Gen Art is an arts and entertainment organization that showcases emerging fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians and visual artists. It has produced over 100 events annually, which included fashion shows, film premieres and screenings, live music and art receptions and tours. Gen Art's offices are located in New York City and Los Angeles and since 2014, the company has been headed up by Keri Ingvarsson and a small team of private investors. Previous offices have included San Francisco, Miami and Chicago.[1]
On February 21, 2011, Gen Art announced it would return with the 16th Annual Gen Art Film Festival in New York City.[2] Gen Art has since then announced its "Fresh Faces in Fashion Show" during New York Fashion Week 2011, which will feature the designers Ann Yee, ace & jig, Sunghee Bang, Eighteenth, Jennifer Chun, William Okopo, Baron Wells, Collina Strada, Falconiere, Osborn, and Wool and the Gang.[3]
History
Gen Art began as a non-profit company, called Generational Arts Limited, by Ian Gerard, Stefan Gerard and Melissa Neumann in 1993. At the same time a for-profit production arm of Gen Art, Generational Art Productions was also launched. Ian was attending New York University Law School at the time. Ian knew that many emerging visual artists from his college experience (Vassar) and elsewhere had difficulty showcasing their talents in the art galleries of New York City. He also noticed that there were a lot of young people with disposable income, who wanted to obtain art but could not afford to buy from the SoHo art galleries. The idea was to bring together these two groups together so they could both benefit.[citation needed]
Gen Art was launched from Ian's law school dorm room at New York University, using just a fax machine and a laptop. Ian's brother Stefan, who worked in publishing, and Melissa Neumann, a 23-year-old analyst at Lehman Brothers, joined the organization. Early on an advisory board of artists, gallery owners and dealers was formed to help establish some credibility within the art community. Then a fundraiser showcasing four emerging artists was organised. This was a success, with 500 people attending and a write up in the New York Times styles section.[citation needed]
The company expanded into fashion in 1995, on the advice of a young accessories designer who had attended one of the art exhibitions. A one night fashion show for emerging fashion designers was held using excess gallery space. A year later Gen Art hired a young film professional, Paul Gachot, to create and direct its first film festival. Around this time Gen Art began to expand, opening an office in Los Angeles in the summer of 1995 and San Francisco in 1996.
Upon graduation in late 1994, Ian started work at a corporate law firm. Stefan became the day to day CEO of the Company. Stefan quit the company in 1997 and Ian left his law job to work full-time at Gen Art, becoming the CEO. In 1998, Adam Walden was brought in and made the company president.
In the beginning of 2002 when a group of venture capitalists offered to invest in Gen Art, the bulk of the business was moved from the non-profit to the for-profit entity which then took over all responsibilities for corporate sponsorship and production of Gen Art's programming. Gen Art was able to leverage new national partnerships with Heineken and Chrysler to take the company national and Gen Art launched new offices in Miami and Chicago, and centralized the West Coast office oversight in New York.
From 2002 - 2009, Gen Art produced over 100 events in fashion, film, music and art showcasing over 1,000 emerging talent.[citation needed]
In February 2011, Gen Art announced was acquired by publishing company Sandow Media.[4] Under this new umbrella, longtime Gen Art Senior Executives Elizabeth Shaffer and Jeffrey Abramson were named Co-Presidents.[5]
As of 2016, Gen Art is currently owned and operated by fashion executive Keri Ingvarsson and a team of private investors.
GenArt Film Festival
The GenArt Film Festival was founded in 1996 to showcase the work of emerging independent filmmakers. The festival's theme programming consists of just seven features and seven shorts and dons the tagline "7 Premieres. 7 Parties". Each night a feature and short is paired, with an after party following the screening.[citation needed]
2013
Out of Reach Directed by Cyrus Stowe & Tucker Capps
Emoticon Directed by Livia De Paolis | And After All Directed By Julian Ungano
A Song Still Inside Directed by Gregory Collins | Joan's Day Out Directed by Ellen Houlihan
The Warrior and the Savior Directed by Salvatore Sorrentino | Eden Directed By Todd Cobery
The Discoverers Directed By Justin Schwarz | VARMiNT Directed by Joel Knoernschild
The Bounceback Directed by Bryan Poser | Top Floor Directed by Aaron David DeFazio
She Loves Me Not Directed by Brian Jun & Jack Sanderson
Swim Little Fish Swim Directed by Lola Bessis & Ruben Amar | Young(ish) Directed by Renee Felice Smith
The Motel Life Directed By Alan & Gabe Polsky | Zero Hour Directed by Dan Carrillo Levy
Art Machine Directed By Doug Karr
2012
Missed Connections Directed by Martin Snyder | Old Man Directed by Leah Shore
Privacy Directed by Jorg Ihle | Rolling on the Floor Laughing Directed by Russell Harbaugh
The Magic Life Directed by Nelson Chen | Cadaver Directed by Jonah Ansell
Leave Me Like You Found Me Directed by Adele Romanski | Latch Key Directed by Jaime King
The Silent Thief Directed by Jennifer Clary | Reform Directed by Jamal Caesar
Kid-Thing Directed by Nathan and David Zellner | Carbon for Water Directed by Evan Abramson and Carmen Lopez
The Kitchen Directed by Ishai Setton | Literally, Right Before Aaron Directed by Ryan Eggold
2011
A Beginner’s Guide to Endings Directed by Jonathan Sobol | Delmer Builds A Machine Directed by Landon Zakheim
Yelling to the Sky Directed by Victoria Mahoney | Saeng-Il (Birthday) Directed by Jennifer Suhr
Norman Directed by Jonathan Segal | Henley Directed by Craig Macneill
Goold’s Gold Directed by Tucker Capps and Ryan Sevy | The Renovation Directed by Lea Mathiesen
The Pill Directed by J.C. Khoury | Excuse Me Directed by Duncan Birmingham
American Animal Directed by Matt D’Elia | Worst Enemy Directed by Lake Bell
Salvation Boulevard Directed by George Ratliff | Hotdogs & Hand Grenades Directed by Justin Corsbie
2010
Happythankyoumoreplease Directed by Josh Radnor | Patrol (Directed by John Patton Ford
Waiting for Forever Directed by James Keach | Extension Directed by Tyler Byrne
Elektra Luxx Directed by Sebastian Gutierrez | Blowing Bubbles Directed by Vaughn Juares
Teenage Paparazzo Directed by Adrian Grenier | The Poodle Trainer Directed by Vance Malone
The Wild Hunt Directed by Alexandre Franchi | Charlie and the Rabbit Directed by Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
Tanner Hall Directed by Francesca Gregorini and Tatiana von Furstenberg | Daughters Directed by Chloé Zhao
Mercy Directed by Patrick Hoelck | The Hirosaki Players Directed by Jeff Sousa