Tappan Collective Is Marrying Emerging Artists With Seasoned Collector

Tappan Collective has been making an impact in art world since 2012 with a unique mission to connect leading emerging artists with new and seasoned collectors across the world. Over the last decade, Tappan Collective has established itself as a leading source for individual collectors and designers to find their next art investment. Tappan Collective has collaborated with leading creatives in the design space, including Jennifer Fischer, Athena Calderone, Bobby Berk, as well as curated collections in The Goodtime Hotel Miami, Sweetgreen, and celebrities homes, such as Demi Lovato and Bryce Dallas Howard.

Tappan co-founder, Chelsea Neman Nassib, launched her business with a unique vision to connect leading emerging artists to new and seasoned collectors across the world, whilst supporting artists to fully explore and evolve their practice. In essence, to bring art back into common conversation, not only by selling art in a new way but by creating a new paradigm for art patronage in the modern world. The curated aesthetic of Tappan has drawn a legion of devoted collectors who value a concise edit of leading art.

After completing her BFA at the University of Michigan, Nassib quickly realized there was a gaping hole in the traditional art world for emerging artists. Frustrated by the lack of support post-graduation, her peers were thrust into the world with no infrastructure to assist them to build networks and develop their work outside of their immediate personal circles. It was at this time she realized that an online space didn’t exist and could revolutionize the game. Nassib combined her passion for supporting the arts with the foresight that collectors would purchase art online. “The traditional art world is renowned for being difficult to navigate, especially for new collectors or those interested in learning about arts. It was time to disrupt the industry and make art feel accessible to all, including transparency around pricing. Tappan’s mission is to bring art back into the common conversation by selling art in a new consumer-friendly way and creating a new paradigm for art patronage. Tappan works to bridge the relationship between collectors, artists and their work,” said Nassib.

Tappan Collective’s first physical gallery space opened in the Spring of 2023 showcasing its vast collection of incredible emerging artists, further generating visibility and exposure to collectors and other leaders in the art world. With 6,000 square feet of wall space, consumers will be able to purchase Tappan’s extensive art collection displayed in the exhibition. Tappan worked with esteemed architect Marco Marraccini at Abramson Architects, and visionary interior designer Brandi Howe, to bring the space and art to life.

Tappan’s primary goal is to change the relationship between collectors, artists and their work. The initial curated online platform has expanded to incorporate e-commerce, unique editorial content, physical exhibitions, brand partnerships and ongoing artist residencies across the world. This approach allows artists to tell their stories in a three-dimensional way that encourages more exploration by the collector than in a traditional gallery space.

This attention to detail and level of care has helped see several TAPPAN artists from the initial roster graduate to extensive galleries like Marianne Boesky Gallery, Kohn Gallery, and The Hole in NYC. The business itself has also seen great success consistently doubling year over year since 2012. Because of that success, Tappan has attracted the attention of major media outlets and brands alike including Architectural Digest and Vogue as well as collaborations with Jenni Kayne, Industrious, Intermix, Longchamp, Sweetgreen and many more.

The Tappan commitment to art extends well beyond e-commerce. The business, and Nassib herself, are intrinsically invested in discovering and developing emerging artists to grow their careers into established artists. The dedication to providing unprecedented accessibility to unparalleled art cannot be matched. With an ever-growing roster of artists, the curation strikes the perfect balance between accessible aesthetics and conceptual execution. “I think the nature of Tappan has always combined the digital and physical worlds, even before we opened the gallery. We were the first fine art gallery to give access to the best-emerging artists in the world online, and had to build trust with our collectors that they would love it once it arrived in real life. Through our branding, content, and partnerships, we continue to help people understand our artists and their work in a very real way, even if the collector is not in the same room as the art. And now we are thrilled to also have the gallery for people to get up close and personal with the works,” she elaborated.