Philippe H. Guggenheim, Founder of HG Contemporary
Photo by Kevin Abosch
"HG Contemporary is devoted to discovering new means of expression which push back the boundaries of pictorial representation. Our mission is to create real value for art collectors and artists alike."
About the Gallery
HG Contemporary is a global fine art gallery founded and curated by Philippe H. Guggenheim in the United States and Europe; cities New York, Madrid and Napa Valley. Hoerle-Guggenheim has built a reputation for identifying and cultivating artists worldwide and producing shows that embrace groundbreaking aesthetics, concepts and visual expression.
Hoerle-Guggenheim has an unparalleled eye for quality, combined with a distinct skill for nurturing and promoting new art. He exhibits both internationally and locally acclaimed artists whose processes and backgrounds are unique, diverse, and relevant. HG Contemporary prioritizes the personal investigation and individual narratives with a mission to create value for art collectors and artists alike. This commitment carries an innovative and clear vision about producing exceptional art exhibitions as well as a deep understanding of visual culture's function within and beyond the walls of the gallery.
About Philippe H. Guggenheim, A Word from the Founder "my love for art was passed on to me by my grandmother and my mother. Both avid collectors, they instilled in me great admiration for the old masters, endless curiosity for the new and an insatiable appetite for the treasure hunt. Our house was always open to artists. There were visits to painters’ studios, trips to museums and constant art talk at the dinner table. I didn’t develop a formal education in art, I developed an instinct and a passion for it at a very young age. After graduating University I went on to work in the corporate realm of business and observed how trends move and impact our increasingly fast-paced society. During that time, I kept very close ties with the art community, hosting private events in the US and Europe. And as the art world became more dynamic, I found myself wanting to follow my own aesthetic compass and explore the incredible potential for renewal and audacity offered by new social interactions, digital technology and pop culture. This is how I came to create HG Contemporary at a captivating moment in art history. I feel truly lucky to be with some of the most provocative and raw talents of today."
In addition to curating the gallery’s exhibitions, Philippe is actively engaged in numerous non-profit institutions including The Bowery Mission and as a board member of Elevate New York with the Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists.
One of the artworld’s most international figures, Philippe H. Guggenheim was born in France and raised in Germany. Thanks to a family spread across the globe, he spent his childhood traveling the world before attending business college in Cambridge, UK. After his studies, Philippe settled in New York City and began his career in the arts.
Philippe H. Guggenheim - A Life In Art
Philippe’s love of art stems from his childhood and being inspired by his art-loving mother and grandmother. The family matriarchs were both keen collectors of various artworks and inspired Philippe’s love of both the old masters and contemporary pieces. His grandmother and mother’s love for the arts was so strong that they regularly opened the family home to artists. As well as regular family trips to galleries and endless discussions regarding culture, Philippe found himself surrounded by the art world from a very early age indeed.
By doing so, he wanted to explore the connection between new technologies, social interactions, and pop culture using the medium of art. In order to do so, he created the vibrant HG Contemporary Brand.
Philippe H. Guggenheim And HG Contemporary
- Resident Art Curator of the Ten Trinity Club Four Seasons London, UK
- Keynote speaker at the 5th Art and Science International Exhibition and Symposium with Tsinghua University, 2019
- Curator for Augmented Intelligence Art art the National Museum of China, Beijing in 2019
- TED-Talk "The Art Market: Today and Tomorrow" held at the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City
- Curator of "Modern Bridge" at the National Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia curated by Philippe Hoerle-Guggenheim
- Exclusive Partnership with Aston Martin Auto at Art Basel, Miami
The HG Contemporary was created at a very captivating moment in art history, according to Philippe. The brand is now more than just a gallery. It now allows Philippe to work closely with some of the industry’s best up-and-coming talents and enables him to give them a platform from which they can showcase some of their best works. Not only that, though, but the HG Contemporary gives Philippe the chance to work with some brilliant non-profit institutions and organizations, including the influential The Bowery Mission. Since setting up the HG Contemporary, Philippe has also been a member of the board of Elevate New York with the Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists, which further helps him to put his knowledge, experience, and expertise to good use within the world of arts.
The HG Contemporary Galleries
Of course, the thing that the HG Contemporary is probably best known for has to be its two galleries, in New York City, Napa Valley, and Madrid. These galleries and exhibition spaces have allowed Philippe to build on his reputation within the art world and they have helped to increase his reputation as being one of the best figures for identifying and cultivating new talent in art. He has also been able to produce some exciting shows that have been noted for their groundbreaking concepts, aesthetics, and amazing visual expression.
His New York location for the HG Contemporary is quite notable as well as he chose to base his gallery in Chelsea. At the time, many artists were turning their back on this neighborhood, however, Philippe was adamant that this would be the only spot worthy of his flagship artspace. His reasoning behind this choice was that Chelsea was still the beating heart of New York City’s art scene. Even though other areas and neighborhoods, such as the Lower East Side and the Upper East Side, Philippe preferred his HG Contemporary to be on the edges, in locations that people might not necessarily expect. He decided to embrace the unexpected and to set up his collections and exhibits of edgy artworks in a traditional location.
How does the future look for the HG Contemporary and Philippe’s approach to art? Well, he looks set to continue focusing his attention on new talent that is raw and tries to challenge the artworld.
We are sure that Philippe would agree that the future looks very bright for art and the whole community indeed. As long as new artists continue to push boundaries and explore new aesthetics and themes, then Philippe will have plenty of new wunderkinds to fill the walls in his HG Contemporary galleries. And that is surely good news for all of us who want to keep on being excited by our gallery visits.