Path to Art Advisory: Mary Ann Prior

Mary Ann Prior is an Art Curator, Director and Advisor (Private and Corporate) with wide experience of event, exhibition and collection creation and management. She is currently Art Adviser/Curator for Bank of America (EMEA); and an independent researcher. Former roles include Curator to the Wilson Centre for Photography in London; Executive Producer of Eon Productions; Associate Curator of Photographs at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles; Art Advisor/Curator to Pfizer Inc, Bank of America and Camellia PLC. From 2009, she was Executive Director of Oklahoma Contemporary in the US, and its satellite gallery, Marfa Contemporary; as well as Director of Collections at Vulcan Inc, Seattle, a private company owned by the late Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. At Vulcan, Mary Ann oversaw acquisitions and led high-profile art initiatives including the launch of the inaugural Seattle Art Fair in 2015; and a major touring exhibition ‘Seeing Nature: Landscape Masterworks from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection’.

The Exhibition Project, OKC, 2010. Prior was the Executive Director of Oklahoma Contemporary (then called City Arts Center).

What was your first “art world” job?

My first job in the art world was at Sotheby’s in London. I took a position in the Book and Manuscript Department, which isn’t where I particularly wanted to be, but I thought it would be a foot in the door. The specialists were really encouraging to me, the company was full of interesting, talented people and, although I moved on after two years, I learned a lot and have remained in touch with many of my colleagues from that era.

What's one lesson you learned that has stayed with you?  

Just because the job that you take isn’t exactly what you’re after, contacts are invaluable, as is what you learn along the way. Additionally, the auction house milieu was stimulating and entertaining, and I felt very much among like-minded and compatible people. The social side of Sotheby’s was also fun! Being in the right environment, if not exactly in the right position, is critical, in my opinion.

Where did you first hear about art advising?

I came into art advising quite by chance. After receiving a fellowship to travel to the USA to study history and conservation of photography, then an internship at the Met, and a job at the Getty, I came back to London and began putting on exhibitions of contemporary artists in partnership with various commercial galleries.  I took on a part-time secretary to help me with mailing lists, invoicing and so on. Her full-time job was as Executive Assistant to the UK Head of Pfizer, the global drug company, and she mentioned that the senior execs were looking for someone to lead and manage a project to source and install contemporary art in their new HQ outside of London. She asked if I would like my name put forward; I said yes, and I was hired!

Who did you look up to when you were first considering art advising?

Ingrid Fox, then Curator at Pfizer in New York was a wonderful mentor to me. She introduced me to the Bank of America which was then also looking for a Curator in London and after some competitive interviews, I was taken on. I worked for other corporates as well: a global agricultural company in the UK, several oil and gas companies in the Middle East, UK and the USA, as well as individual private collectors.

The Exhibition Project for a Private Client, 2015.

Corporate Project Europe, 2018.

What drew you to art advising over other art world careers?

I very much enjoy working with contemporary artists and curators, and I also like the challenge of understanding different genres and the art of different periods when required. Art advising is varied and it’s also a very personal career in that it’s important to understand the client’s motives, tastes, level of knowledge and to respect their way of working. Empathy and understanding are just as important qualities for an art advisor to possess as are training in art history and relevant experience.

What advice would you give your younger self just starting out on the path to art advising?

I would say don’t worry if the early part of your career doesn’t pan out quite as you envisaged at the outset. A career in the arts often involves following a variety of paths before you find the place where you feel most comfortable. It isn’t always the best paid or the highest profile that is the most satisfying, but a career in art takes many forms, evolving along with one’s experience. My route was circuitous and largely unplanned, but I’ve loved all of it!