Press-Shy Aby Rosen Talks About Buying Art and Buildings
By Zachary Weiss May 12, 2016 12:01 pm
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A slew of art luminaries celebrated the arrival of the Frieze Art Fair last week at Artsy’s party on the 15th floor of the Seagram Building. The founder and CEO of the online art auction platform, Carter Cleveland, spent the evening attached at the hip to Wendi Deng Murdoch, a member of Artsy’s board and its liaison to Chinese art consumers. Textile tycoon Silas Chou was in attendance too, along with Christian Dior’s Terry Darland.
But no one dominated the room more so than the Seagram Building’s owner, Aby Rosen. As host, Mr. Rosen took the liberty of also debuting a model of 100 East 53rd Street, his art-filled, luxury residential tower designed by Foster + Partners, which is scheduled for completion in 2017.
“I want to buy something pretty and something that I can do something with,” Mr. Rosen told the Observer of his acquisition philosophy. The Frankfurt-born developer spoke in a baritone and wore a black cashmere sweater and jeans. He fielded a barrage of greetings as he roamed the room. “I’m not a pioneer,” he continued. “I take good buildings and make them better. That’s all I do.”
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