Platform debuted in May of 2021 as a collaborative online showcase of artworks imagined by entrepreneur and innovator Bettina Huang (now the company’s executive chairman) and built in partnership with David Zwirner. It was designed to give younger galleries a virtual venue to exhibit their artists while their physical spaces sat idle thanks to COVID. A clear product of the pandemic in its early days, Platform has since proven it can transform, adapt and thrive in an always changing art world.
Today, it operates with a lean, seven-person team of ambitious staffers, all focused on making the art world more accessible. Platform still offers a curated monthly selection of artworks from partner galleries, encouraging fresh discoveries, but over time, the company recognized the importance of educating its primary audience—mainly young, first-time collectors—who wanted to engage with Platform not only online but also via offline programs and events.
Now, the art marketplace is set to reach the pinnacle of its community-building efforts with the launch of the Chelsea Art Fair at New York City’s iconic Chelsea Hotel. Opening November 23, in advance of Art Basel Miami Beach, the one-day event will spotlight five of the country’s most exciting contemporary galleries, handpicked by Platform: 56 Henry (New York), CASTLE (Los Angeles), Lomex (New York), Matthew Brown (Los Angeles and New York) and Ramiken (New York).
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Observer caught up with Platform COO Richard Thayer to discuss how the business has evolved and what’s next for this digital innovator. “We have a strong record of discovering and nurturing artistic talent,” he said. “All artists we work with usually are in high demand and are usually hard to get if you’re not an insider with a personal relationship with the gallery.” Accessibility has been one of the company’s primary motivators since the beginning. “The core goal was, and remains, to bring new people into the art market.”
Over the years, Platform expanded its business to include more affordable art-related collectibles, like the exclusive fanzine Sauve qui peut! (Run for Your Life), created by the American-born, France-based Crumb family: cartoonist Robert Crumb, his collaborator and wife Aline Kominsky-Crumb and their daughter Sophie Crumb. Other Platform ventures had artists branching into wearable art, such as the oversized, reversible tote bag dubbed “The Evolution Tote,” designed with artist Katherine Bernhardt, and a limited-edition hoodie created in collaboration with British painter Rose Wylie. These limited-edition drops of artist collaborations tend to sell out swiftly, signaling strong demand for more accessible art products, particularly among a younger audience.
This e-commerce approach becomes the entry point for an audience that develops an initial interest in an artist via collabs before eventually purchasing original work—usually works on paper or other moderately priced pieces. “I remember when we launched Josh Smith’s sculptural pendant necklaces, someone reached out on Instagram, saying he had always loved the artist and had been looking for something by him he could finally afford,” Thayer recalled. “That’s what we were offering.” Platform plans to expand this line of business, working with manufacturers and brands already exploring artist collaborations and acting as a bridge with the expertise to curate these initiatives.
Since the end of the pandemic, Platform has been hosting periodic in-person events, such as happy hours, to introduce their monthly selections, build brand loyalty and authority and bring the digital experience to a physical space. Inherent in these activities, according to Thayer, is the goal of building a community of young collectors.
Platform’s ongoing success likely lies in its personal approach. The team often serves as advisors and educators, guiding said collectors and helping them gain confidence in the art world. But recently the company has expanded into B2B advisory, though it has no plans to operate as a physical gallery or as an agency. “Platform is our name, but ultimately, it’s also the term that best describes what we are and what we do,” Thayer said. Connecting galleries and collectors will likely always be its main mission.
As to where the Chelsea Art Fair fits in, there’s no denying it marks a new chapter in Platform’s approach. “We work very fast, and we are always down to try new things,” Thayer explained. “The monthly selection of new one-of-a-kind artworks will continue to be at the core of what we do, but our goal is, you know, to be a platform for galleries to reach more people and for people to have an approachable place to get involved in the market and discover the right talent.”
Chelsea Art Fair will take place on November 23 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free, but advanced registration is recommended.