MEET THE JURY

Founded in 1793, Bonhams is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art, offering sales at flagship salerooms in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. With expertise in more than 60 categories of collecting, in over 20 countries, Bonhams is the world’s most culturally connected auction house. Mary Manfredi is a Specialist of American Art, based in New York, where she is responsible for sales management and biannual marquee sales for the department. In her current role, Mary has contributed to the successful sale of several notable collections, including Barbara Walters: American Icon Collection that took place in New York. Mary is a native of Monmouth County, New Jersey and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Art History from Rosemont College and earned her Master of Arts in History from Villanova University. Before joining Bonhams, Mary worked in museums, archives and for other international houses.

Founded in 1995, Yancey Richardson represents artists working in photography, film and lens-based media. The gallery is committed to working with museums, private institutions, leading art collectors and other galleries to advance the careers of the artists we represent. Our current program includes emerging photographers as well as critically recognized, mid-career artists such as John Divola, Mitch Epstein, Ori Gersht, Anthony Hernandez, Laura Letinsky, Andrew Moore, Zanele Muholi, Mickalene Thomas and Hellen van Meene. Additionally, the gallery has presented exhibitions of historically significant figures such as Lewis Baltz, William Eggleston, Ed Ruscha, August Sander and Larry Sultan. Gallery artists have been extensively collected and exhibited by museums worldwide including the Getty Museum, Centre George Pompidou, Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Stedelijk Museum, Tate Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Gallery artists have been widely published in artist monographs, prominent art journals and critical texts and reviews of the gallery's exhibitions have appeared in Art News, Art in America, Artforum, Modern Painters, The Nation, New York Times and the New Yorker among many other publications. Yancey Richardson is a member of the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) and the Association of International Photography Art Dealers.

Loni Efron is the founder and director of ilon Art Gallery Collection, she is dedicated to showcasing and uplifting creative voices in all mediums. Her journey began in the early 1990s, when she worked as a black-and-white printer and archivist for Annie Leibovitz. Recognizing a critical need for archival expertise, she founded ilon & Company, Inc., providing specialized services and custom database solutions to top-tier artists and photographers. Her clients include Keith Richards, David LaChapelle, Mark Seliger, Lynn Gilbert, and many more. Loni also works closely with artists and foundations on archiving, technology, and business strategy—helping them monetize and protect their collections. Her archival work has included projects with The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Todd Eberle, Alfred Wertheimer, Richard Gere, Bob Gruen, Joel Meyerowitz, and others, underscoring her deep commitment to preserving photographic legacies. In addition to archival consulting, Loni is an accomplished editor and curator. She has contributed to over 20 books and nearly 100 exhibitions, many of which feature high-profile artists. Her work as photo editor on Keith Richards’ autobiography, Life, earned critical acclaim, and she has contributed to numerous other celebrated publications. Immediately following she edited, Every Night is a Saturday Night for sax man Bobby Keyes. In 2020, she launched a storefront on Artsy to create a truly global platform for accessible art. The NFT Shop followed in 2021, along with ilon.com, which was first launched in 1999. A proud member of Harlem Arts Stroll since its inception after the COVID pandemic, APAG since 2005, and ASPP throughout this century. She is a founding member of Harlem Park to Park and Harlem Days Harlem Nights. Loni Efron raised her family in Harlem and is deeply committed to strengthening her community and enriching Harlem’s cultural landscape

As Senior Photo Editor for Nature Conservancy he has produced over 30 feature stories for their flagship publication Nature Conservancy Magazine. In this role he has also produced award-winning short film documentaries. Alex also serves as Communications Director for The Photo Society, a collective of over 200 National Geographic photographers who are dedicated to supporting our member's work and upholding the high ethical standards of documentary photography and photojournalism. Alex manages the groups online community of over 5 million and hosts the monthly talk The Photo Society Presents which is free and open to the public. Prior to his current roles, Alex was the photographer at Peace Corps where he travelled to 15 countries documenting the volunteer experience. His images were also lead in First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let Girls Learn" initiative. In 2025 he was named Photo Editor of the Year National and Second Place International by the National Press Photographer’s Association’s BOP awards.

Fenimore Art Museum is a museum of American art. It is named for the property on which it stands, land once owned by the novelist James Fenimore Cooper. The Museum occupies a 1933 mansion built by Edward Severin Clark, an heir to the Singer Manufacturing Company fortune. Following his death the building was given to the Museum by his brother, philanthropist and art collector Stephen Carlton Clark who also gave much of the fine art and folk art collections. Its fine art collection illustrates everyday life in early America and chronicles the development of the young nation. The photography collection illustrates the entire history of photography in the United States from early daguerreotypes to contemporary photographers. The Cooper family collection shows the unique qualities of Cooperstown and Otsego Lake as seen in the writings of America's first novelist, James Fenimore Cooper. The American Indian Art collection shows the masterful artistry of Native peoples from across North America from prehistory to the present. Special exhibitions and programs held regularly at the museum introduce visitors to a wide range of artworks and stories from our own as well as other museums and collections. Fenimore Art Museum, and the stories it tells, aspires to provide an engaging experience leading to a renewed or enhanced appreciation of American art, history and culture and the many and varied people who comprise the American story.

Alicia Eler covers visual art in and around the Twin Cities. Her work has appeared in many publications including Glamour, Guardian, CNN, Hyperallergic, Artforum, Art21 Magazine, New York Magazine and LA Weekly. Award-winning journalist, editor and author with over 15 years of experience across digital and print media. Born and raised in Chicago, cut her teeth as an arts and culture journalist in the Windy City. Adept at leading editorial teams, launching original columns and shaping narratives. Deeply committed to ethical non-biased journalism, inclusive storytelling and mentoring the next generation of reporters.

Jorge Calderón is Creative Director at Calde63 Inc. in Miami. After obtaining his Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute in New York, Calderón has continued nurturing his different voices as an art director and advertising creative for the last 30 years. His keen instinct allows him to frame everyday experiences in intriguing ways making revelations that would have gone unnoticed. Previously Senior Art Director at Y&R, a leading global marketing communications company with more than 189 offices in 90+ countries and a member of WPP, the world’s largest communications services group.