Female Voice in Art: Sophie Camu Lindsay, Art Advisor

Sophie Camu Lindsay (b. 1976, London UK) is an art adviser and dealer in fine art and photography. After graduating with a Masters in Art History from the University of Edinburgh, Sophie spent ten years at Sotheby’s in the Impressionist & Modern Art department in London, Paris and New York, working her way up to Director and Head of Day Sales. In 2010 she set up Camu Art Ltd art advisory to work with private clients looking to acquire or sell Impressionist, Modern & Contemporary Art. In tandem she co-curated two exhibitions with Stephen Ongpin Fine Art : ‘The Art of Pastel’ and ‘Artist’s Sketchbooks & Sketchbook Pages’. In 2012 she was invited as guest curator on the first ever auction of European Impressionist and Modern Art held in India, by SaffronArt. Sophie has guest lectured on the art market at Leeds and St Andrews Universities, UK, and at the Banque Degroof in Belgium. In 2022 Sophie and her husband Alexander Lindsay set up ‘Space to Breathe’ art exhibitions and events, held each summer in Fife, Scotland. They have held themed selling exhibitions of international Contemporary art and Photography, including work by Andy Goldsworthy, Susan Derges, Harry Cory Wright, Sheila Girling and Anthony Caro, among others.

Could you tell us something about your role in the art world? 

My main objective through my work has always been to make art enjoyable, inspiring and accessible, and to inspire others to fall in love with art. 

What did you enjoy about being a part of this project? 

I enjoyed the spontaneity and trust that Carla infused in our photography session. I arrived entirely unprepared and she put me at ease and made it an enjoyable experience.
 
Do you have a favourite artist? 

This is impossible to answer! I have so many favourites and they all inspire me in different ways: evoking memories, changing my mood or stopping me in my tracks. Favourite artists and artworks are the ones that never cease to surprise me. 

What is your earliest memory involving art? 

Both sides of my family have a passion for art, so I was lucky enough to be surrounded by art and great art world characters since childhood. My earliest memory is making a camp behind a huge painting by Bram Bogart in my grandmother’s house in Belgium. I loved the texture and weight of the painting, and the vibrancy of the huge strokes of colourful mortar. It became my regular hiding spot, where nobody thought to look for me. 

Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world? 

When I think of the successful and inspiring women I know in this field (on an equal footing, and maybe numbering more than men), I believe that the art world should be an inspiration and an example to other professions.
 
What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it? 

I’m wearing an embroidered jacket I found at the Biscuit Mill in Cape Town, South Africa. The city has become a second home to my family and I. It is a melting pot of ideas and cultures and feels alive with inspiration and possibilities. I am fascinated by what artists are creating there and I plan to explore further.

What are you currently working on? 

I have invited Studies in Photography to collaborate with us on this years Space to Breathe exhibition, that will draw connections between great early Scottish photography and contemporary Scottish photographers. I’m also advising a family office in the creation of a wonderful collection of art and photography by contemporary Scottish artists.
 
Could you mention a project, an institution that, or a person who has been important or inspiring for your career and why? 

Melanie Clore, the head of the Impressionist and Modern art department when I worked at Sotheby’s, showed me that a quick business mind, great managerial skills and a way of inspiring clients and colleagues can be the magic combination for success in the (commercial) art world. I don’t think that being a woman held her back at all, but she might have had to work twice as hard to get there.