About Us
FOUNDER
Harmony Hambly-Smith is Founder and Director of Harmony Fine Art.
Harmony has spent the last 15 years working in the top-end of the contemporary fine art commercial sector, located between Mayfair, Monaco and Zürich. First at an international auction house and then launching a top advisory firm with a special focus on expanding private collections of emerging and blue-chip contemporary art, negotiating important private treaty, curating exhibitions and organising high-profile gala auctions.
Harmony began her career at the auction house Phillips supporting the Owner and Chief Auctioneer over 4 years, advising private collections and handling auction sales and consignments across specialist departments including Contemporary Art, Photography and Design. In 2013, as de Pury de Pury was to be launched, Harmony was approached to join the new advisory business, managing all private treaty transactions, acquisitions, exhibitions, auctions, valuations and collection management, working closely with private collectors, corporates, foundations, museums and gallery owners, travelling internationally to work on various projects with artists, architects, collectors, hotel firms and real-estate developers.
During her time with de Pury de Pury, Harmony worked on successful curatorial projects and auctions in London, New York, Hong Kong, Dallas, Los Angeles, France, Monaco, Basel, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Dubai. These initiatives were some of the first to exhibit a number of artists who have gone on to earn significant accolades and market attention. Harmony has most recently completed 2 extensive hotel projects working with Simon de Pury, identifying and selecting over 30 emerging artists to commission over 150 artworks.
For 7 years, Harmony directed the successful online auction business, de Pury Ltd, partnering with charities including amfAR, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, MTV Staying Alive, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UNAIDS, Fondation Beyeler and Unicef, consigning and selling artworks at auction, advising and bidding for HNW clients, running the online bidding platform and handling all communication for the business. The business helped to raise over USD 250 million for charity in online and gala art auctions during this time.
WHAT WE DO
GLOBAL ART ADVISORY AND CURATORIAL SERVICES
Harmony provides independent curatorial and art collection management services for private individuals, museums, corporate and institutional collections. With a special focus spanning emerging contemporary artists to established blue-chip artists.
Harmony is transparently facilitating relationships between artists, collectors, institutions, foundations and venues, offering a varied portfolio of services for discerning clients worldwide.
Harmony is a specialist art adviser to a number of charities and foundations, specifically for their annual fundraising art auction. Harmony offers the below specialist services for each auction she is engaged with:
- Consignments
- Valuations and estimates
- Condition reports
- Provenance and Exhibition history research
- Market comparisons
- Auction lot order
- Allocating artworks to live or online auction
- Determining highlights of the auction
- Setting starting prices
- Advise collectors on specific auction lots
- Curate the auction exhibition
- Register clients for bidding
- Provide telephone and absentee bidding
- Provide expert support and advice on the post-sale auction logistics for the winning bidders
- Oversee the collection of funds and tax relief for buyers where applicable
ART COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
Harmony is currently providing new and established art collectors with tailored curatorial support, management services, and technical advice for private and corporate collections. Harmony offers strategic solutions for any combination of the following service elements:
– Inventory, database management and catalogue creation
– Estates and art appraisals
– Authentication of works
– Conservation and restoration
– Insurance and security
– Display, framing, hanging and lighting
– Loaning to galleries or institutions (including insurance, packing and shipping)
– Preservation and longevity planning for collections
– Trust and estate strategic planning for preservation and growth of a collection
ART ACQUISITION AND SALE
Harmony has been assisting in the acquisition, commission and sale of artworks in a complex global market with discretion and complete confidentiality. Through a combination of independent expertise, diligent and extensive research and negotiating skill, Harmony has been able to deliver the highest quality service. Harmony is representing clients in private sales with other collectors, as well as with galleries and auction houses, where client confidentiality is a priority.
With twelve years experience in the art market, Harmony seeks to provide quality service and best results when buying or selling at auction. Harmony is well equipped to assist in the acquisition and resale of art, providing access to top auction experts and negotiating private purchases or sale terms for clients worldwide.
Whether beginning a collection or expanding an established one with art works by historical or contemporary artists and designers, Harmony is able to source and recommend artwork based on client specifications across the spectrum of the visual arts: paintings, works on paper, prints, sculpture, design, installation, photographs and video. Our tailored advice enables the acquisition of artworks which have both value and longevity in addition to resonating with the individual collector.
Post-sale, Harmony is well equipped to provide advice and arrangement of shipping, export and import procedures, insurance, framing, storing, lighting and installation of art works through frequent collaboration with the most reliable and experienced service providers in the industry over the last decade, ensuring professional and secure handling and presentation of artworks at competitive and discounted pricing.
ART CURATING AND EXHIBITION SERVICES
Harmony has experience creating permanent exhibitions and installations for private, corporate collections and institutions, working closely with the client to present the collection to a maximum effect throughout an exhibition space. Harmony has recently created temporary and rotating exhibitions, which may feature a clients’ permanent collection, augmented by works on loan from galleries or artists. Harmony can create an exhibition programme revolving around the client’s interests, resources, and objectives.
Harmony strives to support young and emerging talents in the art world today through individual and group exhibitions in London, Europe, New York and the Middle-East. Harmony has provided a wide range of curatorial and exhibition services over the last decade to private collectors, foundations and hotel groups including:
– Writing reviews, essays and drafting catalogues
– Exhibition planning and venue sourcing
– Framing, lighting and hanging solutions
– Transportation, delivery and installation of artworks
– Press and communication services for exhibitions
– Gallery talks and individual or group lectures
– Coordination of special events including panel discussions
– Education and exposure to the contemporary art market including private tours of museums, international galleries, fairs, biennials, and auctions.