NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips announced the appointment of Modern art expert, Jeremiah Evarts, as Senior International Specialist and Deputy Chairman within the 20th Century and Contemporary Art department. Mr. Evarts’ appointment reflects the increasing importance of the Modern Art category to the company’s global growth strategy. He is based in New York and starts in his new position on 29 March. Mr. Evarts will assume a key leadership role in Phillips’ global Modern team and further strengthen Phillips’ client base.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeremiah to Phillips,” said Edward Dolman, Chief Executive Officer. “He is well-respected in the industry and his depth of knowledge in the Modern field and best in class handling of top clients will add a greater dimension to Phillips’ already formidable pool of expertise.”
A recognized expert in Impressionist and Modern art, Mr. Evarts was most recently Director of Di Donna Galleries, LLC in New York, advising a select group of top collectors active in the fields of European Modern and Post-War and American Post-War art. Mr. Evarts was a key contributor to their critically-acclaimed exhibitions Moondancers: Yup’ik Masks and the Surrealists (2018), The Life of Forms (2018), and Surrealism in Mexico (2019). He also arranged and oversaw the gallery’s 2018 exhibition A Passion for Collecting: Modern Works from the Pérez-Simón Collection.
Before his gallery directorship, Mr. Evarts spent fourteen years in the Impressionist and Modern Art Department at Sotheby’s in New York, concluding his career there as Senior Vice President, Head of Evening Sales. In this capacity, he oversaw marquee sales in New York and played pivotal roles in the sales of legendary collections at the auction house, including the collection of Bunny Mellon, Impressionist masterworks from the collection of Ralph C. Wilson, and the Finn Family Collection of Modernist sculpture. Under his leadership, the Evening Sale team achieved numerous auction records for artists that still stand today, ranging from Auguste Rodin ($20.4 million) and Camille Pissarro ($32.1 million) to Marc Chagall ($28.5 million) and the record for a late work by Pablo Picasso ($40 million).
Jean-Paul Engelen and Robert Manley, Deputy Chairmen and Worldwide Co-Heads of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, added, “Working closely with our senior executive team — and in partnership with the entire 20th Century and Contemporary Department — Jeremiah will assume a central leadership role within the Modern team to further develop the company’s global client relationship program and continue our expansion in the Modern category.”
