Charly Bailly, son of Charles Bailly who founded the Galerie Bailly and brother of Hélène Bailly-Marcilhac who also owns an art gallery, opened his first space in Switzerland, almost 15 years ago. The art dealer has always been surrounded by art. We spoke with him about his career, his galleries, the way he does his job and the digitalization of the art market.

artfairmag: Charly, you are part of the new generation of art dealers. What is your background? How did modern art come to you?

Charly Bailly: I studied art since a very young age as my parents are art dealers and collectors of ancient and modern art and most of my family on my father’s side are/were auctioneers or dealing in the art world. Like Obélix (See Asterix & Obélix), I fell in the caldron in a very very young age… Going to a museum at least every Sunday with my family before a great lunch! I studied in London art history and then worked for Sotheby’s New York for a year and then London, Paris, Amsterdam and Milan. I worked for my father for a year and left to create my own company in Geneva with my wife Hanna where we live since 2004.

It is not only modern art but just… ART. I am not in love with one artist or another but more interested in a specific work because of its attraction, history more than its value.

artfairmag: You chose Geneva to open your own space while the family gallery was in Paris. Why this choice?

C. B.: I had 3 choices to leave the influence of an important family known in the art world: London (that I could not afford at the time), Brussels (that I love very very much) and Geneva (where there was less competition in my field). I chose to try Geneva for a year and fell in love with it and decided to make it my home.

artfairmag: Twelve years later, in 2019, you expand to Paris, deciding to open a private showroom rather than a gallery with street frontage. What difference does it make? Does it change the way you interract with clients?

C. B.: The showroom is right now the best solution for Paris and we will keep it to receive collectors in a very discreet manner for very special pieces. We are expending… Soon. But I can not talk about the future projects yet…

artfairmag: Your specialty is post-Impressionist and modern eras, mostly paintings and sculptures, with artists like Picasso, Rodin, Calder or Matisse. Are there pieces that your collectors are seeking more than others?

C. B.: Again, the pieces themselves are attracting some collectors and others won’t even look at them. It is a question of taste, fashion, culture and knowledge. Today the complication is to show through a screen the importance of a work. We can’t force someone to like something or not. We just search and show them in the best way we know and let the magic operates…

artfairmag: Before Covid-19, you were participating to many major fairs in Europe. When the art market returns to a kind of normality, are you thinking of reducing your participation or on the contrary are you eager to start again as before?

C. B.: We are always in full throttle! We are – like everyone in the art world – very eager to show our great new works and our presentation skills for which we are known all around the world. That is why we are honoured to be part of the best fairs in the world: BRAFA, artgenève, TEFAF Maastricht, Masterpiece London, Art Basel Design…

artfairmag: With the current health crisis, the art world has been forced to enter the digital age. Do you think this will continue over time and force your profession to evolve?

C. B.: We already did! Hanna Bailly, my wife, forced me two years ago to invest greatly in our website and platforms which we did. The result is that we sold well in 2020. We are now making professional videos of one minute only called THE STORY BEHIND about one work that we publish on YouTube, Instagram… We will continue that format for 2021 with a few twist.

artfairmag: Finally, could you tell us more about an artwork you like, which may or may not come from your gallery?

C. B.: I really love the latest Calder sculpture we bought recently in New York. It is coloured with a striking blue on one side and a bright red on the other…A magnificent animobile by one of the most creative artist of his generation.