About Fru Tholstrup
Fru Tholstrup is a London-based art consultant with deep knowledge of the contemporary global fine art market, advising collectors and international businesses on building museum-quality art collections.
A consummate mover and shaker at the forefront of the international contemporary art scene, Fru Tholstrup is best known for her role launching Sotheby’s flagship London Art Gallery, S|2 in 2013, she also worked closely with the S|2 Brand in New York and Hong Kong helping curate exhibitions. As the inaugural director, Tholstrup guided the gallery to commercial and critical success with an ambitious and diverse programme, including solo exhibitions by artists of international stature such as Joseph Beuys, Taner Ceylan and Banksy, the latter drawing in over 18,000 visitors over its 6 week run. Tholstrup also invited senior international figures to become guest curators, including Jeffrey Deitch, Tommy Hillfiger and Vito Schnabel.
Tholstrup’s trademark is a creative approach to making engaging and original exhibitions; An ability honed during 10 years at London’s Haunch of Venison Gallery which included the role of Director and a stellar list of exhibitions by artists including, Damien Hirst and Michael Joo, Adrian Ghenie, Frank Stella, Richard Long, Jose Parla, Giuseppe Penone, Keith Tyson and Bill Viola to name a few.
Her role as a curator has not been restricted to S|2 and Haunch of Venison however, in 2010 Tholstrup began curating the Soho House Art Collection for Nick Jones — which began with the West Hollywood House, working in collaboration with artist Jonathan Yeo. Tholstrup sits on the judging panel for the prestigious HIX Award art prize and is on the select committee for the Groucho Club on Dean street.
““Passionate, brave, loyal, discreet, with vision and a work ethic that delivers in spades. On top of that she knows everyone!””
SEEING RED 2024
70 works by 40 artists exploring how we ‘see red’.
Curators Fru Tholstrup and Jane Neal present an exhibition at Phillips London. A bold and evocative hue, the colour red holds deep emotive and cultural significance for many communities, symbolising luck, joy, passion, danger, love, and more. Throughout history, red has played a significant role in spiritual rituals, adorned cave walls, and held deep-rooted cultural and emotional importance.
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to reflect on different artistic interpretations of ‘seeing red’, with highlights including works by Marina Abramović, Alma Berrow, Lara Bohinc, Dale Chihuly, Martin Eder, Alexis Soul-Gray, Fredrikson Stallard, and David Brian Smith, among others. Further highlights of this immersive experience include poetry by LionHeart, jewellery designed by Stephen Webster and a bespoke scent created by Azzi Glasser.
SEEING RED, curated by Jane Neal and Fru Tholstrup, on view at Phillips London Galleries on Berkeley Square from 16th to 24th March 2024.
The Standard
14 Mar 2024
Marina Abramović is among the artists for a bold new exhibition focusing on the colour of passion … read more
Observer
15 Mar 2024
SEEING RED presents more than seventy works by forty artists and dives into how we ‘see red’ … read more
The Wick
22 Mar 2024
Seeing Red: a pulse-quickening show at Phillips London curated by Fru Tholstrup and Jane Neal … read more
Ignite the Senses
A celebration of the Mediterranean lifestyle with gastronomy, art, music and sustainability
MedBodrum celebrates the opulent tapestry of Mediterranean lifestyle by bringing together acclaimed chefs, talented artists, brilliant musicians from all over the world with a series of curated events organised under four main pillars – Gastronomy, Art, Music and Sustainability.
The result was an array of stunning artworks across various mediums from painting to photography, drawing, sculpture, and film. The idea of setting alight the senses was observed literally and metaphorically in the exhibition. Be it visual, aural, oral, olfactory, or connected to touch and physical experience, each artist responded to the challenge in their own unique way.
ARTISTS included in MEDBODRUM 2024: Marina Abramović, Helen Beard, Mircea Cantor, Jake Chapman, Charlotte Colbert, Jack Coulter, Martin Eder, Maryam Eisler, Antony Gormley, Alistair Guy, Matouš Háša, Krista Kim, Kate MccGwire, Vicken Parsons, Miguel Angel Payano Jr., Rony Plesl, Antonio Santin, Fredrikson Stallard, Gabriela Vanga & Mariano Vivanco.
Ignite the Senses was the inaugural art exhibition for MedBodrum 2024, presenting work by some of the most important, exciting and up and coming figures in the international art world. The exhibition took place in both the Maçakızı Eco-Hotel and the Villa Maçakızı in Bodrum, Turkey.
Curated by Jane Neal and Fru Tholstrup, the Ignite the Senses exhibition was intended to do just that for its viewers. Inspired by Maçakızı itself, and its world-renowned reputation for delighting and indulging its discerning clientele, the exhibition curators invited the 20 participating artists to present work that engages or relates to one of the five senses: touch, taste, sight, hearing, smell – and also to consider ideas around the “sixth sense”.
MedBodrum, hosted by Sahir Erozan, 9th to 13th May, 2024, Bodrum, Turkey.
Lux Magazine
11 Jun 2024
Fru Tholstrup and Jane Cowan curate artworks for a visionary new type of festival, combining fabulous cuisine, vibey music, art and culture, in one of the hottest Mediterranean destinations … read more
Hürriyet Daily News
08 May 2024
A showcase of global talent and local charm where Ignite the Senses boasts a stellar lineup of internationally acclaimed artists including Marina Abramovic, Helen Beard and Mircea Cantor … read more
Forbes Magazine
09 Apr 2024
A new cultural event aims to celebrate the Mediterranean lifestyle through an impressive array of food, art, music, and a strong commitment to sustainability … read more
Art Advisor
Tholstrup's respected but engagingly fresh approach to creative projects, coupled with her extensive network within the art world, recently won her a coveted and impressive project. In 2016, Tholstrup was invited to curate the art for the new owners of the historic Hôtel de Crillon in Paris.
She quickly assembled an extremely experienced and efficient team, including her friend and former colleague, Jane Neal (whom she had also invited to curate projects at S|2). Tholstrup and Neal swiftly amassed a collection of almost 1000 individually selected and important works for the owners of the Hôtel de Crillon which are exhibited throughout the building in both public spaces visible to the general public and in private rooms to enhance the experience of guests of the hotel.
The unusually high quality and individuality of the art and this project, prompted journalist Claire Wrathall from The Telegraph to devote an entire feature to the initiative. The Financial Times correspondent Melanie Gerlis also covered Tholstrup's work on this project in her column — not for the first time.
Even in cosmopolitan London, few art advisors have a more extensive personal network of artists and clients with many notable names now counted as close friends. Besides Tholstrup's impressive network of contacts, she is widely regarded throughout the art world as 'one of the most pleasant and efficient people to work with'.
““If Fru Tholstrup is involved in a project, you know it won’t only get done, it will get done as well and as quickly as it’s possible to get done.
I would follow her to war!””
CURATOR
Tholstrup offers curatorial advice to help clients develop an overarching strategy that will maximise the coherence, value, quality and significance of their art — as well as the enjoyment they derive from it — whether the motivation is passion, investment, or both.
Tholstrup provides a truly bespoke service and can help build a collection from the beginning or refine the focus of an existing collection to formulate a curatorial plan for the long term. She can advise on and negotiate acquisitions and sales on behalf of the collector including auction representation and art fair guidance.
With her access to a global network of contacts, auction house specialists and dealers, she can provide a collector with immediate access to opportunities in the market as they arise.
Tholstrup is adept at working closely with architects and interior designers whether for private clients or corporate and residential projects including hotel, yacht, restaurant and office projects.
Tholstrup through her contacts and relationship with many artists has a unique access to artist studios and can arrange visits in countries across Europe and throughout the USA.
““Fru brings enormous experience, creativity and energy to every project””
Exhibitions
The Sequested Prize
Art has always sustained humanity in its darkest hours
Art curator Fru Tholstrup and artist W.K. Lyhne co-founded The Sequested Prize — an invented shorthand for ‘sequestered’ — which is an open call initiative that will culminate in the opportunity for 15 entrants to be part of a selling show at Tristan Hoare Gallery in Fitzrovia, before the close of the year. The prize aims to champion hope and creativity at a time when the art market is widely suffering across all areas during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visit the www.thesequestedprize.com for more information.
Art Review
29 Apr 2020
The Sequested Prize launches to support artists during the COVID-19 crisis … read more
FAD Magazine
27 Apr 2020
The Sequested Prize a new self-portrait group award launched … read more
KATE BRAINE: ‘TENDRIL IS THE NIGHT’
CURATED BY FRU THOLSTRUP
This June, London based artist, Kate Braine, will reveal twenty-years of work at her historic 18th Century townhouse on Cheyne Row. The exhibition, Tendril Is The Night, curated by Fru Tholstrup, will present over 300 of Braine’s sculptural pots, which have been directly influenced and born out of the striking interiors in 20 Cheyne Row. In addition, the garden bears a ‘Pottery Graveyard’ of 500 glazed tendrils sprouting from the soil.
On display throughout the house, the exhibition will see Braine’s works emerge from the walls, shelves and plinths of the unique space. Braine’s vast array of sculptural pots take inspiration from the natural world. The works are created organically as Kate rolls and moulds the clay, shaping each design into its own being. From the botanical to marine life, forms manifest themselves in the artist’s subconscious and emerge through her pots, resulting in works that are both at once recognisable and yet simultaneously otherworldly.
Fru Tholstrup commented:
"On entering Kate’s historic Cheyne Row house, where her studio resides, I was immediately mesmerised by the vast array of her sculptural pots. I realised that these extraordinary pieces should be exhibited in-situ creating an immersive experience for the onlooker. It has been a pleasure to curate ‘Tendril is the Night’ for Kate’s first exhibition showing two-decades of her inspirational work."
Kate Braine: Tendril Is The Night curated by Fru Tholstrup, June 27 to July 1 2019 or by private appointment up to beginning of July.
21ST CENTURY WOMEN AT UNIT LONDON
Fru Tholstrup and Jane Neal present 21st Century Women, an iconic new group exhibition of British female artists celebrating the centenary of women receiving the right to vote. The exhibition comprises a survey of emerging and established British female talent working across a wide range of disciplines.
The show includes artists who use their work to examine the body politics surrounding the female body and the role of women in contemporary society. The exhibition also involves artists who address the fractured sense of being that many women today express in terms of the creation and division of their identities.
21st Century Women at Unit London, 3 Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1S 1HD, from 6 October to 3 November 2018.
Achievements
Foundation for Visionary Science and Art
Art Advisory Council member researching psychedelics to ignite creativity for a more compassionate and connected world.
Project Zero
Ambassador helping raise awareness and funds to support work protecting and restoring the ocean to turn the tide on the climate crisis.
Tate Patrons
Joint Founder of Tate Young Patrons Group in 2008, and in December 2012 elected by the committee to be a Tate Patron Advocate Ambassador.
Soho House
In 2010 began curating the first Art collection for Nick Jones for the West Hollywood Soho House with artist Jonathan Yeo. The Soho House Art Collection is now Global.
Sir Elton John & David Furnish
Curated and helped fundraise the Contemporary Art themed 11th Annual White Tie & Tiara Event for the Elton John’s Aid’s Foundation in 2010.
The Old Vic
Worked closely on many of the Fundraising events for The Old Vic over the last 8 years, helping raise in excess of £1.5m to support the theatre's artistic programme.
Sotheby's S|2
Curated Exhibitions
Joseph Beuys
The Dusseldorf School of Photography
Just Now – Bert Kreuk’s Collection
This Side of Paradise – curated by Jane Neal
Banksy – The Unauthorised Retrospective – curated by Steve Lazarides
Stitched Up
Duane Hanson
Dadamaino
Ron Gorchov – curated by Vito Schnabel
Henry Hudson
Paint Your Own Backyard – curated by George O’Dell
Rock Style – curated by Jeffrey Deitch and Tommy Hilfiger
The Nude in the C20th & C21st century
Between the Eyes
Charming Baker
Animal Farm: Beastly Muses and Metaphors
Taner Ceylan – I Love You
Featured Exhibitions
Joseph Beuys Revealed
10 October—15 November 2013
An exhibition of 12 early works on paper and an important sculpture from a single owner's collection with pieces from between 1947 and 1966, the period when Beuys established his international reputation. Joseph Beuys Revealed shows the foundational importance of drawing to his practice. A cohesive display of his defining subjects: animals, landscapes and the female figure, this exhibition manifests the complex philosophies underpinning the oeuvre of a towering figure in 20th-Century art … read more
Banksy: The Unauthorised Retrospective
11 JUNE 2014—25 JULY 2014
The first, unauthorised, retrospective of works by the internationally renowned artist, curated by Steve Lazarides who was Banksy’s agent from the outset of his career until 2008. The exhibition featured sculptures, paintings and prints from that seminal period including signature early works such as Avon and Somerset Constabulary, right up to the politically charged Guantanamo Bay ‘Crude Oil’ … read more
The Nude in the XX & XXI Century
19 November 2015—15 JANUARY 2016
The Nude in the XX & XXI Century comprises works from a selection of artists whose practices engage with the historic iconography of The Nude and who use this subject to consider the place of the body within our changing cultural landscape. With the increased intersection of the fine art and fashion worlds visible throughout Western media, the concept of ‘Body Beautiful’ has become something to aspire to – a new icon for our age – but one robbed of religious significance, romantic context, or intellectual import … read more
Haunch of Venison
Curated Exhibitions
Ahmed Alsoudani
Joana Vasconcelos
Bill Viola
Mat Collishaw
Adrian Ghenie
Damien Hirst & Michael Joo
Nancy Holt
Richard Long
Polly Morgan
Justin Mortimer
Mystery of Appearance
José Parlá
Giuseppe Penone
Patricia Piccinini
James Rosenquist
Frank Stella
Keith Tyson
Gunther Uecker
Tom Wesselmann
DESIGN
Thomas Heatherwick
Ed Barber and Jay Osgerby
Stuart Haygarth
Featured Exhibitions
Have You Ever Really Looked at the Sun?
1 May—14 August 2010
A two person exhibition by British artist Damien Hirst and American artist Michael Joo … read more
Adrian Ghenie
8 September—8 October 2011
A solo exhibition of the Romanian painter centred on the exploration of European history through the lens of memory and trauma … read more
José Parlá: Broken Language
8 February – 28 March 2013
An exploration of dislocation and the unfamiliar city with work made in response to cities … read more
Press
The Standard
14 Mar 2024
Marina Abramović is among the artists for a bold new exhibition focusing on the colour of passion … read more
Women In Mouret
14 Apr 2019
Fru Tholstrup is celebrated by designer Roland Mouret as an inspiration for his work in his #WomenInMouret series … read more
Women in the Art World
17 Jun 2021
Female Voices in Art: Fru Tholstrup: Women are now a commanding and spiritous stronghold in the art world – a force that has been gaining momentum by the day … read more
Forbes
20 Nov 2019
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle writes that the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris marries design steeped in modernity with 18th-Century architectural roots … read more
METRO
09 JUL 2019
Creature Comforts by Jo Knowsley — Peek at the wild and wonderful home of Kate Braine used as a remarkable setting for her work … click to download PDF.
ARTS & COLLECTIONS
28 JUN 2019
Kate Braine ‘Tendril is the Night’ by Cindy Sherman — A showcase of 300 sculptural pots curated by Fru Tholstrup at the artist’s studio home … read more
ALMOST ESSENTIAL
27 JUN 2019
Kate Braine ‘Tendril is the Night’ by Kate Gordon — Fru Tholstrup, curates an exhibition of Kate Brain that’s an immersive experience not to be missed … read more
THE SPACES
25 JUN 2019
Kate Braine interview by Louise Long — Curator Fru Tholstrup helps ceramicist Kate Braine turn her London townhouse into a gallery for a new exhibition … read more
THE GUARDIAN
22 JUN 2019
Flights of fancy: an imaginative Chelsea interior by Serena Fokschaner — Fru Tholstrup curates ceramicist Kate Braine in the artistic heritage of her home … read more
Vogue
21 Jun 2019
Roland Mouret celebrates independent female voices including Fru Tholstrup who inspire him on a personal level and creatively in the studio … read more
TOWN & COUNTRY
19 JUN 2019
Kate Braine ‘Tendril is the Night’ by Meg Honigmann — A Chelsea townhouse with a fascinating display of marine-inspired sculptures curated by Fru Tholstrup … read more
FRANK MAGAZINE
23 MAY 2019
Kate Braine ‘Tendril Is The Night’ by Melanie Sykes — Artist and potter to exhibit twenty-years of work in her Chelsea studio home curated by Fru Tholstrup … read more
VOGUE
29 MARCH 2019
The House Of Pots: The Ceramicist Making Clay Provocative by Carol Woolton — Kate Brain's 18th-century townhouse is an exhibition like no other … read more
Vanity Fair
30 Oct 2018
Living Artists & Old Masters: James Webster — Owning old pieces makes antiquarian James Webster feel alive. On Art by Fru Tholstrup … read more
FINANCIAL TIMES
27 Oct 2018
Mohammad Ehsa: The great Middle Eastern sell-of — a contemporary version, minus the men, plays out at 21st Century Women … read more
LONDON LIVE
04 Oct 2018
Helena Wadia interviews Fru Tholstrup and Jane Neal about their 21st Century Women show … read more and watch video
ES MAGAZINE
04 Oct 2018
Hettie Judah: In 2018 a woman is still more likely to feature in a gallery as a painted nude than as a painter … read more
FAD MAGAZINE
02 Oct 2018
Mark Westall: 21st Century Women is a show about the freedom of women to make the art that they choose … read more
MONOCLE RADIO
30 Sep 2018 SUNDAY BRUNCH
Paul Osbourn interviews Jane Neal and Fru Tholstrup on the underrepresentation of female artists in the commercial sector … read more and listen
FINANCIAL TIMES
28 Sep 2018 Life & Arts
Harriet Baker: Not 30%: London's all-female art fair. The aim of 21st Century Women is to address the market’s gender imbalance … read more
ELEPHANT MAGAZINE
20 Aug 2018
Charlotte Jansen: Can Women-Only Exhibitions Shift the Gender Pay Gap? Greater visibility leads to greater confidence, helping women break the glass ceiling … read more
L’OFFICIEL
05 Feb 2018
Appel d’art au Crillon — Fru Tholstrup and Jane Neal have gathered a thousand works spread in the rooms and suites … read more
WALL STREET INTERNATIONAL
20 Jan 2017
Artrooms 2017 is the premier show for independent artists looking to enter the London Art Market … read more
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
24 November 2017
How the best hotels in Paris are combining shopping and art to boost their revenues … read more
The Telegraph
17 August 2017
Cultural pursuits at the Crillon: the incredible art setting this hotel apart from the palaces of Paris … read more
Financial Times
21 July 2017
Stronger sales and supersize cigarettes Auction numbers improve (a bit) … read more
FINANCIAL TIMES
9 September 2016
The Art Market: in an uncertain climate – Before going on gardening leave, Fru Tholstrup is organising two exhibitions that she describes as “close to my heart” … read more
FINANCIAL TIMES
10 June 2016
From Dürer to Hirst, which artists do artists collect? Artists have amassed rich collections by swapping work … read more
WALLPAPER
16 November 2015
Life at the top: Tommy Hilfiger talks pop, hip and shop from his New York apartment … read more
FINANCIAL REVIEW
11 June 2014
‘Morons’ lining up to bid on Banksy - Gallery director Fru Tholstrup said Banksy is a true cultural phenomenon of our time … read more
THE TELEGRAPH
06 June 2014
Banksy exhibition: Morons and policemen in unauthorised retrospective … read more
ART DAILY
8 October 2013
Sotheby's appoints Haunch of Venison's Fru Tholstrup Director of new S/2 Gallery in London … read more
BlouinArtinfo
7 October 2013
Sotheby's Boosts Private S|2 Sales With London Hires, NYC Lalanne Show … read more
Telegraph Fashion
28 August 2011
Little Black Book:
Fru Tholstrup has also curated art shows for Soho House and for Elton John … read more
Contact
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