This month we are joined by Chris Bentley, Head of Fine Art & Specie at AXA XL’s UK & Lloyds business, to discuss his journey into the art world.

From formative experiences as a porter at Bonhams, to developing art insurance products across the globe, and the importance of gathering a diverse set of professional experiences from the outset, this episode makes for essential listening for anyone curious about the behind-the-scenes infrastructures of the art world.

About Our Guest

Chris Bentley is Head of Fine Art & Specie at AXA XL’s UK & Lloyds business, a role he has held since December 2020. He was previously Director of Underwriting for Northern Europe, Middle East & Asia-Pacific at AXA ART. Prior to this he worked at Hiscox where he was a member of their Fine Art team. He has held positions at Bonhams Auctioneers and Aon Artscope, a fine art insurance broker specialising in art and antique dealers.

He is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, an elected member of the Lloyds Market Association and International Underwriting Association Joint Specie Committee since 2015 (as Chairman between September 2019 and March 2023), and a member of Professional Advisors to the International Art Market.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

“With research, there are days we are at an absolute dead end, and sometimes it's weeks when you've made no progress. But then, one day, you make progress, and you answer a question, and, in that moment, it pays off.”

In this month’s episode we are joined by Angelina Giovani, co-founder of the Flynn and Giovani provenance research agency and founder of the online training platform, Art Market Academy.

From the challenges and progress in provenance research, to the importance of thorough documentation as part of a broader due diligence process, as well as Giovani’s new platform Source, which opens research access on a global scale, this episode is key listening for anyone interested in research-based practise.

About the Guest

Angelina Giovani is an art provenance researcher and co-founder of the Flynn & Giovani Art Provenance Research Agency, which was founded in 2017 and specialises in due diligence and provenance investigations.

She works closely with key members of the UK art trade, with research supporting works now held in the collections of institutions including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Carnegie Museum of Art.

In 2023, she founded the Art Market Academy, an educational platform dedicated to provenance research and the only resource of its kind and is now launching Source, a platform connecting researchers with on-the-ground access to libraries and archives, designed to remove barriers to knowledge while creating opportunities for students.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

“We are a kind of matchmaking service between artists and projects. For every artist, there is a client.”

In this month’s episode of The Bigger Picture, we speak to David Knowles, Founder and Creative Director of Artelier.

From the importance of working with local artists and craftspeople in different regions, to incorporating sustainable materials and practices and staying ahead of trends, this episode makes for essential listening for anyone keen to better understand the landscape for artists today.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

In this month’s episode of The Bigger Picture, we speak to Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, on the developing nature and role of international art fairs.

From the early influences of her family’s art collection, to studying anthropology and her early career at the Saatchi Gallery, our conversation explores the balance between commercial and public objectives, the overriding importance of engaging communities and grassroots organisations, as well as the changing tastes and priorities of collectors.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts.

To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly, please visit arcarta.com.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

“There's still a lot of inequality in terms of representation and there is a lack of understanding-the artists career trajectory is still following a path that is not suitable for most artists…What I'm trying to with the gallery, [is] challenge is that. Life is not linear.”

In this month’s episode of The Bigger Picture, we speak with Sarah Le Quang Sang, Founder and Director of the London-based SLQS Gallery.

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From the influence of her multicultural upbringing, her experiences navigating the market as a mother (including her co-directorship of the Pro-Create Project), to her insight into the shifting shape of gallery models and art history trajectories, this episode makes for essential listening for anyone interested in navigating today’s sector.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

“Careers are incredibly long, and I think you don't always appreciate that when you're starting out… your reputation, your relationships, all of these things endure for far longer than any specific decision you might be making day-to-day."

In this month’s episode of The Bigger Picture, we speak with Mazdak Sanii, co-founder of Avant Arte. From early lessons in financial modelling at Rothschild, to working with high profile artists on editions and meeting ever-shifting needs of today’s collectors, Sanii shares the lessons learned at the creation of a business in the intersection of art and technology.

Essential listening for anyone curious about the future of art, the rise of curated marketplaces, and what it takes to turn the building of communities into a thriving business.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

“Clients are still collecting art, because it is a passion, right? They love it. It's for all the reasons that everyone has always collected. But there have been increasing expectations around the financial performance of art and understanding of it as an asset class.”

In this month’s episode of The Bigger Picture, we’re joined by Drew Watson, Managing Director, Head of Art Services at Bank of America, who explains the latest mood in art investment, generational shifts and the overriding importance of a passion for the work.

From understanding the impact of macroeconomic factors on market trends, to exploring the growing prioritisation of emotional motivations in collectors and regulatory pressures mounting on the trade, this interview offers a comprehensive overview to anyone keen to better understand current market forces and careers within it.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com

In this month’s episode of The Bigger Picture, we’re joined by Oliver Howell, CEO of Gander & White Shipping. Oliver shares insights into the evolving demands of sustainable business practices and the challenges of operating globally during periods of economic uncertainty.

Essential listening for anyone interested in the art market or keen to understand more how shifting trade dynamics are shaping daily operations across the sector.

You can subscribe to The Bigger Picture wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about this episode or to reach out to us directly please visit arcarta.com