(Photo: Venturelli/WireImage)

Profession:
Art curator and dealer.

Project:
Show of painter Nicolas Pol at the unused part of the Essex Street Market, opening November 10.

Son of:
Paris Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld.

Why that doesn’t matter:
“This is not an industry that she knows,” he says. “This is not something she’s ever been part of. She’s actually started looking at art more now because I’ve been doing this.”

CV:
Moved to New York at 17 to study English and prep for college, and ended up at the University of Southern California. Worked briefly in the movie business before deciding to go into art. His first New York show, in February, was sponsored by Louis Vuitton; his second, in September, by Giorgio Armani.

Curatorial philosophy:
“When I look at a piece, the way I judge it is, do I want to have this work for myself? I don’t try to get too far into, what would everybody think about it? I try to really understand what my sensibility and what my eye is telling me.” Beyond that, he’ll look to his mentors for advice: the artist Tom Sachs, and his godfather, Mario Testino.

His circle:
Mary-Kate Olsen, and wealthy scions Stavros Niarchos and Andy Valmorbida; ex-girlfriend is Lily Donaldson.

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Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer”
• Articles by Erica Orden
• Table of Contents: Nov 16, 2009 issue of New York | Subscribe!