A Conversation With Patrick Heide

As an international design studio based in London, Designed by Woulfe works to glean from all of the diverse cultures that the city has to offer. With such a diverse and international group of represented and collaborating artists, ranging from Switzerland to Iraq to Germany to South Korea, how do you manage to present each artist and their cultural backgrounds without having them conflict with one another?

Is there anything you think that is provided by having your base in London that perhaps another city wouldn’t be able to offer the gallery or your artists? Luckily, the language of art leaps across many borders. We might have a client from Hong Kong who newly discovers an artwork from a German artist and falls in love with it. Much of the gallery presentation aesthetic is abstract and works to engage in conceptualised conversations. In my view, you could almost say: the less narrative a work of art is the more possible links to other cultures you are likely to find because they communicate on another level. The fascination with finding the essence of an expression is a real driving force for me. The cultural backgrounds play a role and find their expression in the works. Yet, the diverse cultures join a plurality of connected forms, themes, aesthetics and roots that binds them together apart from their history.

Of course, it is important to foster young, emerging talent and you are very clear that this is something that Patrick Heide Contemporary Art strives to do. What support do you provide to these artists, whom you refer to as ‘€˜Breeders’?

The Breeders program was started with the idea of nurturing emerging artists, even graduates.

Some artists manage to market themselves well or build up networks that support them, though the strategies have recently depended more and more on social media presence, the current trend, and investment. If you don’t fit into these categories, it is very hard to get exposure and to be exhibited. I very much believe that you have to assist young artists that interest you, start integrating them in exhibitions until they are ready for a solo presentation. It might not always be commercially viable, and it might turn out to remain challenging. In some instances, their commercial success comes quite early on as with the German painter Pius Fox, or recently the Brazilian artist Alice Quaresma. In other cases, the road to success might take longer, yet the collaboration and mutual inspiration makes it always worthwhile. To observe the development of an artist is one of the most gratifying parts of my job.

Designed By Woulfe consistently incorporates different works of art with diverse mediums into their interiors and because paper is such a fragile medium, what advice would you give to help maintain the quality of a work (i.e. no direct sunlight, proximity to a heat source, etc.)?

Every artwork has its own idiosyncrasy and special attention it needs. For works on paper, generally speaking, too much light exposure is usually problematic. Direct sunlight can be disastrous because of the fading of the media used, in particular ink, and the bleaching of the paper. It is important to watch out for archival paper and media for longevity and invest in high quality protective framing. This is often costly, but worth it in the long run. Extreme temperatures and humidity are also an issue, this can be heat sources and even weather. Generally, is better to not have works on paper in such environment. A dealer/artist should normally warn clients of particular conservation caveats. In case of doubt, it is always better to just fire away with questions. The works of Minjung Kim for example are made with the Mulberry Hanji paper. The paper is of great quality, highly dexterous and very durable. However, its colours fade dramatically when exposed to a lot of daylight. Or the maps of Sophie Bouvier Ausländer that she covers with wax and gouache. As artworks they are not fragile at all, because the wax gives them a perfect protective layer. They can live in places that would be considered borderline or a no-go for other works. When direct sunlight hits the waxed surface though, it can even melt, particularly when the heat level rises inside a frame.

Designed By Woulfe has invited Tova Ossad of Ossad Art Management to interview a range of art world personalities. Her fifteen years’ experience working in this sphere has exposed her to many artists, auction specialists, art advisors, conservators, and gallerists, thereby giving the Design Journal fresh insight into the fundamentals of art. This series will explore buying, selling, appreciating, and everything in between.