We recently connected with Andréas Fensby and have shared our conversation below.

Andréas, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Creating Heimdall, the first Scandinavian art gallery in the world wasn’t something all I had planned long in advance.

Between 2017 and 2020, I had been doing internships and working in museums and art galleries in Paris. The arrival of covid was a sign that it was time for me to leave the big cities and head back to my hometown in the French Alps. No need to tell you that searching for an art job in this region lead nowhere given the circumstances.

The only possibility I had left was to create my own path. Something I only considered because my mentor, Alexander Lazarew, had seen something in me I wasn’t able to. He was my gallery director in Paris and still runs his gallery today at 87 years old.
His words were the following : « You’d make a great officer in the infantry (something I had in mind) given how rigorous you are but you also have what it takes to become an art dealer. I can see you running your own gallery someday ».

And so in 2021, I decided to launch my own business but I had to be smart about it. Being a 27 year old with no art degree and barely any working experience is a tough start in an industry like the art world. Most buyers and sellers are much older and the French art market can be ruthless with all its codes and protocols (I had seen some of it in Paris).

So I figured I had to do something that would make me unique: my Swedish origins. When you think about it, we know a lot about Scandinavian culture worldwide: its design, literature, food, fashion, cinema, interior decoration, furniture but rarely do we talk about its contemporary art. And that’s where it clicked, I figured there had to be artists over there who could carry the Scandinavian atmosphere and essence that so many people appreciate and want in their home.

After completing a few excel sheets and going through roughly 1700 artist profiles I had searched on the internet, I took my car, drove from France all the way to Scandinavia with the purpose of convincing talented artists to join me in my crazy project and represent Scandinavian art overseas.

Most people didn’t believe me at first and obviously who would have? They all thought it was a scam or ludicrous but some were crazy enough to believe in me and their trust is the reason I’m able to share my story today.

Andréas, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Andréas Fensby, 30 years old today and I’m one of the youngest art gallery owners and you’ll see in the business. I studied a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in languages at the Sorbonne University in Paris to become an interpreter. However fate had its own plan and today I run Heimdall, the first contemporary art gallery in the world focusing on Scandinavian art.

My goal is to find, exhibit and promote the artists of today who, through their craft and technique, are able to carry the essence, atmosphere and magic of this region. Scandinavians have a relationship with nature, materials and light that is different from the rest of the world and the goal is to find this sensibility in their art. Being born in Sweden and growing up in France with an outsider perspective, it was easy for me to identify what people felt about my homeland.

I sell sculptures, photographies but mostly paintings in my gallery which is located in the Alps next to the city of Grenoble. Occasionally I’m called to do interior decoration for clients who want their home to be filled with nature, escape and dreamlike ambiances. Scandinavia has a good reputation for the high quality of its creations, no matter what they are, and I wanted to prove that the same can be said about their art.

Plus, I like to go the extra mile and wish to offer a premium service to both my artists and my clients. Imagine that the gallery is run by a butler and no matter what your request is, you know you’ll be taken care of. That’s the kind of service Heimdall provides. More than a just gallery, a place where each client is special.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

For the clients :

The reason this gallery still exists today despite the hardships is that I have a 100% satisfied clientele. The key word is quality and rare craftsmanship. When people buy an art piece in my gallery, they know have something for the right price, unique, filled with soul, research and meaning. I may be young but don’t be fooled by my age, my expectations are high and that’s why I’d rather focus on fewer artists and pieces but outstanding work. Less is more ! Clients have to feel your passion and I’m a firm believer in the hard work of all my artists. I could do a monologue for every artwork I present and why it’s special. In a society of mass consumption where services are average and gallerists only talk to you if you are a buyer, you are able to stand out if you really listen to what people need and ensure their demands are met. Even if that includes having to ship an artwork to Tibet before the full moon…

For the artists:

You have to be transparent and a man of your word. Sadly, the art world is filled with art dealers who take advantage of their artists and they create a bad image for the business. So you need to be fair and square. Artists will call each other to do a background check on you. If you’ve been dishonest or haven’t been thorough when it comes to paying them on time, don’t be surprised if they don’t want to work with you. An artist is more than a supplier, it’s a human being with a vision and they need someone they can trust on their way to artistic fulfillment. So it’s your job to guide them, give advice, and make it easier for them to access their creativity. Show them you care and they’ll stand up for you. That’s the beauty in this job. That we have each other’s backs.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think being able to create and art gallery from scratch with no art degree, barely any working experience and even less sales knowledge is the definition of resilience.

Plus I do everything myself. You don’t see many gallery directors pick up the art themselves by car in Scandinavia and take it back to France. That’s roughly 6000 km per trip (3730 miles) and I do it 2-3 times a year. Not to mention, the packaging, inventory, website, catalog productions, newsletters, gallery maintenance, deliveries, art fairs, varnishing, interviews, event organisations, accounting, client meetings, framing, etc.
Sure it’s part of the job, but doing it all by yourself is the real challenge. Then again, without a challenge there wouldn’t be any great accomplishment.

Most galleries today have either existed for several decades or have been founded by people who in their mid-forties, fifties decided to convert to a new industry and they had the funds to do so. That’s why you rarely see a young gallery founder because running a gallery costs a lot and today’s generation is having a tough time trying to get by. Which is showing to people that it can be done is extremely rewarding. I’ve watched and followed many influential people who helped me believe in myself and I look forward to the day when I can help others in their artistic enterprise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://heimdall-gallery.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heimdall.gallery/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9as-fensby-676523290/