"The foremost skill possessed by all successful art businesses is the undeniable ability to nurture a relationship between a collector and a wonderful piece of art. Regardless of the size and scope of each business, this is a requirement if the firm wishes to flourish as a seller of art.
This point was made emphatically for me last month while attending the anniversary celebration of Park West Gallery’s 40 years in business. In attendance were nearly four dozen artists who traveled from around the world to celebrate the achievement, as well as collectors and staff who are boundlessly dedicated to sharing art with the public. The ongoing story of the firm’s success is grounded in what makes our industry great—our ability to enrich the lives of others through art.
The company’s story is as unique as it is topical because Park West is an art business that is dealing with the same challenges that all galleries face. Their response to the market is derived from their philosophy and their commitment to art and the artists they sell. Hence, I have extended an invitation to Albert Scaglione, founder and CEO of Park West to share with our readers his perspective and insight on what has made his company prosper in the past and to identify what he sees as the drivers of success in the future."
John Haffey
Publisher, Art World News
This point was made emphatically for me last month while attending the anniversary celebration of Park West Gallery’s 40 years in business. In attendance were nearly four dozen artists who traveled from around the world to celebrate the achievement, as well as collectors and staff who are boundlessly dedicated to sharing art with the public. The ongoing story of the firm’s success is grounded in what makes our industry great—our ability to enrich the lives of others through art.
The company’s story is as unique as it is topical because Park West is an art business that is dealing with the same challenges that all galleries face. Their response to the market is derived from their philosophy and their commitment to art and the artists they sell. Hence, I have extended an invitation to Albert Scaglione, founder and CEO of Park West to share with our readers his perspective and insight on what has made his company prosper in the past and to identify what he sees as the drivers of success in the future."
John Haffey
Publisher, Art World News
AWN: What was your original vision for Park West Gallery back in 1969?
Albert Scaglione: Our mission—and I call it a mission because we approach our business with great passion and purpose—is the same today as it was 40 years ago. We were convinced that introducing fine art into the lives of people who did not live in New York, Los Angeles, or other major markets with a strong presence of galleries and auction houses would be a successful and rewarding business. So that’s what we did and continue to do through our galleries and land and sea auctions.
AWN: From the start you reached out to artists, as well as to customers, to build lasting relationships. Was that central to your mission?
AS: Absolutely. Most people are surprised to learn that more than 90% of the art we offer represents works by living artists that we represent directly—talented individuals from all over the world we consider part of our Park West family. Strong relationships between dealer and artist are certainly not new, but what we have nurtured over four decades is enduring relationships between our artists and customers. It is not unusual for our clients to have met and discussed the art they purchase with the artist who created it. Historically that was an experience enjoyed by only the wealthiest of art patrons. Extending that opportunity to 1.2 million clients has been one of our proudest accomplishments.
AWN: Please name some of your living artists.
AS: The photograph taken at our event (above) shows the more than 40 artists who participated in our 40th anniversary celebration.
AWN: How large a part of your business are the auctions at sea?
AS: They have grown to be a very important part of our business. Every month we sell thousands of works of art to customers on many cruise lines around the globe. In fact, the cruise environment could be the ideal gallery situation. There isn’t a dealer anywhere who wouldn’t want the opportunity to interact with and inform clients in a relaxed setting, during multiple visits over many days. The typical cruise is seven or more days, during which time we connect clients with artists and our experts. It’s a wonderful experience because at sea the dealer can almost step away to allow the bonding that occurs between artists and artwork and client.
AWN: In 40 years what has been the biggest change in your business and our industry?
AS: The Internet, without a doubt. And it’s been both a blessing and a curse. Digital communication empowers us to reach millions of people and inform them about art like never before. But the online world can be like the Wild, Wild West sometimes, with anybody saying anything about anything. There are few checks on accuracy, accountability, and expertise. So as art dealers who have built our reputations and earned trust over many years, our challenge is to distinguish ourselves as much as possible by s t a y i n g close to our artists, providing realworld experiences to m a x i m i z e the joy of purchasing and living with fine art. So we have a terrific opportunity to h uma n i z e the experience by bringing people together with people—beyond the computer screen.
AWN: With so much information— accurate and inaccurate— out their in cyberspace, how do you earn and maintain customer confidence?
AS: After 40 years in business, time is certainly on our side. You don’t stay alive, let alone grow over that long a period of time if you are not delivering value, building relationships, and earning people’s confidence. But we never stop trying to improve the customer experience. For example, as we enter the fifth decade, we are introducing an enhanced customer satisfaction guarantee. We’re calling it our 40-40-40 policy. Simply put, in addition to guaranteeing the quality and authenticity or every work sold— as we have for 40 years—we are offering clients the options of returning a work of art within 40 days of receipt for a full refund of the hammer bid purchase price, or exchanging an item for another in the Park West collection for up to 40 months. We believe this goes above and beyond any other guarantee in the industry, and are convinced this will make the Park West purchasing experience even more worry-free than it’s been over the last four decades.
AWN: What in your opinion are the most difficult challenges facing art dealers and auction houses over the short term?
AS: Clearly we are in a very challenging economic environment right now, and we in the art world are not immune from these forces. This puts an even higher importance on staying with quality, getting artists out in front of the customer—in person, through video, online—and delivering an enjoyable, inspiring experience.
AWN: What’s on the horizon as far as customer taste?
AS: I have seen increasing enthusiasm for artists who express themselves effectively in multiple mediums. Clients form a relationship and fondness for an artist’s paintings and want to see how the artist expresses himself or herself through sculpture, watercolor, etching, lithography, serigraphy, or other media. The artists with the greatest range are thriving.
AWN: You have seen and experienced a lot over 40 years, but what has been your greatest satisfaction?
AS: The knowledge that we have brought a new way of life to people who may never have experienced the joy of collecting fine art without the relationship they’ve formed with Park West. I have seen tears in the eyes of clients from all walks of life who express to me the enthusiasm they now have for theatre, museums, and other pursuits that were not a part of their lives before we sparked an interest in and nurtured a love for art. There are many stories like that that make me feel very good about the last 40 years and optimistic about the years to come.
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