About
AGOPIAN art advisory
AGOPIAN art advisory is a bespoke art advisory firm that helps seasoned and new collectors build art collections of Post-War and Contemporary Art. We provide tailored services to our private, corporate, estate and nonprofit clients worldwide, offering sophisticated market insight and comprehensive expertise in art acquisitions, sales, and collection development all from an independent perspective.
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Leveraging the founder's 25+ years of industry expertise, we offer our clients access to top-tier artworks and provide expert services in building their collections, appraisals, and estate planning. We pride ourselves on delivering personalized experiences with strategic precision, seamless execution and the utmost discretion.
Expertise
Aileen Agopian
Founder and Principal
Aileen Agopian, founder and principal of AGOPIAN art advisory, has over 25 years of experience at the pinnacle of the fine art market, establishing herself as a prominent figure in the world of Contemporary Art. She is an executive member of the Association of Professional Art Advisors (APAA) and a Certified Member, AAA in Postwar, Contemporary And Emerging Art of the Appraisers Association of America.
Before founding her art advisory firm in 2016, Aileen enjoyed a distinguished career at Sotheby’s, where she served as International Senior Vice President and Specialist of Contemporary Art in New York, and co-headed Contemporary Sales in Doha, Qatar. A key highlight of her tenure at Sotheby’s was facilitating the acquisition of Andy Warhol’s Liz #3 (1963) for $32 million in November 2014. This transaction played a pivotal role in the subsequent donation of 42 contemporary artworks from the Edlis Neeson Collection, valued at the time at $500 million, to the Art Institute of Chicago—the largest gift in the institution’s history. Prior to Sotheby’s, Aileen served as the Director of Contemporary Art Auctions at Phillips in New York for 10 years, and earlier in her career, she was Sales Director at White Cube Gallery in London, working closely with renowned artists such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.​​​
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A highly regarded auctioneer, Aileen has conducted auctions for both Sotheby’s and Phillips, and continues to lead charity auctions worldwide. She is a frequent participant in panel discussions and lectures on the global art market, at the Graduate Center, CUNY, and most recently at Art Law Day in November 2025, on the Ethics of Art Advising.
In addition to her professional work, Aileen has served as an art advisory board member for the Coalition for the Homeless since 2010. In 2024, she was honored by the organization as the Philanthropic Honoree in recognition of her 15 years of dedication to its programs, her extensive fundraising efforts, and her auctioneering for ARTWALK, the Coalition’s annual benefit. She is also a member of the Director’s Council of the Public Art Fund, New York, and has served on the board of The Feminist Institute, an online archive dedicated to feminist scholarship, since 2016.
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Aileen holds a B.A. in Art History and French Literature from Tufts University, where she graduated cum laude, and a Master’s degree with Honors in Post-War and Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute, London.
Audrey O'Shaughnessy
Art Advisory Associate
Audrey is an Associate at AGOPIAN art advisory, where she works alongside founder Aileen Agopian to advise clients across the contemporary art market.
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She began her career within Tribeca’s emerging gallery scene before joining Miles McEnery Gallery as Gallery and Press Associate. There, she developed expertise in artist relations, exhibition programming, press strategy, and client engagement, working closely with artists, collectors, and institutions. During her tenure, she supported the gallery’s partnership with Studio in a School, a New York City nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to arts education in public schools.
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Audrey holds a B.A. in Art History and American Studies from the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated with honors. She is an active member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Apollo Circle and a committed supporter of Studio in a School.
