23rd January 2018

COLLECT 2018: Q&A with Cavaliero Finn

London gallery Cavaliero Finn is on a mission. “Our main philosophy is to take art and craft out of the stuffy white cube gallery space, which can be intimidating, and bring it into a relaxed and informal environment that is more accessible.” Exhibiting at Collect, the UK’s biggest and best fair dedicated to craft held at the Saatchi Gallery between 22-25 February 2018, Cavaliero Finn has built up a reputation for showcasing top-notch work from emerging and established makers alike, in an environment akin to a salon or front room.

Set up by Juliana Cavaliero and Debra Finn in 2004, Cavaliero Finn also has a well-earned reputation for supporting unknown artists early on in their careers – making their selection a smart choice for those looking for clever investment. At Collect, the gallery will showcase ceramic and glass mobiles by Venezuelan artist Daniel Reynold, Ikuko Iwamoto's weird and wonderful porcelain dioramas and traditional joinery from Galvin Brothers. You can also catch Matthew Chambers’ ceramic sculptures, which derive from a love of constructivist architecture, ceramicist Ashraf Hanna ’s ‘Petrified Forest’ series and the elegant work of jewellery-maker Michelle McKinney.

We caught up with Juliana Cavaliero and Debra Finn to find out more about their eagle eye for upcoming talent and garner their top tips for buying pieces for our own homes.

Founders of Cavaliero Finn Juliana Cavaliero and Debra Finn.

Does the gallery have a particular philosophy?

When we started nearly fourteen years ago we were one of a few people doing the ‘salon’ home/gallery concept, but now it’s become very popular. We use all the available space a house offers and sometimes the smallest or most unusual and awkward nooks, crannies and walls can be the most beautiful spot to hang or place a piece. We want to make art accessible and support young artists for whom it’s difficult to find a platform to promote and show their work. In the domestic environment people can imagine how the work might look in their own house.

You scoop up a lot of artists while they’re still unknown. What are you looking for when you’re trawling degree shows?

Our choice of work is very intuitive, it's hard to articulate exactly what is it we look for but having worked together for so long we know what each other likes and as a consequence our portfolio has a strong aesthetic which is full of work we are both really passionate about. One thing we don’t do is to follow trends; the emphasis is on originality and craftsmanship of the highest standard. Our portfolio features quality, heirloom pieces which have a stand-alone aesthetic beauty that will stand the test of time.

July by Ikuko Iwamoto represented by Cavaliero Finn.

And how is the process of representing fresh talent different to more established artists?

For us the process of representing emerging talent compared to more established talent is slightly different. Our passion for both types of work being equal; it’s up to us to encourage our clients to feed off this passion and to trust our instincts about an emerging artist. We have had quite a good track record in supporting more established artists early on in their careers and not just those we are exhibiting at Collect, we have worked with contemporary sculptors like Tom Stogdon and Merete Rasmussen who now exhibit internationally, their work having more than trebled in value since we first exhibited their sculptures.

What other notable artists have you worked with in the past?

We have worked with painters Holly Frean, Gill Rocca and Daisy Cook who all show internationally and have a strong following. We work with Alexana Cayless, former artist in residence at the Design Museum, and now part of the international design team ‘Based Upon’. We also work with Annie Turner, Barry Stedman, and Sophie Cook whose ceramics are collected worldwide and, as well as Matthew Chambers and Ikuko Iwamoto, both of whom we are showing at Collect, we work with Japanese ceramicists Akiko Hirai, Kaori Tatebayashi and Mizuyo Yamashita (who has just produced a collection for the Tate in response to the Giacometti exhibition). We also show the work of textile artist Anna Raymond who has a waiting list for work after producing bespoke work for Kit Kemp’s Firmdale Hotels in Soho and New York.

Deep Twist Blue by Matthew Chambers represented by Cavaliero Finn.

Tell us about one of the pieces you have in your own home and why it’s so special to you.

Juliana: I own one of the first ceramic and glass mobiles Daniel Reynolds ever made. The prototype if you like, and it gives me so much joy everyday. It hangs in its own space and moves slowly round catching the light at different times of the day. I love all the individual elements, the coloured glass, the perforated stoneware and the porcelain discs. Each element is beautiful in its own right and works together to make the complete whole. When I first got it my son, who was about five at the time commented that he liked the twinkling thing above the piano. He made an emotional connection with the sculpture even if he couldn’t articulate it fully.

Debra: I have one of Matthew Chambers sculptures. My husband and I had longed to own one since we first worked with Matt more than ten years ago. For me Matt’s work is incredibly beautiful, I’m sure no one could deny that. I love how each sculpture takes your eye on a wonderful journey as it follows the circular forms round and round towards its centre, I marvel at the technical skill, the precision with which each piece of Matt’s sculptures fit so perfectly into the other and I delight in seeing clients wonder at these pieces too, trying to fathom out how they have been made, jaws dropped to the floor. I could wax lyrical about Matt’s work all day.

Ribosome Flower Vase by Ikuko Iwamoto represented by Cavaliero Finn.

What advice would you give someone wanting to buy a craft piece for their home?

You have to fall in love with it and want to live with it forever. Have a space in mind where it could go. Think about the objects around it - can it work with the other things in the space. We always place a craft piece very thoughtfully in a space where it speaks to other art works or objects around it. In so many cases, there is a balance and harmony between paintings, sculpture and crafts, a dialogue that enhances each work.

Once you have fallen in love, we would advise looking at provenance, especially if a piece is going to stretch your budget. Look at where the artist trained, their exhibition history, prizes, awards and accolades. These credentials all contribute to the makers place in the market and dictates their price.

Are there any extra challenges when collecting kinetic work like that by like Daniel Reynolds?

I suppose there is the challenge of finding the right space for a kinetic work, a place where it can move freely and where movement is in someway stimulated. Collectors can be put off initially by it not ‘fitting’ their space but actually they are very easy to install and can be moved around very easily. They work well in front of windows, plain walls, decorated walls, hallways or paintings so the options are endless.

Michelle Mckinney represented by Cavaliero Finn.

Some of the artists you’re exhibiting at Collect are pretty unconventional (we love Ikuko Iwamoto for example), how important is it to you to challenge the perception of craft as ‘stuffy’ and celebrate more playful work?

Since we established Cavaliero Finn, over 14 years ago, we have always hung ceramics and sculpture with wall work and paintings. We have never considered the work we show to be stuffy, rather innovative, contemporary, beautiful and groundbreaking. The talents of our artists never cease to amaze and inspire us and our aim is to show off the work to the greatest effect and to ‘curate’ the hang to show off a piece in the best way possible. We have worked with Ikuko for over ten years and her sculpture training has always interested us. She creates the most exquisite objects, a world of intricacy and detail, of mathematical pattern and chaos, of beauty and repulsion. Function isn’t important to us, it’s her ability to both repel and attract that we love about her work. She is incredible and her patience and attention to detail is awe inspiring.

How do you think the global craft scene has changed in recent years?

It has changed hugely. Cavaliero Finn has always shown paintings, ceramics and design together and in our eyes the work all holds equal value but this wasn’t the case when Juliana left the contemporary gallery world in the the late nineties. Then, the market was was dominated by paintings, sculpture and conceptual art (except Grayson Perry who was represented by a top gallery but was less well known). There was a snobbery about mixing art and craft but I think these boundaries are breaking down (with the help of Grayson Perry!) and galleries that are embracing craft. You only have to look at the big international galleries now – Hauser and Wirth (Ken Price), Gagosian Gallery (Edmund de Waal) White Cube (Rachel Kneebone) and Modern Art (Ron Nagle) – to see times are shifting. Ceramics and craft are taking centre stage in the art world and it’s exciting and relevant!

Mobile by Daniel Reynolds represented by Cavaliero Finn.

The ESH Gallery is also exhibiting at Collect 2018 check out our interview with them here.