Meet Alena Latchininsky

Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, Alena studied at the Institute’s New York campus from which she earned an MA in Art Business in 2010. During her thesis semester at the Institute, she was offered a position at Sotheby’s auction house in New York, where she continues to work today.

A longtime arts enthusiast, Alena studied Art History and Piano Performance as an undergraduate and was a professional concert pianist for many years before deciding to pursue a career in visual arts and art business. In an effort to jumpstart her career transition, Alena chose to study at Sotheby’s Institute to hone her understanding of the international art market and gain specific insight into how auction houses, galleries, museums and art fairs function. The Institute also gave her the opportunity to move to New York City, establish professional connections in the art world, and study with colleagues who shared her passions.

“SIA was exactly what I was looking for in a post-graduate education and just what I needed to launch my career,” said Alena. “Most importantly, I was able to go behind-the-scenes and look at how major art world players operate, which prepared me for my current job at the auction house.”

While she was hard at work on her thesis project, Alena was offered a position at Sotheby’s auction house as a floater for the “Divine Comedy” exhibition. Shortly after, she was offered a position in the Post Sale Services department as an Assistant Account Manager and one year later was promoted to her current role of Post Sale Manager. In this position, Alena serves as the main point of contact for all internal and external clients of departments including Impressionist and Modern Art, Old Master Paintings, American Paintings, Russian Works of Art, and Photographs. She works closely with the department experts as well as shipping, compliance and legal staff to ensure that Sotheby’s clients receive exceptional service and are satisfied with their transactions.

Asked what she remembers most fondly about her experience at Sotheby’s Institute, Alena’s answer is simple: “I made lifelong friends who share my interests and who are also my colleagues in the art world!”