Christie’s, active in Spain since 1973, will maintain three long-standing specialists: María García Yelo, a director of the Impressionist and Modern Art department, Beatriz Ordovás, director and head of Post-War and Contemporary art Iberia, and 19th century and Old Master picture specialist Adriana Marín Huarte.
Regional outposts in other countries are expected to follow suit.
In a press release, the auction house said: “Christie’s is looking beyond the current global pandemic to embrace a more flexible approach to working location long term… Christie’s Spain leads the way in the company’s new office approach, highlighting one of our core values, sustainability, in addition to more progressive ways of working.”
‘Unprecedented change’
Ordovás will lead Christie’s efforts in Iberia for Post War and Contemporary art while retaining her role in the international department and working closely with colleagues in London. She said: “Last year was a year of unprecedented change in our tradition-bound auction industry. But we were able to welcome 200% more first-time online buyers year-on-year from 104 countries, including a strong participation from Spain.”
Yelo, who has worked at Christie’s for 10 years, has been promoted to representative for Christie’s Spain and will also continue her role in the international Impressionist and Modern art department. She was previously artistic director of the HSBC Prix pour la Photographie for its 2017 edition and, from 2014 to 2017, was the director of the PHotoESPAÑA festival of photography and visual arts. Before that she was general deputy director of conservation and research at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía from 2005-2008.
Huarte joined Christie’s Spain in 2011 and has been involved in high-value consignments including The Entombment of Christ by El Greco that made $6.1m at Christie’s New York in April 2016 as well the two private sales to Madrid’s Prado Museum, one of which was Dosso Dossi’s Aeneas and the Harpies from c.1520 that was acquired by the museum last year.
Dirk Boll, Christie’s President EMEA, said: “Since our Madrid office’s inception 50 years ago, we have been privileged to work with many important art market participants in Spain. Ever since, Spanish collectors have continued to entrust us with the sale of highly valuable treasures, including recently the Tàpies Collection and works by Picasso, El Greco, Georg Baselitz, Alberto Giacometti and Joan Miró by whom we have the pleasure of offering Goutte d’eau sur la neige rose, painted in 1968, in our upcoming auction on March 23.
