Mirviss was a founder and the first chairperson of AWNY and is still an active member of the planning committee.
For her, the main appeal of the event is “the opportunity to meet both established and new collectors and curators from around the world, many of whom are passionate about Japanese art and others who have only recently been captivated by Japanese woodblock prints and paintings”.
She also believes that the privacy afforded by having the dealers hosted in large galleries or hotel suites is important, allowing collectors anonymity and the time for extended conversations.
Mirviss notes that there has been a seismic shift in taste and collecting interest towards the modern and contemporary in art everywhere, and Asia is no exception. For her, the timing has been perfect, as she has been championing Japanese clay art of the 20th and 21st centuries for more than three decades.
“Working directly with seasoned, celebrated masters as well as emerging, brilliant young talents has been both gratifying and exciting. Together we have changed the collecting directions of numerous museums and countless collectors,” she says.
This month Mirviss will present Timeless Elegance in Japanese Art: A Celebration of Forty Years to mark her 40th year in business. The show includes 20 works that have been created or specifically selected for the event by living artists long represented by the gallery as well as major, innovative paintings and famous ukiyo-e prints by important 18th and 19th century artists.
