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Guest Work Agency

Art law and advisory firm. Curatorial practice. Founder of the Guest Club. We produce innovative art solutions using legal and curatorial expertise.

04/06/2026

✨The Interview ✨

For this edition of The Interview, we turn the spotlight inward, to one of our own, Lawyer Sarah Wei

Sarah recently joined Aurelian after completing her Juris Doctor at Monash University and being admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria. Bringing together legal training, international arts experience and a thoughtful practice as a writer on art and culture, Sarah’s perspective reflects the intersection at the heart of Aurelian’s work: art, creativity, luxury and the law.

🔗Read the full conversation via the link in our bio.

📷Portrait of Sarah Wei. Courtesy of Sarah Wei

28/05/2026

The Q1 2026 results from , and offer a useful signal for the art market: confidence, mobility and geopolitical stability still matter deeply when it comes to high-value discretionary spending.

In our latest story, we consider what the luxury sector’s recent results reveal about the conditions shaping the art market, from disrupted travel and regional demand, to the legal and regulatory questions that follow private, cross-border transactions.

For collectors, advisers, dealers and institutions, the issues are familiar: who are the parties, where is the money coming from, are sanctions engaged, and how will the asset be owned, insured, transported and eventually transferred?

The luxury sector and the art market may operate differently. But they are increasingly shaped by the same global pressures.

📝 Read the full story via the link in bio.

Cover image courtesy of Abstracts photo via Unsplash

26/05/2026

Aurelian Lawyers & Advisers is pleased to share that our Principal & Founder, Alana Kushnir, will be speaking at Zurich Art Weekend 2026 as part of a panel presented by Switzerland.

Taking place on 13 June at the Landesmuseum Zürich, the discussion - Art Markets and the World in Transition: Frameworks Shaping Global Collecting - will consider how geopolitical uncertainty, shifting tax and tariff settings, and changing collector priorities are reshaping the global art market.

Alana will join Will Korner , Head of Fairs , Thomas Stauffer , Ge**er & Stauffer Fine Arts and President of the Swiss Art Trading Association and Irina Tarsis Founder and Director for a timely conversation on how collectors, advisers, lawyers and art market participants are navigating this evolving landscape.

For those in Zurich during Art Weekend, registration is available via the link in bio.

21/05/2026

The Federal Budget is not just about income tax and housing.

For collectors and advisers, it may change how art, jewellery, classic cars, watches and other passion assets are documented, held, valued and eventually transferred.

From proposed CGT reform and trust taxation, to giving fund changes and cultural infrastructure funding, the Budget signals a broader shift in how private wealth is treated in Australia.

For art and luxury asset owners, the message is clear: documentation, valuation discipline and the right holding structure matter more than ever.

We unpack what the Budget may mean for collectors, investors, family offices and those planning a cultural or philanthropic legacy.

➡️ Read the full Aurelian Federal Budget update via the link in bio.

Image courtesy of Caleb via Unsplash.

19/05/2026

🖼️ Buying art internationally can look deceptively simple: an invoice is issued, payment is made, the artwork is shipped.

In reality, cross-border acquisitions involve a much more complex set of legal and practical questions.

Swipe through to learn more.

This post is general information only and is not legal advice. For advice on a specific international acquisition, get in touch with us [email protected]. 📬

14/05/2026

✨The Gilded Gazette: Q2 2026 edition coming soon ✨

Aurelian’s guide to informed analysis and market intelligence across the cultural and luxury sectors, created for collectors, creatives and strategic advisers.

Our Q2 2026 edition lands next Friday, featuring:

📚Inside Aurelian — recent projects, publications and talks across art, luxury and cultural advisory.

📚Federal Budget Report — a high-level briefing on key measures relevant to artists, collectors and advisers.

📚New Article — Reading the Art Market Through Luxury, on what Q1 2026 earnings from LVMH, Kering and Hermès reveal for the art market.

📚Art Case Update — recent developments in art law, moral rights, trade marks, restitution and tariffs across Australia, Europe, the UK and the U.S.

📩Subscribe via the link in bio to receive The Gilded Gazette directly to your inbox.

05/05/2026

📣 We’re delighted to share that Aurelian Principal & Founder Alana Kushnir will be a guest speaker at Art & Law 2026, presented by the Law Faculty at the University of Basel in partnership with the Art Law Foundation. Taking place during Art Basel at the Congress Center Basel, the conference brings together leading voices in art, law and the global art market.

Alana will present on “Aboriginal Art in a Global Market: Legal and Ethical Issues”, examining the legal, ethical and cultural complexities that arise as the market for Aboriginal art continues to expand internationally.

The Art & Law 2026 program is available via the link in our bio.

28/04/2026

In Greason v Nahmad (2026), the New York Supreme Court ordered the return of ‘Seated Man with a Cane’ by Amedeo Modigliani to the heirs of French Jewish art dealer Oscar Stettiner.

Swipe through for the case summary.

Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter, The Gilded Gazzette, for more international Art Case Updates via the link in bio.

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Disclaimer: This is general information only and not legal advice. Every situation is different, so it’s important to obtain advice from a lawyer suited to your circumstances.

21/04/2026

From copyright in commissioned works to restitution risks and cross-border heritage laws, collections today require the same structuring as any other major asset class.

Add to that the rise of philanthropic vehicles — foundations, donations, museum partnerships — and the humble art collection becomes something else entirely: a legal, cultural, and legacy strategy.

Art isn’t just held. It’s governed. Founder and Principal, , writes about the rise of the family office art collector in the April Issue of The International Family Offices Journal.

Read more via the link in bio.

16/04/2026

The phrase ‘art is duty-free in the US’ is no longer a safe one-liner.

While original works of art and many antiques under HTS Chapter 97 often still have a zero ordinary customs duty rate, separate temporary US import surcharges introduced in February 2026 currently apply to most imports, unless an exemption applies.

It is also important not to treat “art”, “design” and “collectibles” as one category for customs purposes. Chapter 97 excludes mass-produced reproductions and works of conventional craftsmanship, so many decorative arts, furniture, watches, jewellery and collectible design objects may sit outside it entirely and face import duties of 30–50%.

For collectors, dealers, and advisers, US tariff changes are a reminder that cross-border acquisitions are shaped not only by taste but by classification, origin, timing, and the way an object enters a country.

If you are operating internationally in art and luxury assets, tariff exposure should now be part of your diligence.

👇Reach out or DM us to start the conversation

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