Interviews

Claudia Albertini was born in Como, Italy in 1978. With a Degree in East Asian Studies from the University Ca’ Foscari in Venice, and an MA in Chinese Advance Studies, from Sheffield University, UK, Claudia lives in Asia since 2005, in Beijing first, and from 2012 in Hong Kong. In 2008 Claudia published a book on Chinese contemporary artists Avatars and antiheroes. A guide to Chinese contemporary art. Her pivotal role in the local artistic scene and her ties with Chinese and Hong Kong artists, have both contributed in creating a bridge between East and West for which she achieved recognition.
Currently she is Senior Director at MASSIMODECARLO, she joined the company in 2016 when the Hong Kong outpost inaugurated. Claudia sits on the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association board member as Treasurer and is a Founding Patron of M+ Museum.

Katie de Tilly arrived in Hong Kong in 1994 when Chinese and Asian contemporary art was yet to come into international focus. She founded 10 Chancery Lane Gallery in 2001, expanding it in 2006 and 2008 with warehouse project spaces in Chai Wan. She contributed a monthly column called Artspy for Baccarat Magazine from 2007-2015. She spearheaded the Chai Wan art and design community and Co-Organized Chai Wan Mei, a yearly art and design festival 2013-2015. She has been on the board of the Tate Modern Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee (APAC), as well as the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) of RMIT University School of Art /Hong Kong Art School. She was a founding member and Co-President of the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA). She is a Founding Patron of the M+ Patrons. And she is heading the HK Artists Residency Abroad Funding Scheme. She is on the working group of Art Power HK. Katie was awarded “Master of The Arts” in 2019 by the Women of Influence committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Based in Hong Kong, Wendy Xu joined White Cube in 2017 and has been instrumental in managing the regional operations and driving the business development for the gallery across Asia, which now has representation in key markets including China and Korea, alongside overseeing the day-to-day operations of the gallery in Hong Kong. Wendy joined White Cube from Christie’s where she served as Associate Vice President, Director of Operations, China for four years and gained a deep understanding on the secondary market. She oversaw Christie’s first auction in China in 2013 – the first for any international auction house, and managed the organisation's operations for both Shanghai and Beijing offices. Wendy started her career in the hospitality sector working for international hotel brands including Hyatt International and Jumeirah Group. A native Shanghainese, she studied Fashion Design at Lasalle International Design College and then later went on to complete an MBA at the Macau University of Science & Technology.

To coincide with ARCO Lisboa 2022, we met with Luís Silva of the Portuguese curatorial duo with João Mourão, the curators behind this years’ Portugal Pavilion in Venice. Luís is also director of the art space Kunsthalle Lissabon and a true Lisbonite! We had a chat to him about the show in Venice, the city's changing art scene and social landscape, and we picked his brains for some insider tips to navigate the art world in Lisbon and the city itself!

September 2021 saw the launch of "Vetrina", a cycle of contemporary art exhibitions hosted by Vino Vero Venezia in collaboration with Lightbox and curated by Mara Sartore. The curator interviewed the third guest artist Matilde Sambo to talk about her artistic practice, with which the artist explores the complicated relationship between the natural world and the human being, and about the site-specific work presented at "Vetrina", called "Subtle Instability".

Federica Patti is an independent curator, lecturer and art critic. Her research focuses on contemporary art movements, with a particular interest in live media, liminal practices, digital humanities, music and science. Thanks to the support of the Italian Council IX, she is investigating “On Posthuman Performativity. For a trans-disciplinary definition of live media performance” with a distinct focus on the performing arts in the Metaverse. She actively collaborates with several institutions, galleries and festivals on the presentation and development of her research topics by curating exhibitions, and screening, talks and workshops.

Serena Tabacchi is the Director and co-founder of the MoCDA, Museum of Digital Contemporary Art founded in London in 2019. She has worked at TATE Modern and Britain in London, specialising in art and technology and actively supporting Italian and international artists. She is an expert in NFT technology and has collaborated with Cambi, the Italian auction house, curating their first digital art sale.

Chief curator at MAMBO in Bogotà, Eugenio Viola began working with Tosatti in 2016, hosting his first solo show at MADRE in Naples, where he was curator, and they have continued to work together. Waiting for the opening of the 59th Venice Biennale, in this interview Eugenio Viola talks with Gian Maria Tosatti about the project presented at the Italian Pavilion, History of the Night and Destiny of Comets, an immersive path to confront contemporary lacerations and contradictions, and in particular the correlation between pandemics and progress.

Lupo Borgonovo is an artist that develop drawings and sculptures in the studio, while in the evening, he works as a delivery rider around the city. He teaches at the European Institute of Design, leading a design course linked to improvisation, lateral thinking and the discovery of the city of Milan. He talked to My Art Guides about his best tips on how to spend time in Milan between art and leisure.

Elisabetta Roncati is an art consultant specialised in contemporary African art and Islamic culture. However she is better known as the founder of Art Nomade Milan, and an influencer really loved by the youngest generation. She talked to My Art Guides about her best tips on how to spend time in Milan between art and leisure.

Luca Panaro is an art curator and professor. He keeps a close eye on the latest artistic research and, at the same time, works with well-known artists. He talked to My Art Guides about his best tips on how to spend time in Milan between art and leisure.

Edoardo Monti is the founder of Palazzo Monti, he defines himself as a cultural agitator or rather, an art cowboy. He spoke to My Art Guides about his best tips on how to spend time in Milan between art and leisure.

Valentino Catricalà in conversation with Mara Sartore about the new opening of SODA and MODAL: a real new dynamic project, unique compared to the main institutions in the world of art and education. SODA is a school for the younger generations, but also an art centre for major international exhibitions, and MODAL is the gallery linked to the art projects. Two projects in a single space to meet the challenge of the future.

Nada Raza is the Director of Alserkal Arts Foundation and as a member of our 2022 Editorial Committee, she spoke to My Art Guides about her top recommendations on spending time in Dubai and why the city is special for her.

Cima Azzam is the curator of Maraya Arts Centre, Sharjah. As a member of the 2022 Editorial Committee, she talks to My Art Guides about the Emirate of Sharjah.

Maya Allison moved to the United Arab Emirates from the US in 2012 to establish the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, where she holds the post of Executive Director and Chief Curator. She is the curator of the UAE Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale and lives in Abu Dhabi. As a member of our Editorial Committee, we asked her some questions about living and working in Abu Dhabi.

In September 2021 "Vetrina" was launched, a cycle of contemporary art exhibitions hosted by Vino Vero Venezia in collaboration with Lightbox and curated by Mara Sartore.
The curator interviewed the second guest artist Elham M. Aghili to chat about her artistic practice and her amazing site-specific work "Hybrids" created specifically for the Wine Club's showcase.

The National Pavilion UAE for the 59th Venice Biennale presents Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim: Between Sunrise and Sunset, an installation of human-sized, abstract, and organic sculptural forms inspired by the environment of Khor Fakkan, Ibrahim’s hometown in the Al Hajar Mountains on the east coast of Sharjah. Ibrahim chose Maya Allison, Chief Curator and Executive Director of NYU Abu Dhabi as the curator of the pavilion. In September 2020 Ibrahim opened a solo exhibition Memory Drum at Lawrie Shabibi, Dubai and had a conversation with Maya Allison about his practice. The 59th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2022 will open to the public between 23 April - 27 November 2022.

Ahead of the opening of the Venice Biennale, cultural consultant and author András Szántó spoke with the curator Cecilia Alemani, on Zoom, about the ideas and process behind the exhibition and how it relates to our moment.

For his first exhibition in a UK institution, Creuzet has filled the upstairs gallery in Camden Arts Centre with a dense installation incorporating music, video, poetry and sculpture. Creuzet’s distinctive sculptural language often repurposes found materials; relics of detritus washed ashore by oceans or the unrelenting progress of history.