Meet our Guest with James Vivian
Portrait of James Vivian. Artwork by Jonny Niesche. Photo: James Geer.
For this issue of Meet our Guest, Guest Work Agency & Guest Club Director and Founder Alana Kushnir interviewed James Vivian.
James is the Founder of James Vivian, which has been delivering tailor-made dermal therapy solutions for more than a decade. Dubbed a skincare luminary, James’ dedication, care and innate understanding of the links between skin, mind, body and environment flow through his clinics, making each visit an experience that goes far beyond skincare. James is also an avid art collector and Guest Club Art Supporter member, with a true knack for collecting pieces by emerging artists.
How did you first start your art collecting journey?
My art-collecting journey began before I knew it. My mother, a fine art historian and NGV gallery guide, had been collecting and displaying art in our family homes for as long as I can remember. I came home from the hospital with an antique porcelain clock and a carved, golden floor-to-ceiling mirror in my bedroom, amongst other items. Around the age of 10, we went on a family trip up to the Northern Territory where I experienced first hand the client/gallery relationship as my parents explored the community galleries.
Fast forward 15 years and I found myself living in my own home with not a piece of artwork to hang on my walls except from an Amy Johnston painting from our first trip to the Kimberley region from when I was 10. So out into the collecting world I went…
Tell us about some of your favourite pieces.
Art collecting has been more of a passion of mine than it has been my husband's. For this reason, some of my favourite pieces are pieces that Ben has been involved in, such as our Ben Barretto wall hanging, or our Brendan Huntley painting (that we arranged as our wedding registry). My all-time favourite is an artwork that I brought back from New York. It’s a painting of a hot-dog frankfurt sitting cross-legged in her bun. She has her lashes on and has on a pair of stilettos. My description doesn’t do it justice. The artist, Ivy Haldeman, didn’t want to sell it to me as she didn’t want it to leave the US. I literally begged and promised her that if she ever needed it back that I would make it available.
How have you incorporated your passion for art into your business?
Creating beautiful spaces to offer our dermal therapies services has always been a passion of mine. As my art collecting journey progressed I began to select artworks specifically for the clinic that would enhance our interiors and that would also be appreciated by our clients. I love being surrounded by artwork and, considering the large amount of time spent at work, it allows me to enjoy the artwork and to share these with everyone who visits. Clients often comment on the pieces and enquire as to who they belong to and where they came from. My clients and I often joke that I could start up an art advisory side-hustle (don’t worry Alana, I’ll stick to skincare).
Can you share some tips for art collecting novices out there? What are your do’s and don’ts?
Our art collection consists purely of pieces that we love and, for me, ones that I couldn’t live without. I have to have that emotional response to an artwork before it comes home with us. I have never collected for investment purposes. When I was just a baby collector, I began by visiting galleries in Melbourne and beyond via their websites and looking through their stockrooms to see what artists I was responding to and what mediums they worked in. From there I investigated these artists and galleries in more detail and began to develop what has become my personal style and taste for collecting.
Tell us about some of your favourite galleries.
The gallery from where an artwork comes via and the interaction during a purchase plays a huge role in how I love (or in some cases) do not love an artwork once it comes home. I love Sophie Gannon Gallery, STATION, LON Gallery, Sullivan+Strumpf and Murray White Room.
If money was no object, what artists/works would you acquire?
It would be Bill Henson for Ben and I think for me I would spend the money on adding on another few rooms at home in which to collect more art as we’re running out of space. I use social media to follow artists and galleries abroad and sometimes the shipping can cost as much as the art, so if money was no object I would some of my fav international artists, such as Luke Forsyth, Andy Rementer and Jennifer Rochlin.
Become a Guest Club Art Supporter or Art Collector Guest Club member, or upgrade your existing Art Lover membership during the month of April, and you’ll receive a complimentary Signature Dermal Therapy Treatment from James Vivian*.
*Available to redeem at James Vivian in Melbourne, Australia.