MA Art Business student and Editor, Grace Bianciardi, delves into the creative potential of MADE IN BED, a student-run art magazine and website idiated at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
What motivated you to pursue a Master’s in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art?
I discovered my attraction to the art auction sector during my undergraduate degree in a lecture about the art world and its ecosystem. Following the lecture, we had an assignment to place a London institution within the city’s art ecosystem, which is when I started to look at major auction competitors Christie’s and Sotheby’s.
I then discovered Sotheby’s Institute of Art and their incredible four postgraduate programs. Initially, I didn’t give it much thought, as I was working at a commercial gallery in Mayfair and believed that would be a great opportunity to grow and further my career in the art world. However, I still applied to the course as an option, unsure if pursuing a Master’s degree was the right fit for me. Once the application process was completed and following the admission interview, I was nervous and really started to hope for the positive answer that I received soon after.
How have your academic journey and extracurricular activities shaped your understanding and approach to the art market?
The art world has revealed itself to be an extremely difficult and narrow industry to enter. However, during my time at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, I have been given the opportunity to connect with industry experts and create a network with my peers, who will also be inserting themselves into the sector as professionals within the next couple of years. Additionally, my involvement in the student-led MADE IN BED Magazine has been an incredible way to learn and expand my interest in international art outside of the university curriculum. Approaching the art market can appear intimidating, as the sector is constricting and “grey” to outsiders. However, I have discovered through the taught courses, writing for the magazine, and especially the academic travel, that the art world is extremely small, interconnected, and full of passionate, creative individuals.
MADE IN BED is an art magazine and website independently run and produced by students from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Can you share a memorable experience or article from your time at MADE IN BED that stands out to you?
Every article I have written for MADE IN BED since the 2024 student cohort was appointed has been an opportunity to visit new exhibitions and unique institutions in London and different galleries internationally. As the Editor of the Reviews Section, I have tried to spread my articles across different locations, spotlighting exhibitions in London, Lugano, Sarasota, Venice, and Zurich.
The most memorable experience, so far, was writing about IMAGO Gallery located in my hometown of Lugano, Switzerland. At the time, they were exhibiting a Swiss artist working in abstraction by experimenting with acrylic pigment combinations. This made the article even more special as it highlighted RAFKA, an emerging Swiss artist. Following the publication of the article on the website, our social media manager promoted it across our engaged social media channels, Instagram and LinkedIn. IMAGO Gallery soon engaged with MADE IN BED, liked, commented, and re-posted our Instagram story. IMAGO Gallery and I then communicated privately, where they asked if they could share my article in their newsletter, spotlighting the artist’s presence at the San Francisco Art Fair and across their communication platforms. This direct interaction with the gallery gave me an amazing chance to forward my name and make it more recognizable in the art world.
How do you think working in different cultural settings, like London and Switzerland, has influenced your perspective on the global art business?
Working in multiple cultural settings has broadened my horizons on the international connection between art worlds and economies, revealing that the art setting in different countries is tightly interlinked with the cultural heritage and national identity of each country. I think the art field is one of the most internationalized environments compared to other career sectors. The art market flourishes within medium to large metropolitan cities and still has satellites in smaller or regional locations, creating an international web connecting renowned tastemakers to national institutions.
My first experience in the creative sector was in a commercial gallery in 2017 in Switzerland, followed by multiple opportunities across London locations—Mayfair, Fitzrovia, and the East London gallery district—from 2020 to 2024 while I was completing my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. All experiences differed, but in some way, they were all interlinked. Following the increased knowledge acquired from the vibrant art scene in London, I look forward to applying my discoveries to the developing Swiss art economy.
How do you balance your academic, professional, and personal life, especially given the demanding nature of the art industry?
Given the demanding nature of the MA Art Business program, I chose not to work during that time in order to focus on completing the degree successfully and enjoying the opportunity to grow academically. However, with encouragement from my personal tutor at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Melanie Fasche, I applied to write for MADE IN BED, which proved to be an amazing way to integrate myself further into the London art scene and network informally with industry professionals. Visiting exhibitions, attending private views, and late nights openings at different London institutions was also an incredible chance to attend and discover creative events with friends.
Can you share an instance where a particular lecture, project, or interaction at Sotheby’s Institute significantly impacted your perspective on the art world?
Multiple instances at Sotheby’s Institute come to mind. Most of the projects required by the course have been a combination of academic and practical, contributing differently to expanding the students’ knowledge in the field. However, at the beginning of the course, during the Art Futures module, we were lucky to have Helena Newman as a guest lecturer. It was incredible to listen to her wide experience and learn how she grew professionally through completing multiple personal milestones.