Michael Hutak
8 March 2002
Australian Financial Review
Corporate art for legal offices; women versus women; phone etiquette via voicemail; promoting ideas for a better workplace.
News that Minter Ellison has appointed Sydney art consultant Amanda Love to crank up its corporate art collection begs the question: what is the value of art to an organisation? "Our clients come from all over the world," says ME partner, Lindsay Powers. "We hope to promote the artists we collect by exposing our clients to their work. Equally important, however, are our staff, who work long hours. We hope the art we display creates a stimulating environment, and that our dedication to Australian artists makes them proud to be a part of the firm."
Allen Allen & Hemsley, of Sydney, had one of the best corporate collections of contemporary and Aboriginal art in the country. After its merger with Melbourne's Arthur Robinson in 2001, the collection was scattered across 12 offices in seven countries. Group marketing manager Chris Fogarty cites three core benefits: "First, we are always asking our lawyers to come up with inspiring solutions, so we want to provide them with an inspiring environment. Second, legal firms typically have paintings of judges and racehorses on the walls, so because our collection is so eclectic it generates a lot of healthy discussion around the place. And third because we only buy emerging or unknown artists, it's a reminder for us all of the firm's commitment to community involvement."
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