Meet Florence Cocozza

Founder of Florence Cocozza agency

Meet Florence Cocozza - illustration 1

Florence Cocozza founded her artistic consulting agency in 2016 with the aim to break down barriers and offer artists, individuals, companies and real estate professionals new alternatives to embrace art and its market. Aware of the growing importance of digital technology in the art world, she supports and promotes artists by offering them a virtual exhibition space and is able to reach a huge number of people via an online magazine. Discover her approach to the art market and advice.

1. Could you tell us a little more about your career?

I graduated with a masters in Business and the art market from Icart. In my final year, I had the chance to study in New York, where I had an unforgettable internship at Christie's. Returning to Paris, I started my career at Perrotin Gallery, where I stayed for 6 years; it was an exciting and demanding experience that taught me a lot.

I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, so after Perrotin I immediately began working towards that, with the sole aim of creating something that was true to myself. I set up the Florence Cocozza agency, which brings together a family of artistic talents, to whom I offer a virtual exhibition space as well as physical exhibitions adapted to their projects. I then went on to create Cocozza Advisory, an artistic consulting company dedicated to businesses and real estate professionals to help them in their acquisitions of works of art and in situ artistic programmes.

2. Why did you create the Florence Cocozza Agency?

I first had the idea in 2011 and have been thinking about it since; even today I'm constantly wondering about the various forms it could take. As a result, it's going to be revamped in autumn 2020.

The idea for the agency came from a desire to democratise art, to break down barriers and offer artists, individuals and companies new alternatives to learn about art and the market.

3. What is your preferred medium; painting, photography or sculpture?

I particularly like conceptual art where the idea takes precedence over the medium, but if I had to choose, it would be painting and sculpture. I'm also passionate about artists who create immersive experiences. Digital art fascinates me.

Meet Florence Cocozza - illustration 1
Meet Florence Cocozza - illustration 1

4. Do you remember the first work you ever acquired?

Acquiring your first work is always incredibly moving and symbolic. I've only started collecting recently; I didn't feel the need to while working in a gallery. I have made up for it since, and my first acquisition was a Claire Tabouret drawing.

5. Are there currently any emerging contemporary artists that you think we should collect?

My answer depends on the collector. There are more adventurous collectors and others who want to be able to live with their artwork.

6. Do you want to take a risk by supporting an emerging artist like Agata Ingerden who makes striking installations but will be hard to exhibit in an interior? Or would you like to purchase a work that you can live with on a day-to-day basis, like a painting by Alex Forton or Vivian Greven?

I therefore prefer 'inviting' you to follow an artist's work, rather than give my opinion on ''the' artist that you should collect now'.

She's not really an emerging artist any more but I'm really interested in Prune Nourry's work at the moment; her work is fascinating and you can discover it at Templon Gallery. I also think Sarah Meyohas and Dorian Gaudin at Galerie Pact, Alex Forton and Przemek Pyszczek at Galerie Derouillon, Oli Ep at Sémiose, as well as work by Guy Yanai, Hassan Hajjaj, Zsofia Keresztes, Zoé Paul etc.

Meet Florence Cocozza - illustration 1
Meet Florence Cocozza - illustration 1

7. Have you got a favourite gallery?

It is so difficult to choose one gallery, but I particularly like David Zwirner and Hauser & Wirth for their international aspect and in Paris I like following Galerie Pact and Galerie Derouillon.

8. Do you have any advice for an individual wishing to start an art collection?

Listen to your intuition and don't be afraid to express your tastes, while trying to maintain consistency in your choices. You should also find out about the artist's background and institutional presence for a safer choice.

9. We saw on your Instagram that you travel a huge amount; would this be advice you'd give to artists, to travel?

Travelling is an inexhaustible source of inspiration and a necessity for me to do my job correctly.  I strongly recommend it to market professionals; as for artists, I don't let myself direct them; they all have their own particular sources of inspiration, whether that is travel, music, cinema or literature.

10. We are curious, what does your living room look like?

A beautiful view of Montmartre, a sculpture by Elizabeth Jaeger, a Guy Yanai painting, and a work on the ceiling by Quentin Lefranc. And on the bookshelf: Maurizio Cattelan editions, his famous Toiletpaper Magazine, an edition by jean-Michel Othoniel, and art books on Dora Maar, Alexandre Calder, Prune Nourry, Xavier Veilhan and Guy Ynai, interviews of Andy Warhol, and finally lots of plants!


Their favorite artworks

Painting, Delay (square on the angles to white / 24), Philippe Decrauzat

Delay (square on the angles to white / 24)

Philippe Decrauzat

Painting - 84.3 x 84.3 inch

Sold

Painting, Sans titre (Perce-Neige), Jean-Baptiste Bernadet

Sans titre (Perce-Neige)

Jean-Baptiste Bernadet

Painting - 63 x 56.7 x 1.4 inch

$23,715

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 2, Michel Cornu

Untitled 2

Michel Cornu

Fine Art Drawings - 63 x 47.2 inch

$8,470

Fine Art Drawings, La Sanfiliste, Jean Cocteau

La Sanfiliste

Jean Cocteau

Fine Art Drawings - 10 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

Sold

Photography, Free spirit 1, Pierre Cherix

Free spirit 1

Pierre Cherix

Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$203

Photography, Bill T. Jones, Robert Mapplethorpe

Bill T. Jones

Robert Mapplethorpe

Photography - 19.75 x 15.75 x 0.1 inch

$45,000

Photography, Fashion in Colour- Jean Patchett, Bathing Suit by Brigance, Horst P. Horst

Fashion in Colour- Jean Patchett, Bathing Suit by Brigance

Horst P. Horst

Photography - 65 x 49.6 x 0.1 inch

$60,000

Painting, Breaking Contour (Blue Sand Forms), Jeremy Annear

Breaking Contour (Blue Sand Forms)

Jeremy Annear

Painting - 63 x 47.2 inch

$34,239

Photography, Kate Resting, Leonard Freed

Kate Resting

Leonard Freed

Photography - 20 x 16 inch

$3,500

Fine Art Drawings, Un Acteur de Talent - Original Frottage, Max Ernst

Un Acteur de Talent - Original Frottage

Max Ernst

Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 11 x 0 inch

$37,267