Julia Jo: Building Conviction Before the Market

Julia Jo

Collector in Shanghai, China

Year Acquired: September 2024

Advised on the acquisition of Julia Jo prior to broader institutional recognition and market momentum.

Comparable auction results for Julia Jo exceeded 10× the original acquisition price within 18 months.

Comparable auction result shown below.

Why I Recommended Julia Jo Before Her Breakout

I first came across Julia Jo's work around 2021 at one of New York's smaller art fairs. While I can't remember exactly which fair it was, I remember stopping at her booth immediately. Her paintings felt like Abstract Expressionism through a distinctly younger, contemporary lens. The work was still developing, but there was something unmistakably compelling about it. She quickly became an artist I continued to follow.

Over the next few years, I watched her career closely as she exhibited internationally and built momentum through Charles Moffett Gallery. With each exhibition, my conviction grew.

During that time, I introduced her work to several collectors. Many loved the paintings but hesitated. She was still young, the market was largely untested, and making that decision required trust before there was broad market validation.

In 2024, one of my collectors decided to move forward based on my recommendation. About eighteen months later, one of Julia Jo's paintings achieved an auction result of roughly ten times its original primary market price. Outcomes like this are exceptionally rare, and no advisor can promise investment returns, but they illustrate the value of recognizing an opportunity before it becomes obvious.

When I returned to her sold-out solo exhibition in 2026 with another collector, the market looked completely different. Prices had risen, demand had surged, and the opportunity that once required conviction had become consensus.

For me, this is what art advising is about. It's not about predicting the future or chasing trends. It's about spending years following artists, understanding their trajectory, and helping collectors make informed decisions before everyone else is paying attention.