Bio

Kelly Sidley is Head of the Photographs Department at Bonhams New York, where she oversees a diverse schedule of auctions and advises institutions, private collectors, and estates on executing their individual goals, ranging from thoughtful collection growth to strategic deaccessioning. Before joining Bonhams in 2022, Kelly served as Specialist and Head of Sale in the Photographs Department at Sotheby’s, where she managed New York–based auctions and completed appraisals for insurance, fair market value, and estate purposes. From 2006 to 2019, Kelly held curatorial and educational positions at The Museum of Modern Art. During this time, she assisted with numerous exhibitions—including Aernout Mik (2009), Inbox: Hans-Peter Feldmann (2017), and Louise Lawler: WHY PICTURES NOW (2017)—and contributed to a wide range of publications focused on MoMA’s collection and special exhibitions. She has written and lectured extensively on modern and contemporary art and has served on photography juries and review panels. Her professional network spans the museum, gallery, academic, and auction worlds. Kelly received both her M.A. and Ph.D. in the History of Modern and Contemporary Art from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, where her dissertation focused on Andy Warhol’s 1960s self-portraiture. She earned a B.A. in Art History and English Literature from Dartmouth College. She is an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America and a member of ArtTable.