Sixtine Crutchfield: The Authority Behind the Direction of the Art World

By Silvia Gonzalo, Germany Correspondent

The light falls differently in Eaux Vives, that Geneva neighborhood where wrought iron balconies still hang over cobblestone streets, filtered through the same black iron shop window that once framed a watchmaker's workshop. Inside, the space opens into distinct settings: in one, a nineteenth century piece of furniture; in another, a case of antique porcelain; in another, an Aboriginal painting brought from the other side of the world; in yet another, a screen where a blockchain-certified digital work awaits its next owner. Three different centuries, sharing the same light.

All of this carries the signature of Sixtine Crutchfield, who graduated in Communications with a specialization in Art History from the University of Denver, a combination that united strategy and aesthetic sensibility in a single outlook. That mix first took her to the historic Jan Krugier Gallery in Geneva, founded by a Holocaust survivor who became, after Picasso's death in 1973, his most important dealer and the exclusive representative of his granddaughter Marina Picasso's collection. Then came a full decade in Darwin, in the far north of Australia, where she worked alongside the Australia Council and Brown's Mart Community Arts, developing art alongside Aboriginal communities. Back in Geneva, she traded those years in Australia for the quiet offices of Swiss private banking, advising Switzerland's great fortunes with the same eye that distinguishes her in the art market today. And in 2021, WISeKey chose her as Art Director of WISe.ART, the company's physical and digital art marketplace, to lead its artistic expansion: certifying the origin of each piece and paying the artist royalties every time it resells, something traditional art rarely offers. Among her most recent activities is Volta, the satellite fair held alongside Art Basel that dedicates an entire pavilion to contemporary Aboriginal art, where she co-curated that discipline's booth, already at the helm of Atelier du Temps.

Atelier du Temps's current show is a group exhibition in honor of Daniel Ybarra, the Uruguayan artist who arrived in Geneva in 1984. His entire body of work lives in a single instant: that fleeting second when light touches water and seems to hang there, suspended. And now, his farewell takes place in a neighborhood that carries water in its name. Eaux Vives. Living waters, like the light he never stopped contemplating.

In Her Own Words

You describe Atelier du Temps as a bridge between centuries and disciplines. How did that idea come about?

“Working in top international galleries, people always said the art was beautiful but it wouldn't work in their homes, so I decided to create different 'homes' within my gallery. The mix works, most people feel right at home in my shop.”

You were a pioneer in bringing blockchain to the art world. Why do you believe this is the future?

“The technology is still at a 'nice to have' status. Once insurance companies start requesting tokenized certificates, it will become a need to have item. Digital art is here to stay, from Vera Molnar in the 1960s to Art Basel's own pavilion in Hong Kong and Qatar, which gave it institutional credibility.”

Your personal collection predates the project. What defines it?

“I started collecting while traveling and when I began working at the Jan Krugier Gallery. My most important pieces are probably my Aboriginal works. I love all my works.”

The current exhibition is dedicated to Daniel Ybarra. What does it mean to you?

“The current exhibition which will be open until September 22 because it represents a medley of local artists who have all worked with Daniel Ybarra to whom we dedicate this exhibition in support of his solo show also at l'Atelier du Temps one year after his passing.” And in a later message, she added: “Daniel Ybarra passed away exactly one year ago, this is why we decided with his family to organize a solo show as well as a hommage with artists who worked with him or shared his studio.”

What role do you dream of Atelier du Temps playing in Geneva?

“I hope it becomes a go-to place for young professionals who aspire to become major collectors. We can help them build collections that will grow and that they will love, just as I love mine.”

Atelier du Temps brings together everything Sixtine Crutchfield loves, and carries the signature of a career that redefined how the world buys, certifies, and cares for a work of art.