Andy Valmorbida is an international fine art businessman. He is currently the president of Untitled-1 Holdings and is the founder of River-Labs, a company associated with the generative digital art movement.
He became known as the "King of Pop Up" after organizing 45 pop-up art exhibitions in 12 different countries, where street art was predominantly featured. Artworks from notable artists such as Richard Hambleton, Futura, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Francis Bacon were exhibited in these shows.[1]
Early life edit
Valmorbida was born on July 1978[2] into one of the wealthiest families[3] in Melbourne, Australia and raised in New York City. His father was Paul Valmorbida, Australian businessman and son of Carlo Valmorbida. He educated in business studies and commenced his career at the Valmorbida family's investment firm based in New York.
Career edit
At the age of 25, Valmorbida transitioned from his initial involvement in Wall Street to street art.[4] He met the artist Richard Hambleton in 2009, which led to a collaboration with Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld in 2011 to promote Hambleton's art. Giorgio Armani, an avid collector of Hambleton's work, sponsored several of the "pop up"[5] celebrity attended art shows exhibiting the works.[6]
Valmorbida acted as executive producer on the 2017 documentary Shadowman reflecting Hambleton's life and career.[7]
In 2010 Valmorbida helped curate and assisted with the donation of two Hambleton pieces to the amfAR 17th Annual Cinema Against AIDS Gala During the Cannes Film Festival. The pieces sold for $920,000.[8]
In September 2021, he was involved in a legal dispute regarding accusations of fraud and alleged efforts to conceal his tax residence, leading to his case being referred to the local Attorney-General.[9][10][11]
Personal life edit
In his earlier life he was a noted socialite, having made headlines in 2008 after his credit card was stolen by US oil heir Brandon Davis who had been cut off from his family fortune; as well as for partying with people including Paris Hilton.[12][13]
Valmorbida has two children.[14]
References edit
- ^ Redactie, Door (20 September 2022). "Andy Valmorbida Spearheads River-Labs, A New Digital Art Movement". Mashable Benelux (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 November 2022.
Andy Valmorbida became known as the "King of Pop-Up" (Huffington Post) after organizing over 45 pop-up art exhibits in twelve countries.
- ^ "Andrew Paul VALMORBIDA personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ Estcourt, Patrick O'Neil, David (19 September 2020). "Valmorbida patriarch pitted against son's widow in multimillion-dollar will dispute". The Age. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Seymour, Tom (19 August 2018). "The Tumultuous, Tragic Life of Street Art Pioneer Richard Hambleton". Artsy. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ "13 Questions: King of the Pop-Up (Gallery): Andy Valmorbida". HuffPost. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Viewpoints / Openings: Richard Hambleton pop-up show @ The Dairy, London « Arrested Motion". ArrestedMotion. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ Acevedo, Yoselin (14 April 2017). "'Shadowman' First Look: Tribeca Documentary Explores the Life of '80s NY Street Artist Richard Hambleton — Watch". IndieWire. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "amfAR :: amfAR Holds 17th Annual Cinema Against AIDS Gala During Cannes Film Festival :: The Foundation for AIDS Research :: HIV / AIDS Research". www.amfar.org. Archived from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "Coffee dynasty scion runs aground in Jersey". Australian Financial Review. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ O'Neil, Patrick (23 October 2021). "Australian art dealer admits to multimillion-dollar frauds over Bacon, Basquiat paintings". The Age. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Art Dealer Andy Valmorbida Confessed to Falsifying Invoices and Pocketing Profits". Observer. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Oil heir swipes $120,000 from Aussie Andy". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 November 2008.
The Post report said Davis rang up $US75,000 ($120,000) on a credit card he "swiped" from Valmorbida. Valmorbida said the report was "accurate", but was reluctant to elaborate.
- ^ "Oil heir swipes $120,000 from Aussie Andy". The Age. 22 November 2008.
Valmorbida says he intends to be in Sydney for News Year's Eve to celebrate with his "good friend" Paris Hilton ... Valmorbida, who was more keen to talk about his work as an art dealer, throwing lavish parties, hosting art shows around the world, attracting the rich and famous ...
- ^ Staff, OK! (12 December 2022). "Andy Valmorbida Announcing The Re-Launch of Valmorbida & Co". OK Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2023.