ARTS & COLLECTIBLES

THE FUSION OF FINE ART AND LUXURY REAL ESTATE

Award-winning estate agent Michael Carucci, Executive Vice President of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, shares his insights into the power of showcasing fine art in luxury real estate.

MANDI KEIGHRAN

When showing some of Massachusetts’ most luxurious real estate, award-winning estate agent and Executive Vice President of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, Michael Carucci, believes in setting the scene. He wants to give potential buyers a glimpse of the life they could live in the home, beyond the conventional use of staged furniture. One of the most powerful ways to do this, he believes, is by displaying fine art to infuse a space with colour and bring it to life.

Carucci knows what he’s talking about. The awardwinning estate agent has set multiple records in the world of luxury real estate, holding the record for the highest sold price in Lexington and Cambridge, as well as various buildings throughout Boston. “It’s important to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on and be aware of what’s happening in your market and other markets,” he reveals of his successful approach. “It is also imperative to pay attention to what other top agents are doing outside your markets.”

True luxury real estate—which Carucci defines as the top 10% of value in a given marketplace—is characterised by its enviable location, its architectural merit, and an unsurpassed attention to detail and quality of finishes. By exhibiting fine art in these rarefied settings it’s possible to even further highlight the potential of the space. While Massachusetts’ real estate market was very robust in 2021, Carucci predicts a levelling off in 2022, making this kind of visionary presentation of properties more essential than ever to attract buyers.

Take for example, The Stolen 13 collection of works by artist Giovanni DeCunto. The paintings are contemporary interpretations of the 13 works that were famously stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990 and never recovered. Carucci has displayed the paintings in numerous properties over the years where they have assisted in sales—a trend that he hopes to continue through his new partnership with contemporary American artist Danny Minnick.

A former professional skateboarder, Minnick made the transition into the world of fine art after an injury left him unable to continue skating. His abstract expressionist paintings in acrylic and oil are often compared to the work of Basquiat and Keith Haring, and the colourful, dynamic style provides a splash of vibrant life on the often austere walls of luxury homes. Not only will Minnick’s work give extra flair and personality to the luxury properties marketed by Carucci, but they will expose his work to a new audience of discerning, high-net-worth individuals, driving sales of his fine art outside of the gallery context.

This fusion of fine art and luxury real estate is just one way that Carucci elevates what is, for many, one of the most important purchases that will ever be made, transforming it from a simple transaction into a richly rewarding experience

Michael Carucci is the Executive Vice President of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty and the #1 ranked Sotheby’s agent for sales volume in New England for individual sales with almost $2B in career sales. For more than 30 years he has been one of the most trusted names in the Greater Boston real estate market, with a focus on luxury residential and niche commercial real estate. He is the Exclusive Sales Agent for the St Regis Residences in Boston and an Ambassador for One Dalton Boston’s Four Seasons Hotel and Residences. Michael was also voted Best Luxury Agent in Boston in 2018 by Boston Common Magazine. He is regularly quoted in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Boston Business Journal. Michael is also a delegate for the Sotheby’s International Realty Market Leaders, an elite network of the top 50 Sotheby’s Agents nationwide.

“City to Suburbs, Luxury has no boundaries”

C photo Danny sitting in front of diptych painting on hinges.jpg

Danny Minnick was born in Seattle, Washington. A creative soul from a very young age, Minnick was talented in many areas. A natural athlete, artist, and actor, he decided not to choose between the crafts but rather embody them all, leading him to a multifaceted life that spans many creative paths. He is a true artist who wants to share himself with the world, doing most things as a form of authentic expression to entertain and bring joy to others. Minnick has shot and produced documentary films, many with his pro-skater peers as his main subjects as a filmmaker and cinematographer. A few years ago, Danny Minnick found a professional way to paint on canvas. The former skateboard star, who had to end his professional career after a severe foot injury, is known for his wild, cheeky painting style, reminiscent of Keith Haring, Willem de Kooning, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Inspired by the skateboard graphics of Raymond Pettibon, Al Diaz, Giotto, Caravagga, Piero Della Francessa, Lee Quiñones, Barnett Newman, Robert De Niro Sr, Helen Frankenhaler, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo De Vinci, Monet, Lucian Freud, and Alex Katz, Minnick deals in his works with discarded, challenging experiences that he turns into something positive: so shows his trademark the bone man a plus sign in the pelvic area. Murals can be found in the Wynwood District in Miami, at the Barbican in London, next to Banksy’s Hommage to Basquiat, amongst other cities

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