April 25, 2020
Voices: Sam Trioli of Launch F18, New York
An interview with Sam Trioli, the owner of Launch F18, located in Tribeca, New York City.

Nathan Dilworth, 2019. Courtesy of Launch F18

For us, we love creating a unique experience when coming in to the gallery, discovering and working with young emerging artists, and making art approachable and accessible for as many people as we can.
The majority of our artists have been with us since we first launched our roster around 2012, which includes Nathan Dilworth, Andrej Dubravsky, Frankie Rice, Erika Mahr and Bradford Willingham. Our relationship with all of these artists grew rather naturally. Starting with studio visits, group or solo shows, and then before we knew it we were working on projects and plans for things months down the line. They've been a truly remarkable group of people to work with, who play such an important role in where we are today.
Our spring lineup includes the first US solo exhibition by Amsterdam based artist B.D. Graft. It's a bright, playful and vibrant exhibition of drawings and paintings that exudes these incredibly positive notes of life and love.
We recently visited the studios of painters, and husband and wife team, Sebastian Blanck and Isca Greenfield-Sanders. Both had remarkable bodies of work that they've been developing for some time now. The colors from both of their drawings and paintings were so warm and exciting that even though we visited in the dead of winter, you couldn't help but feel the warmth of some summer sun.
Artists are doers, makers and creators. They can learn and do almost anything because they're always challenging themselves to grow and develop more. I think they have such a vast ability to learn and problem solve that there's always something else out there for them to experience and challenge themselves with.
The first artist we ever worked with was Andrej Dubravsky. Tim Donovan (our business parter) found his work online and travelled to visit him at art school in Slovakia. He was so excited he bought work from him then and there, and Andrej was in several of the initial shows here at the gallery. Seeing Andrej's career grow and develop was an unbelievable experience, he's one of the hardest working artists we've ever met and so deeply dedicated to his craft.
Stay true to yourself and you as an artist.

We always look at how dedicated they are to their work, how much they're willing to challenge themselves, and what their longterm vision is.
So many! Painter, Rachael Tarravechia is a young artists based in Greenpoint that we've truly enjoyed watching and seeing grow. She's so ambitious and her compositions and technical skills just keep developing more and more with each new piece.
We love the experience that a great exhibition can create. The energy of an audience, bringing people together, introducing art to new audiences and supporting those artists as much as we can are a few of the many things that we absolutely love about running a gallery. It can provide so much to so many people.
- Sam Trioli
We love to pump each other up around here, so often times we all start the day with an all caps, "LET'S GO!" We're all about that big positive energy.
A truly great piece of art can change someones life. To be able to contribute to art history in any sort of way is an incredible privilege, and having that opportunity to do so is easy to find passion within.
Each and every day we try to find new ways to improve upon the things we do, I'd like to think that over the years we've been able to create an incredibly efficient system which provides more time and opportunities for our artists, and a wonderful experience for our supporters and clients.

Kent Devereaux - he was one of the most complex thinkers I've ever met and truly taught me the power of communication and the ability that art has to transform a community.
We have a very exciting summer group exhibition that opens in June, and are working on our exhibition calendar for 2021.
It's a marathon not a sprint.
- Sam Trioli
I first learned of the art industry in high school with the help and support of my parents. It was truly amazing, that energy and excitement was invigorating and instantly I was hooked... this world that I had just seen was exactly where I wanted to be.
We're able to completely transform our space with each exhibition. I love it when people come in and say, "the gallery looks so different!" That unique experience that people have truly means a lot to us.
Stefania Bortolami. I think the program that she's built, including Artist/City, the early move to Tribeca and the ambition to do something beyond just selling art proves she's a historical figure in the art world.
We love learning the stories of how collectors got into first buying art. Whether it was from growing up around art, to sharing collecting experiences as a young couple. It means something different to everyone and learning why they're passionate about it truly makes it a special experience for us too.
I think the greatest challenge continues to be overhead expenses for mid level programs.
I think there are a lot of opportunities for galleries to collaborate and logistically work together. By teaming up in these new ways it allows for programs to be more resourceful and not loose control of budgets and expenses.
I think there were be unique opportunities for programs or galleries of all levels. It's hard to really say, but I predict that platforms will be available for people to connect with audiences in ways we've never seen, which could really effect the course of art history, if it hasn't already.
I'd like to think that there would be a remarkable economic impact, that would extend beyond just cities and to people all over the world.
Night Gallery in Los Angeles - such a remarkable program presenting stunning and ambitious exhibitions with a remarkable selection of artists and works.
Launch F18 on Future Fair Online

