Continuing Global Expansion, Artnet Auctions Hires Simone Klein as first Senior International Specialist

• Following 78% growth since 2020, Artnet’s Photographs Department continues to be a key area of focus within Artnet’s Marketplace
• Klein was previously European Head of Photography at Sotheby’s,
• Klein holds various committee positions at Photo London, TEFAF, Prix Pictet, and others

New York/Berlin, July 19, 2022: Artnet, the world’s leading platform for art market data and media, and the global online marketplace for fine art, is excited to announce that Simone Klein has joined Artnet Auctions in the newly created role of Senior International Specialist, Photographs. “The online art market has developed tremendously over the last three years. Since its inception, Artnet has played a major role in promoting photography as an important collecting category. I am more than thrilled to work with the Artnet team on this fantastic mission: to offer high quality photography in an accessible and democratic way”, Simone Klein said about joining the Artnet team.

Photography sales at Artnet Auctions increased by 78% since 2020, with top performing artists including Robert Mapplethorpe, Ansel Adams, Peter Beard, and Sally Mann. “The Artnet Auctions Photographs team is unmatched in terms of category expertise, curatorial scope, and fluency of digital operations”, said Colleen Cash, Vice President of Auctions at Artnet. “We strongly believe in the Photography market and its enormous potential, especially in the online art market.”

Klein joins Artnet Auctions with decades of experience in the photography market, having previously held positions at Lempertz Auctioneers as Director of the Photographs department, at Sotheby’s as Head of the Photographs department Europe, and at Magnum Photos agency in Paris as Global Sales Director. Prior to joining Artnet Auctions, she was also an independent art advisor and appraiser for Fine Art Photography based in Cologne, working closely with private and institutional collections worldwide. She is a member of the curatorial committee of Photo London, a member of the vetting team at TEFAF, as well as nominator for the Prix Pictet, and a frequent lecturer and speaker at panels across Europe. Klein studied Art History, and Roman and German Literature and Linguistics in both Germany and France.

Based out of Artnet’s Berlin offices and working with Susanna Wenniger, Head of Photographs, Klein will oversee European client development, sale curation, and business getting efforts, following consecutive years of record setting growth in the department. “Over the past 15 years, and especially more recently, we have seen the growth of photography as a collecting category online.  We are strongly positioned to deepen our relationship with European collectors and dealers as we continue to expand” stated Susanna Wenniger.

About Artnet

Artnet has an unparalleled 55 million unique users annually, making it the largest global platform for fine art. Founded in 1989, Artnet has revolutionized the way people discover, research, and collect art today. Artnet’s market data is a mission-critical resource for the art industry, encompassing more than 15 million auction results and AI- and ML-driven analytics providing an unparalleled level of transparency and insight into the art market. Artnet’s marketplace connects leading galleries and auction houses with our global audience, offering a curated selection of over 250,000 artworks for sale worldwide. Artnet Auctions, the pioneering online-only auction platform, offers unprecedented reach, liquidity, and efficiency. Artnet News covers the events, trends, and people shaping the global art market with up-to-the-minute analysis and expert commentary. It is the single most-read  news publication in the fine art industry, with a rapidly growing, and dedicated audience. Together, Artnet’s broad synergistic product offering provides a comprehensive ecosystem that drives and informs the modern art market.

Artnet AG is listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the segment with the highest transparency standards. The majority of operations are headquartered in New York at its  wholly-owned subsidiary, Artnet Worldwide Corporation, a New York based entity founded in 1989. Artnet Worldwide Corp. owns a London based subsidiary, Artnet UK Ltd.

ISIN: DE000A1K0375

LEI: 391200SHGPEDTRIC0X31

Contact:

Sophie Neuendorf