Rectangle brings fine art to a new generation of collectors

Over the past two years, Rectangle has been collaborating with informal member and industrial designer Tadhg Duffy, along with other folks from the collective including informal cofounder and product design engineer Sam Holland, to design and iterate upon their sleek, patented digital art placard that sits beside select artworks and adapts in real time.

On September 10, the patented art discovery platform will be making its public preview at Bibliotheque in Soho, NYC. We were excited to sit down with Rectangle cofounders Michael Rose and Keith Schweitzer, to hear more about their recent developments.

“Rectangle is a collaborative art lab reimagining how the public meets, engages with, and starts collecting art. At our core is a simple but powerful idea: What if we could make fine art as visible, exciting, and culturally relevant as the experiences and objects today’s generations already covet — limited sneakers, design collaborations, or special releases,” shared Rose, Rectangle’s CEO. “The next generation of art buyers are spending in adjacent luxury sectors, but not on original art. Rectangle makes fine art part of that same cultural current — experiential, scarce, and collectible.”

The company’s first product, the Rectangle, brings this idea to life. It’s a patented digital art placard that sits seamlessly beside select works of art. Unlike static wall labels, each Rectangle updates in real time, using subtle light, color, and motion to quietly signal that a piece is special and worth engaging with. A visitor can scan a custom QR code (and later, the Rectangle itself using NFC) designed to echo the artwork itself, instantly accessing details about the artist, availability, pricing, limited-edition prints, and the opportunity to purchase on the spot.  

Rectangle partners with art dealers, advisors, design consultants, and hospitality groups to power exhibitions in specific venues — helping increase visibility, engage guests, drive foot traffic, and spark collecting from new audiences. Rectangles can be fully white-labeled, allowing partners to extend their brand and connect with collectors in the cultural spaces where people are primed for discovery.

“With galleries closing in record numbers, artists need a new way to get their work out of their studios, and galleries need new ways to actively show more of their artists’ work and attract new collectors,” added Schweitzer, Rectangle’s President. “Rectangle builds on the social ways art is already exchanged — over wine, at dinners, in cultural spaces — and makes those exchanges more natural and powerful.”

“The Rectangles are sleek, eye-catching, and extremely well-designed. They enhanced our burgeoning art program in a measurable way, attracting new guests and encouraging the sorts of cultural conversations we want to foster in our space,” said A.J. Jacono, owner of Bibliotheque. “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Rectangle as we showcase local New York City artists whom we’re confident our guests will love.” 

“Rectangle is the quintessential rabbit hole for engaging with art,” said Marc Dennis, renowned artist and Rectangle’s Senior Art Partner. “It’s a catalyst for those magical, unexpected moments — the ones that spark curiosity, ignite passion, and draw people into the art world.”

September showcase: A new vision for art engagement

To preview what’s possible, anyone in NYC should go check out Rectangle’s showcase this September at Bibliotheque in Soho, NYC. Featuring original works, live programming, and limited-editions by acclaimed painter Jaxon Northon, the event offers a hands-on glimpse at how Rectangle can transform social spaces into cultural destinations and engage the public with art.  The opening reception takes place at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10.

Reaching the next generation of collectors

Rectangle launches at a pivotal moment for the art world, which faces urgent pressure to engage younger, more diverse audiences. While online platforms offer reach, collectors are four times more likely to purchase art they’ve experienced in person. Rectangle bridges this gap — combining physical presence with digital storytelling to make collecting intuitive, social and immediate.

Looking ahead

At Rectangle, our mission is simple: to make art visible, exciting, and collectible in daily life. With the help of informal, we’ve taken that mission from concept to patented product — and now, to public preview.

The Rectangle isn’t just a placard, it’s an invitation — to see, to talk, to collect, and to bring artists back to the center of cultural life.

Rectangle’s vision extends beyond art to spotlight other items in hospitality environments — from furnishings and lighting to merchandise and rewards program perks. Visit: Rectangle.art for more information.

informal is a freelance collective for the most talented independent professionals in hardware and hardtech. Whether you’re looking for a single contractor, a full-time employee, or an entire team of professionals to work on everything from product development to go-to-market, informal has the perfect collection of people for the job.