My Second Home: Legacy Russell and Gemma Rolls-Bentley
UK Gallery Relations Lead + UK Gallery Relations Manager, Artsy
Artsy features the world’s leading galleries, museum collections, foundations, artist estates, art fairs, commerical and benefit auctions, all in one place. Its growing database of 500,000 images of art, architecture, and design by 50,000 artists spans historical, modern, and contemporary works, and includes the largest online database of contemporary art. We spoke to UK Gallery Relations Lead, Legacy Russell, and UK Gallery Relations Manager, Gemma Rolls-Bentley, about the company’s journey so far and how being based at Second Home Spitalfields helps their creative process.
What is the best bit about working for Artsy?
Legacy: Three things: art, artists, and my colleagues. I feel very blessed that I get to wake up daily and collaborate with some of the best galleries in the world, and, via this collaboration, provide a platform for artists on the rise within an ever-expanding marketplace. Beyond this, the Artsy community — our colleagues, who are like family — is just the absolute best. There is some real talent here that is unparalleled and makes Artsy a very special place to be.
Gemma: Learning something new and being inspired on a daily basis by the brilliant individuals that I work alongside at Artsy. There are so many brilliant minds working together to achieve our shared goal of making art accessible to everyone. Working at Artsy I get to contribute to a mission that aligns completely with my own values.
How is Artsy disrupting your industry?
It’s a simple idea, with a big impact — we’re building the platform that allows everyone with an Internet connection to access the world’s art. We aim to make the art world more accessible, expand the audience to new demographics and geographies, and support art being more integrated into culture and our everyday lives.
How do we do this? By creating an open and diverse Marketplace, producing engaging and enriching content, and sharing state-of-the art, intuitive technology with you, our users.
“We aim to make the art world more accessible, expand the audience to new demographics and geographies, and support art being more integrated into culture and our everyday lives.”
What recent project are you the proudest of and why?
We just had the pilot for a new initiative we are working on called Artsy Gallery Programs for our gallery partners. Artsy Gallery Programs will create boutique programming for a global roster of Artsy Gallery Partners that empowers galleries at an international scale, providing a unique opportunity to expand networks, engage creatively, and bolster digital strategy. The art market is global and so is Artsy. Our average transaction distances is over 2,900 miles, and 70% of our partners are outside the US. Artsy Gallery Programs support and reflect this. For the first iteration of this new global event series we invited Artsy Gallery Partners participating in the London Art Fair 2017 to a private view and artist-led walk through of the incredible Tschabalala Self solo show at Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art.
What do you want your company to achieve within the next year?
We will keep telling stories via our editorial platform: there is so much power in an online voice that tells the stories of the artworks and artists that drive what we do. Through these stories we strengthen the opportunity to invest in the intersection between fields (i.e. Architecture & Design, Visual Culture, and beyond). Artsy is the fastest-growing arts-focused publication. Traffic to Artsy editorial coverage has grown by more than 3x over the past year. How large could this audience be? As appreciation and engagement with visual culture grows, Artsy offers the place to read about that world. The size of this audience, and activating it, is a key indicator for the future at Artsy.
“As appreciation and engagement with visual culture grows, Artsy offers the place to read about that world. The size of this audience, and activating it, is a key indicator for the future at Artsy.”
We will continue to build our partnerships: via our increased engagement with galleries, institutions, and auction houses we continue to broaden the market, increasing the reach of these partners and creating new opportunities for engagement of new collectors across even greater distances. Our estimation is that half of Artsy users who have purchased art via Artsy started out as art enthusiasts rather than preexisting collectors (meaning, when they registered they either responded that they are interested in starting to collect, or just looking and learning).
We will continue to invest in creating a new collector profile, bringing higher value to collectors, galleries, institutions, auction houses, via strategic application of predictive analytics: we will continue to invest in tools and tech that bring data insights to our collectors and partners. A collector may miss out on a work at an auction hosted on Artsy but Artsy is then able to offer that collector similar works from our gallery partners.
What advice would you give somebody thinking about starting their own company?
Legacy: Put your ego aside, and honestly focus on the primary KPIs within the arc of your business. Also know that you should be as comfortable with failure as you are with success. Remember that failure is an opportunity to do it even better next time, and when you do fail, bouncing back with ease (rather than freaking out!) will make you more equipped to strategize toward meaningful growth. I was the first Artsy person in the UK, tasked with building out our presence here and collaborating to expand our brand visibility and reach within Europe. Three years ago, no one knew who we were; that’s all changed now. In those early days, it was just me, and I had to push my sleeves up and dive in, there was no time for hand-wringing or easy-bruising. I also think one should remember to ask questions, always, and of everyone. Life is learning, and those who live best never get tired of striving toward their best self via remaining curious and humble.
“Remember that failure is an opportunity to do it even better next time, and when you do fail, bouncing back with ease (rather than freaking out!) will make you more equipped to strategize toward meaningful growth.”
Gemma: I would agree that the key is learning. In particular, by surrounding yourself with people that have knowledge and experience that is relevant to your venture and being open to their honest and direct feedback. Working alongside key players in your industry and even eliciting their input and investment in your projects is a valuable means of gaining expert advice and guidance. I also think that the best approach to take when it comes to engaging audiences and securing partnership opportunities, most importantly in the early days, is to clearly demonstrate your own belief and passion in your vision. If potential stakeholders are convinced by your determination, drive and commitment to the mission they are much more likely to contribute to building a successful operation and helping you achieve your goals.
What person / company has inspired you the most?
Legacy: I’m excited by the young start-up Paladin, which prioritises doing pro-bono legal work as a means of advancing social justice. Their merge of the law and technology is very necessary and most welcome in the face of ongoing violations of human rights on an international scale.
Gemma: Can I say RuPaul? Not exactly a start up but certainly changing the world as we know it. Having built his Emmy-winning Drag Race into a global phenomenon, he has pioneered new ways of thinking, awareness and education around LGBTQ issues.
How has being at Second Home helped your work?
Legacy: It’s a brilliant meeting place, and has absolutely helped bring us as an American company into a European arts x tech scene. It’s an opportunity to intersect with others who are doing exciting things, and as well continue to build and innovate within a cultural milieu that, as we do, prioritises access to art and technology.
Gemma: The building provides a brilliant setting for external meetings, Artsy friends and partners are always delighted to have the opportunity to visit a space that they’ve already heard so much about. The Be Better sessions are also a real benefit, I’ve learned some brilliant stuff — most recently some great nutrition tips from Jodie Abrahams, which are hopefully going to improve my energy levels!
“Second Home provides a brilliant setting for external meetings, Artsy friends and partners are always delighted to have the opportunity to visit a space that they’ve already heard so much about.”
What is your favourite design feature about Second Home?
Legacy: I love the plants, the green is so conducive to bringing calm into my working space.
Gemma: The tech-free hanging garden, I don’t use it nearly enough but when I do I feel better for it!
What company at Second Home fascinates you the most?
Legacy: I’m so into VISUALISE and the work they’re doing. Also shout-out to Kickstarter, who continues to inspire.
Gemma: VISUALISE seem to be doing amazing work. My whole family received cardboard VR headsets for Christmas 2015 following a VISUALISE demo that I attended. Taking my granny to Paris from her living room in Sheffield was definitely a highlight of that Christmas.
Outside of work, what place in London stimulates your imagination the most and why?
Legacy: Some favourite spots are the The London Review of Books, the BFI, The British Library, and the ICA. I’m particularly excited by the learning I do at each, and how each approaches programming as a means of extending the power of its materials, archives, or exhibitions.
Gemma: I have lived in Deptford for over 2 years and it’s still my favourite place in London. The diverse community, rich creative history and abundance of artist studios in the area make it a stimulating and endlessly surprising environment to spend time in. I’m also a trustee of local arts charity, Deptford X — London’s longest running contemporary art festival.
We ask everyone to select a book that will inspire others and become part of Libreria’s permanent collection. Which book would you choose and why?
Legacy: Right now I’m all about books that can provide tools and language to address what is taking place in the world at the moment, and remind me that the action of dismantling power is a daily commitment. I am finding inspiration in the nonfiction of Audre Lorde’s Sister Outsider, the poetry of Anaïs Duplan’s Take This Stallion, and the surrealist prose of Monique Wittig’s Les Guerilleres.
Gemma: The most powerful book that I read in 2016 was Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts. I think everyone should read it, I bought Legacy a copy for her birthday (from Libreria, I might add).
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