Charter broker, Burgess Yachts

Date interviewed: April 2013

You’re the first charter broker I’ve ever met who has a former career as an art critic.

Yes, I worked in a gallery of contemporary art in Moscow. My specialty is Impressionist art. I studied at the Moscow state university as well as at UCLA in California.

How did you get from that line of work to being a charter broker?

After I worked in the art gallery, I helped to run a boat show in Moscow. I learned about the industry there and then joined the Moscow office of Burgess Yachts.

Does your background as an art critic help you to see charter yachts differently than other brokers do?

I do notice the artwork more, I think. I do like all kinds of art. I cannot look at a piece and say, ‘This is good or bad,’ but I can say, ‘This piece is good here, in this place on this boat.’ That is how I like to view the pieces.

Are there any charter yachts at this week’s boat show here in Genoa, Italy, that stand out to you in terms of artwork?

I liked the 52-meter Marjorie Morningstar. That boat has a lot of Impressionist art, nice pieces, all in one style, all by the same artist. They are hung like they are in a gallery. It is very nicely done.

Also, I liked the 59-meter Meamina. The owner’s daughter did some of the paintings, and I think they really suit the boat. They look very good where they are hanging.

When I think of yachts that stand out as artistic, the Hakvoort Snowbird and the Heesen Aurelia come to mind.

Ah, Aurelia, yes—I was asked to make a list of paintings for the owner’s representative. They wanted to know about art that would be okay for their racecar theme.

So your expertise is already common knowledge in the charter industry?

Well, I would say that I was happy to help. I do not know if they took anything from my list, but it was interesting to think about the boat in that way.

CharterWave readers can contact Darya through the Burgess Yachts website.