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Curator & Gallery Director Jerico Tracy On Being Moved By Art & Investing In Classic Fashion
30/08/24
Author: Ingrid Kesa
DOCUMENTED BY: DANIEL HANSLOW
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Jerico Tracy is a Sydney-based art consultant and the gallery director of Jerico Contemporary.
Jerico Tracy is a Sydney-based art consultant and the gallery director of Jerico Contemporary.
Having always felt a pull towards art history and how it has inextricably shaped culture throughout time, she knew very early on that she wanted to work in the art world. After finding her feet in the industry for a decade, she opened her own gallery and consultancy at the age of just 28. Flash forward to now, six years on, and Jerico has established herself as an integral voice in Australia’s art scene.
“I knew early on that I wanted to be an art curator, long before I even knew what it was called. I remember being at Musée de la Mode et du Textile, in the Louvre, and asking my mum who got to decide what went in the room and where it went – because I wanted that job,” she recalls. This childhood curiosity led Jerico to study art history and arts at the University of New South Wales, followed by a Masters in Art Curatorship at the University of Sydney.
The first time she was profoundly moved by art was after seeing Raphael’s works in the flesh.
“I was probably 14 years old and we were in Rome visiting all the galleries and museums, and I remember being completely overwhelmed by the beauty and intricacy of his work,” she says.
The concept for Jerico Contemporary launched in 2016. Rather than having a fixed address, the gallery’s location changed depending on the work that was being exhibited. After gaining notoriety in Sydney’s art circles, it soon became apparent that Jerico needed to find a more permanent place to showcase her artists’ work. In 2018, she opened a gallery in Woolloomooloo, where she remained for six years up until very recently while she finds a new home for the gallery.
Alongside running her own gallery, Jerico works as an art consultant, acquiring art for private collections and commercial properties. One Australian artist currently on her radar is Janet Laurence, whose body of work exists at the nexus of creativity and sustainability. “She’s an incredible artist who has been working within the realm of environmental concerns for decades. Her practice examines our physical, cultural and conflicting relationship to the natural world. She creates immersive environments that navigate the interconnections between organic elements and systems of nature,” explains Jerico.
For Jerico, there are multiple crossovers between the disciplines of art and fashion. Describing her style as quite minimalist with touches of the romantic, she gravitates towards classic pieces that will stand the test of time and can be worn regularly as part of a capsule wardrobe.
“I have quite a minimal palette so tonally most of my pieces go together, which is helpful getting out the door in the morning. The longevity of a piece is integral, so it’s important to consider the quality of the materials a garment is made from. My mother instilled the importance of fabrication to me from a young age, so I have always looked at the materiality of an item first. It’s about being conscious about what you are buying.”
This focus on natural fibres and craftsmanship over trends means that many of the pieces in Jerico’s wardrobe were purchased new but could now be considered vintage. She cites some of her most-loved items: a pair of navy tweed Chanel pumps bought from an auction house just after her daughter was born; a Christopher Esber silk tee dress that she’s worn weekly since purchasing in 2018 hours before her first-ever gallery opening; a classic camilla and marc trench coat that she dry cleans at the start of each season; and a pair of Ksubi jeans she’s owned since her late teens that are perfectly comfortable and irreplaceable.
Living in South Cronulla with her husband and two young children, Anouk and Émile, Jerico says since becoming a mother her personal style has remained true to how she has always dressed. “Though, I have purchased a few pairs of nice shorts for the park. Chasing toddlers around in a silk slip doesn’t always work out well.”
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Documented By: Daniel Hanslow for RIISE
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