As an online platform and gallery, Singulart is known for its services. However, sometimes the team itself – the many people who make it all possible – fades into the background. In our new series Meet the Singulart Family, we want to change this. As a French start-up company that counts diversity and inclusion among its core values, we at Singulart have many interesting stories to tell. Join us on a journey and discover life stories that have brought so many people to the heart of Paris. This week we spoke to our Art Fairs Manager Marion Sailhen.
Marion was born into a family of artists or art lovers with artistic roots on both sides of her family tree. Her grandparents on her mother’s side used to paint together. The family story told on multiple occasions was the incredible skill her great-grandfather developed. In the First World War, he lost his arms and started painting with the brush in his mouth, producing fantastic paintings that gave him back the joy in his life. On her fathers side, her grandparents are art collectors, teaching Marion from a young age about art history. When Marion was five years old, she walked into a gallery and rightfully explained Picasso’s influence on a certain painting to the perplex visitors, foreshadowing her future in the arts.
About Marion
As her family roots might have suggested, Marion always knew she wanted to work in the arts. Thus she studied Art History and History in Lyon and Paris. Having finished her Master studies, Marion went to Russia to live in Siberia and do her PhD. After almost a year, she realized that the lonesome research practice is not for her, she needed more interaction with other people.
Returning to Paris she found a few internships in contemporary art galleries, the FIAC and Christie’s. Her first job was with the ArtCurial Auction house. Her next step was Drouot, an auction house specialized in antique furnitures and Great Masters. After having worked there for five years, she was ready for her next adventure. Thus, she joined Singulart last year to work more closely with artists.
Marion’s Journey to Singulart
Having had a broad background and knowledge in Art Markets, Events and organizing sales, Marion saw the organization of fairs as a cohesive and natural progression of her career.
There are a lot of similarities: To get great collectors to come to an auction is comparable with finding the perfect artists for a fair.
She applied for an Artist Liaison Job at Singulart, knowing that it was not quite what she wanted to do. However, interviews are always a great practice for when the dream job does come along. But then she met Véra. Elaborating together on her skills, her wishes and what Singulart might be able to offer her, they created her future position: Being responsible for VIP artists and the fairs. The job was not available right away, but both Singulart and Marion waited for the opportunity to come and build up this new branch for Singulart.
Three Question to Marion Sailhen
Why Art?
It is in my blood – my family gave me the great gift of growing up surrounded by artists and art admirers, there was nothing else I wanted to do.
What do you like about Singulart?
Singulart is more than just an online platform, it has a real passion, mission and vocation: Empower Artist. We are different from our competitors because of this. And of course the strong internationalism of the team creates a very inspiring surrounding.
Where do you see Singulart’s future?
I hope we will soon be able to showcase and display artists and artworks from remote and emerging countries with no real or good access to the art market yet, like parts of Africa or Myanmar. And of course I hope we will have more shows and fairs in all major cities to keep on promoting our great artists. I see Singulart as a great actor of the global Art market.
We asked Marion to select a few artworks she currently really likes on Singulart:
