F L A U N T
FENDI playsuit and shoes and DAVID YURMAN earrings and rings.
Arushi Kapoor is content to grant her own wishes, rather than leave them in the hands of fate. As one of the youngest fine art dealers with her own gallery and art consultancy, at only 24 years-old she has already fulfilled one of her life goals: selling her first million dollar painting. She shares, though, that she feels accomplished every time she makes a sale. “I take everything very lightheartedly,” she explains of the balance she aims to keep, “but I am fiercely competitive with myself. When opportunity strikes, you need to jump on it.”
Kapoor never saw art as a career until she was in university. “I studied finance at USC,” she shares. “I was all set to go into some kind of financial line or field.” However, art was always part of her life. “My very first introduction to art was through my mother,” she shares. “She is an art collector, and has been in the art industry, purchasing art for over 40 years now.” It wouldn’t surprise, then, that Kapoor’s parents made sure that she and her sister were culturally blessed by taking them to museums all over the world. She embarked on her first internship at age 15, and thereafter chalked up experiences at art institutions as varied as Sotheby’s, Revolver Art Gallery, and ICA LA. “It wasn’t random,” she says resolutely. “I had built that basis for me to get in, but it was not with an intention of getting into art. It was with an intention of building a skill set.”
That skill set, still fixated on the world of finance, formed an idea—ARTSop, a fine art consultancy—which started as a simple college project that connected artists directly to clients, “kind of like a Tinder for art.” The app enjoyed a little bit of momentum, and soon Kapoor saw herself increasingly connected to more and more artists and galleries. Opportunity arose, and it was time to strike. “So basically these people wanted this art piece, and I knew where to get it, so I got the art piece, and I sold it to my client, and that was the very first art piece I sold. It was quite a big one too,” she describes of the awe at her new platform’s stream-lined efficiency, “I was very confused.”
FENDI playsuit and shoes and DAVID YURMAN earrings and rings.
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO dress and DAVID YURMAN earrings and rings.
Kapoor wasn’t confused, though, at the marrying of her artworld background with brass tacks financial savviness. Now, ARTSop Fine Art Consulting works primarily in the buying and selling of asset clause artwork. Kapoor and her team have sold everything from South African Art to Andy Warhol to Banksy. “Art as of this point is one of the most solid investments,” she explains. “A Banksy that you bought in January for $35,000-$40,000 is now $150,000, and it hasn’t even been a year.” As an investment, Kapoor describes art as that card up your sleeve, and she plans on letting people in on the secret. “I want to introduce the newer generation, which is my generation, people in their 20s and 30s, that they can invest in artwork right now, and it will be an important asset in the future, just like real estate.”
Kapoor—who now enjoys a role on TATE Museum’s South Asian Acquisitions Committee and the board of BAFTA—has a forward-looking yearning for global proliferation with artworks close to her heart. As the Co-Founder and Director of Arushi Arts, with locations in India, UK, and USA, she represents many contemporary Indian artists and masters. Her favorite: tribal and aboritinal art. “The Indian art market hasn’t blown up to its full potential,” she declares excitedly, and she wants to be the one to get it there. “I want to show the people around the world what Southeast Asian artwork is all about. That is one of my personal goals that is very close to my heart.”
Photographer: Mynxii White
Stylist: Luca Kingston
Hair & Makeup: Alison Christian at Opus Beauty using Chanel Les Beiges and Oribe
