Head of Marketing, PR & Communications for this prestigious hotel group. After an auspicious stint as Director of Sales & Marketing for Rocco Forte Hotels, Isabel was itching to break out on her own and, armed with a wealth of experience, set up AllDetails Middle East.

PR & Marketing Specialists in Luxury Lifestyle, Travel & Hospitality, AllDetails is an award-winning integrated PR and Communications agency based in Dubai and operating across the GCC region. Working with some of the world’s most recognizable brands on product and service launches as well as profile building, communications strategies and long-term awareness, the team’s global experience blends the best of traditional and digital PR to help brands tell engaging stories that stimulate conversation and influence consumer behaviour.

Experts in handling the public image of a company – whatever that may entail – AllDetails are specialists in raising a company and product awareness. Isabel has built AllDetails into a market leading and internationally awarded agency with a GCC footprint and now supports VELVENOIR globally with her expertise and know-how.

Jules Lambe

Jules Lambe works with various art and design consultants together to curate, source, budgets, design – develop & facilitate bespoke public art programmes including lighting & tile installation,Studies @ Sothebys Institute London covering 20th Century Design. She curates more than 30% of her annual workload such as Venice Biennale 2013, 2015. Furthermore, Jules sits on board MOCA Museum Beijing. In decorative Arts, she has a strong interest & works with NGO’ & Artisans to contemporize traditional Crafts within sustainable development. Jules brings over 14 years of experience as an Art & Design professional throughout the Asia Pacific Region & America and has developed strong relationships with other art professionals including Art Law to assist Corporate & private clients.

Inês Valle

Inês Valle is a transcultural curator, art consultant and writer based between London (UK) and Lagos (NIG); specializing in African and Aboriginal contemporary arts, international social engaged art practices, art and communities, and in intercultural dialogues.  Inês holds a BA in Visual Arts and a MA in Curatorial Studies both at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon. She has collaborated with art organizations across the world, including in Argentina, Australia, Congo, France, New Zealand, Nigeria, Palestine, Portugal, Rwanda, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe.

Inês Valle is our chief art curator at VELVENOIR and works hand-in-hand with the entire team together on  various residential, hospitality and commercial projects.

Lou Anmella

Lou Anmella is an Art Project Manager specialized in Chinese contemporary art. Lou holds a BA in Art History and English Literature and Civilization from the Paris Catholic Institute (FR), a MA in Art History from the Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Paris, FR) and a MA in Cultural Management from the Cergy-Pontoise University (FR). She began her career in 2015 at the luxury department store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche in Paris (FR) where she helped manage the art and design collection, and organize exhibitions with international artists such as Martin Parr, Ai Weiwei, and Chiharu Shiota. Passionate about cultural exchanges and eager to facilitate the circulation of artistic creations from Asia to Europe and vice-versa, in 2015 Lou co-founded the non-profit organization ACA project, an online platform aiming to provide knowledge and understanding about Asian contemporary art to a French and English-speaking audience. Following a collaboration curating photographic exhibitions with the M97 gallery in Shanghai China in 2017, Lou is now based in Paris France. She recently launched the contemporary art agency Maison Jade and works with artists and galleries, offering curative direction, exhibition coordination and logistical support, to help bring their projects to fruition.

“I am very excited to become a part of the prestigious and international company VELVENOIR. Joining this passionate and exemplary team is a unique opportunity for me to take on new challenges and enrich my expertise. Collaborating with clients and collectors in Paris, we will move forward together: by engaging in dialogue and obtaining a clear vision of their direction, I will make sure to offer them a relevant and creative tailor-made service.”

Liz Yisun Kwon

Liz Yisun Kwon is a curator and writer based in New York. She is a Founder / Director of LYK Art Projects LLC, a curatorial agency working for public and private sector clients on a variety of international art and design projects. Liz studied Art Education from Korea University, and holds Master’s degrees in Art Theory from Seoul National University, and in Arts and Cultural Management from the Pratt Institute. She has developed many research projects on art museums and has gained experience in both the curatorial and management areas of art organizations. Her exhibitions and writings on contemporary art have bridged the New York and Korean art worlds.

Working as a gallery director in Chelsea NY for the past years, she organized numerous exhibitions and educational programs. In addition to consulting the private and corporate collections, she is an avid art writer whose publications include ‘Art for All: Public Art in New York 모두의 미술, 2017’, ‘Museums make New York Peculiar 뉴욕의 특별한 미술관, 2012’.

Liz supports our VELVENOIR NYC advisors with various residential, hospitality and commercial projects with her curatorial expertise and know-how.

Antoinette Genevieve Williams

An independent art consultant, curator, and writer, Antoinette is an enthusiast for the art of all media. Currently based in San Diego, she has participated in organizing exhibitions in the US and abroad. She earned her BA in Art History from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and gained her MA in Fine and Decorative Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. Antoinette is currently a contributing writer for Rise Art, Or Does It Explode Magazine, and Vanguard Culture. She previously penned articles for Fresh Paint Magazine [now Create! Magazine] and Artfetch [merged with Rise Art]. 

Antoinette runs all VELVENOIR activities and works with clients throughout San Diego and Southern California, she aims to offer brilliant options to collectors and commercial clients both in the region and abroad.