Nancy Corzine is Listening...

Nancy's South Hampton House

I cannot explain it. Something in the air changes when Ms. Corzine enters the room... 

Front entry of the House in South Hampton

I have carefully thought about this opening since I began planning this article. I finally know the truth behind Ms. Corzine's demeanor. She is the type of rare person that carries true prestige with her. Let me elaborate by drawing distinctions. People with money may not often have prestige and even some famous people don't have it. Nancy not only has it, she owns it, and she uses it to make sure her message is heard above the din. To someone like Nancy, it is very important that people listen... really listen. She is not necessarily impatient although she is usually in a hurry. She wants to make the best use of her time and yours. I learned that when I was a salesperson and Allan and I  began seeing her on and off again in Los Angeles and also New York, over the years. I consider us friends now and I know she trusts me, because I was given some incredibly good images for this blog and also some face time in L.A. after West Week. That friendship comes at a price. The price tag is... to listen. And listen, I do.

The Royal Procession on Wedding Day

Nancy recently embarked on the journey of journeys. Her inherit sense of self and yes, that all important prestige, garnered her an invitation to attend the wedding of Crown Prince Shivraj and Princess Gayati in India.  Shivraj, who was educated at Eton and Oxford and was India’s poster boy in the polo circuit till five years ago, suffered a near-fatal accident during a match in 2005. Recovered from his injuries, the prince is now ready to marry and take a hand to his family's hotel operations. The marriage itself took place at the Umaid Bhawan palace in Johdpur. Nancy was a guest of the royal family during the proceedings.

A Royal Celebration in Johdpur, India

Celebrities such as Sting and other major dignitaries from the world over attended the events surrounding these most royal of nuptials. How does a gal  from Washington State become a style icon and design maven, courted by royalty from distant shores? She tells people what they need to hear. She gives them her ear and in return, they get hers. Put simply, she listens. The bride and groom were ensconced in the most vibrant of colors. The wedding party was dazzlingly decked out in the most lavish of traditional Indian dress. Not one detail was overlooked. Each and every flower or outfit had been thought about and approved weeks, even months before the big day."This was an honor for me. I was humbled and very, very happy to be included in the young Prince's wedding". 

Nancy at Home in South Hampton
from "Glamour at Home"

Nancy desires peace. Peace in her world and in her mind. She abhors disorder. Her need for consistency of message combined with good business sense runs so deep that I feel that she has evolved into a unique and powerful hybrid of business woman, designer, mother and friend. While visiting at her Hamptons residence two Christmases ago, she told Allan and I that design had become almost secondary to her as it was so ingrained in her. She revealed to us over dinner that she got more daily enjoyment growing Nancy Corzine, the company, than working on independent design jobs, although in retrospect, those jobs are what dictates the inspiration for the new items that will soon enter the unparalleled NC catalog. One cannot be disassociated from the other. The two are intrinsically strung together like her necklace of gigantic perfect pearls that she wore during West Week. "I have two more pearls to add to this strand when I feel like adding them". When she said this, I knew that the statement would go into this article. She always plans ahead, even with her jewelry.

Back Terrace Ready for Dinner Party from "Glamour at Home"

Nancy's work with the Alzheimer's Foundation to raise awareness and funds for specific research has garnered her "the" award. After 7 years of tireless work, she will be awarded the The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s Chairman’s Award at the annual award dinner set for April 28th 2011 at Sotheby's.
Nancy has served as the president of the ADDF's board of directors since 2005. This charity work is very dear to Ms. Corzine who lost her mother, Rita Johnson to Alzheimer's. She makes clear that the work she does, she does not only in the memory of her mother, but also so that maybe she can be a part of just one drug breakthrough that would cause relief for Alzheimer's sufferers and their families.
I have no doubt that she will do it. She seems to be able to do anything.
So we will wait to see what she does next. 


We will wait and... listen.

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s 

Chairman’s Award

The ADDF Chairman’s Award honors individuals and organizations that work tirelessly

to promote awareness of the critical need to fund drug research for Alzheimer’s 

disease. This year, we are pleased to honor our President, Nancy Corzine, 

with the ADDF’s inaugural Chairman’s Award.

Ms. Corzine has served as President of the ADDF’s Board of Directors since 2005, 

providing enthusiastic support of, and constant guidance to, the Foundation in all of its

activities. We are deeply grateful for her long-standing commitment to our mission.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

6:30 pm

Sotheby’s

1334 York Avenue at 72nd Street

New York City

Black Tie

By Invitation Only 

Photographs courtesy of Nancy Corzine
Article by Cearan Henley
chenley@allan-knight.com

"My Art is Dangerous"!

I love that line! It's from Beetlejuice the movie, which was a star vehicle for Michael Keaton released in the mid 80s.

Beetlejuice is the story about two ghosts (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who unsuccessfully attempt to haunt the interlopers who have moved into their former house. Finding their efforts at Poltergeisting feeble, they call upon the services of a car-salesman-like professional "bio-exorcist" (Michael Keaton), who also happens to be a wise-cracking jack-ass. The line above is uttered by the new lady of the house as workmen are moving her obtuse sculptures into place within their new residence. The part of the wife/owner is played by the fabulous Katherine O'Hara of Home Alone fame.

She later tells her husband, "If you don't let me gut this house and 
make it my own, I will go insane and take you with me"!

Katherine O'Hara is trapped by
her art

My adolescent mind grabbed onto both lines. Although her character, along with her sidekick decorator "Otho", made me cringe.  I did feel for the new home owner. A beautiful, sophisticated dwelling was what she was after, even if she was looking for it to manifest in a small Connecticut town. I have felt that same sentiment over the years. I always unpack my art and books first after I have moved. I check for damage and get the art off the floor and onto the wall or wherever it will be displayed. I guess this is part of the sickness of being who we are.
We have to have our nice things. They make us feel complete. Art makes us feel complete, even as it forces us to contemplate our lives and situations.

So, here I am talking about art. Well, we have some art, but it is not dangerous. On this week's blog I have chosen to write about a few pieces we have here in the showroom that I will miss dearly when they are gone.  The point of this article is to say, "Art is not always pretty", or at least, that it may represent some kind of pain. As death surrounds art, Beetlejuice sought to abide with the living. The art we love the most may be surrounded by something dark. The subject matter or the medium depicts these details, always.

Without further introduction, here are the items which will always remain as a shadow, near and dear to my heart.

Louise Berliawsky Nevelson 1899-1988 

Louise Nevelson Study

She was the pioneer and creator of environmental sculpture who went on to become the most influential female artist of the early 20^th century.

This small but serious piece was found (1 of 3) in her studio at her death by her son from whom it was acquired by the Faye Gold gallery in Atlanta. This is where Allan found it and has owned it since 1995.

Many of her works appear in architectural books, such as “Women Artists”, as well as many others. Although her works are found in private collections, the majority of her larger installations are found in museums around the world. 

She was and is still called the doyenne of American sculpture.

Jiri Kolar "Confrontage" Sculptures

Jiri Kolar 1914-2002

This collection of 2 collages (one of which 
not shown) showcases the technique that he developed which is called confrontage. This medium makes use of confrontational (anti-soviet) books, both Braille and also printed, which could not be circulated. The pages are torn and placed just so, as to create patterns. This allowed Kolar to voice his dissention in a quiet way to the public. He was also a writer, poet and translator during the communist take over, after which he was no longer permitted to write. 

He was imprisoned for his art and was 

subject to ridicule his entire adult life. These pieces have been mounted in 

Acrylic Cases to prevent passive damage. Both pieces were acquired by Allan Knight from the collection of Allan and Marsha May.

Artist unknown

19^th century bronze nuba torchere purchased 

Bronze "Nuba"

in Paris and originally intended 

for the lobby of the Four Seasons, Cairo.

It still has the original glass torch.

Few pieces of this size from famous French foundries exist on the open market. There is a brooding, solemn quality to the nude. He is quiet and full of purpose, yet obviously a slave to his master.

Cashin Burmese Totems
We have several family Totems from the Cashin Tribe in the almost impossible to get anything from anymore Burma or as it is now called, Myanmar. The detail and aging are impossible to duplicate. These tall, elegant depictions of a long-deceased families and personalities are among my favorite things in the world. Allan and I own two that are very close to identical. Each one that we have left is mounted on acrylic. The thought that they were once the symbol of a very vibrant and living family causes a renewed sense of vitality and purpose. Happiness in being alive and well, not represented on a totem left to the ages!

Cashin Totem

Art; we love it. We live with it. It is sometimes in our families for years. I get very accustomed to the pieces we have at home, but our choices may seem a little otherworldly to the casual observer. Our friend Elaine recently purchased a Middle Kingdom Egyptian Death Mask. It stands guard at the main entry of the showroom. I have a small story to relate on this. The day we installed it in late January, we had just put it into place when the sun cut across the front entry of the showroom and sliced across the face of the mask. I said "Ra has found his Pharoh"...  I thought I was making a good joke, but no one laughed. This mask was buried with it's noble when he was buried in the Egyptian desert, eons ago. That said, we do respect the history or the curses as the case may be. To us, the mask is not scary. It is a testament to what came before. 

Middle Kingdom Death Mask

Even old and eroded art is beautiful to us; more beautiful now than when it was new. This may be the only case where something ancient is better than the new version. Maybe that is why we love it. We see mysterious beauty when we gaze into the face of our relics... and sometimes, they seem to gaze back.


We are told that good fights against evil and light conquers darkness in the end. But the reality is that art would be greatly hindered without fear, pain or even death. Beetlejuice was a wonderful juxtaposition of the living having to comically and painfully coexist with the dead. 
I think some of our favorite art tends to make a similar demand. 


"Remember us", it whispers.

Images and article by Cearan Henley
chenley@allan-knight.com