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AZ: How did you get into the art business? What were you doing before this?<\/strong><\/p>\n AO:\u00a0<\/strong>I have been a serial entrepreneur all my life. Born and raised in Philadelphia, my first business was in 1986. I sold a \u201ccollection\u201d of \u201ccrystal\u201d rocks that I borrowed\/stole from the local electricity plant. Each one sold; a major milestone for a six-year-old. With regard to art and culture, I started in 2002 as the publisher of <\/span>b.informed<\/span><\/i><\/a> magazine, which covered art, culture, music, fashion, etc. I was 22, and a recent college dropout making a living as break-dancer. I did not officially come into the art business until August 2005, which is when I co-founded <\/span>Humble Arts Foundation<\/span><\/a>. Next March we\u2019ll celebrate our twelfth year of supporting and promoting new art photography.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: What is the most exciting aspect of your job?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n AO:<\/strong> I have been in service of artists, art businesses, and institutions since 2002, and it\u2019s the service part that is the most rewarding. I have worked as an <\/span>arts writer, independent curator, gallery director, and currently am\u00a0the founder of <\/span>Olu & Company<\/span><\/a>. We are a marketing, public relations and business consulting firm for the arts and beyond. I am most excited when my friends, colleagues, and clients realize their dreams, be their best selves and, hopefully, make some money. After taking a four-year hiatus, I will curate my first exhibition of new paintings by artist Jeff Cylkowski at Storefront Ten Eyck during Bushwick Open Studios, which takes\u00a0place this October 1 and 2 from 11am to 7pm.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Advice for young people starting out in the art world?<\/strong><\/p>\n AO:<\/strong> Maintain a sense of humor (we\u2019re not saving any lives by being in the art world), adhere to the Golden Rule, and get everything in writing.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Most memorable art moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n AO:<\/strong> I am a black man from the mean streets of Philly who made it in the art world. Every moment is memorable.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a02.<\/strong> Mark Dorf,<\/a> 27,<\/strong>\u00a0Artist<\/strong><\/p>\n AZ: If you weren’t an artist, what would you be?<\/strong><\/p>\n MD:\u00a0<\/strong>As anyone does, I daydream about other professions and wonder what it would be like to have a life in astronomy or physics. But those generally remain dreams as one of the greatest parts of working in a creative mode is that I am able to interact with all kinds of people that work in a wide variety of fields. I get to taste different flavors from many different areas of work and study, but still return to my practice, to resolve what I learn from these other areas of interest. In that regard, my dreams of other professions are satisfied because I get to cross into so many different realms.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Who was your single biggest influence?<\/strong><\/p>\n MD:\u00a0<\/strong>I\u2019m not sure that I have one, to be honest. It\u2019s hard to pinpoint a <\/span>greatest<\/span><\/i> influence. Everything influences me in one way or another. A creative practice is an amalgamation of a life of experience. I make work about what interests me and my aesthetics come from those things that I consume in my day to day.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Dream Collaboration?<\/strong><\/p>\n MD:\u00a0<\/strong>Albeit impossible, my dream collaboration would be with Superstudio which was an experimental architecture firm based in Florence in the 1960\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: What advice would you give a young artist just starting out in the art world?<\/strong><\/p>\n MD:\u00a0<\/strong>Find a job that doesn\u2019t exhaust you so much that you cannot create\u00a0work. Making work, of course, is the most important part of keeping a creative practice, but you also of course need to eat, so you need a job. Don\u2019t only find a job that supports you financially, but also one that perpetuates your practice \u2014 something that provides not only a means of sustainability, but additionally one that gives you tools or materials that you think might help to push you forward. Be sure that all parts of your life are useful.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Carmen Hermo<\/a>, 31,\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Curator at the Brooklyn Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2028AZ:\u00a0How did you know you wanted to be a curator?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n CH:\u00a0<\/strong>It was a fairly delayed discovery. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to write, perhaps as a journalist, and loved spending time in museums. I didn\u2019t really connect the two until an undergraduate professor took me aside on the last day of Art History 101 to encourage me to take my interests further; I owe her a great debt for that! Though my undergrad art history training was somewhat traditional (my thesis was on performativity in Goya\u2019s self-portraits), I was able to supplement it with internships at\u00a0museums and by engaging with more contemporary work. That simultaneous balance of academics and experience was really fruitful for me, and helped to expose me to a wide variety of ideas and artists from which I could untangle my own interests.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Do you curate with a certain purpose or message in mind? Socially, emotionally, and or politically?<\/strong>\u2028<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n CH:\u00a0<\/strong>I really believe in the ways in which exhibitions can inspire a moment of discovery\u2014whether that\u2019s an unknown strain of connection among known artists, revealing new interpretations of established permanent collections, or redressing the canon of art history to make it more inclusive and more inspiring to greater audiences. That moment allows for a flexible relationship between the viewer\u2019s own experiences and point of view, and the ideas embedded in an artwork. Whether affirming, confronting, or challenging perceptions, art opens up a space for measured thought that feels fleeting in our daily lives.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2028AZ: What advice would you give a young curator just starting out in the art world?<\/strong>\u2028<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n CH:\u00a0<\/strong>I consider myself a young curator! And I am still learning how to spend more time with the material I\u00a0really love, rather than running to every \u201cmust see\u201d exhibition. While keeping conversant with the rest of the art world is important, deep engagement with the artists, periods, and themes that interest you is invaluable to shaping your curatorial perspective and understanding what you can contribute to the conversation. \u00a0Oh, and keep a really rough diary of what you see (or at least what you like!).<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Who do you idolize within your profession?<\/strong><\/p>\n CH:\u00a0<\/strong>Connie Butler, Chief Curator of the Hammer<\/a>, is a major touchstone for me in terms of using objects and exhibitions to contextualize and tell underserved narratives, especially in her dual engagement with historical and contemporary work\u2014very similar principles to the abiding goals of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum<\/a>! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Jamel Robinson<\/a>, 37,\u00a0<\/strong>Artist<\/strong><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0Do you create with a certain purpose or message in mind?<\/strong><\/p>\n JR:\u00a0<\/strong>I create with the intention of answering my calling and honoring God by using the gifts He’s given me. It’s like a visual conversation between us that the world can bear witness to; God whispers and I answer back visually. <\/span>My work is definitely more emotional than specifically social or political, although those categories are informing my emotions all the time.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0Who was your single biggest influence?<\/strong><\/p>\n JR:<\/strong> When I look back over my entire life, I’d have to say that my mother is my single biggest influence \u2013 just from the way she lived her life out in the service of her four children as a single parent. She didn’t have my father to help her raise me, and she didn’t always have the help of my three siblings’ father to raise them, and she never let any of that stop her from providing the best life for all of us. She showed me that no circumstance could ever stand in the way of what one is\u00a0passionate about. For her, it was her children; and for me, it’s the artwork and the art career that I’ve given birth to.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0What advice would you give a young artist just starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n JR:\u00a0<\/strong>“Always Be Creating” is a mantra that I’ve been living by since I began this journey but I suppose it’s how I’ve always lived out my life in one way or another so that’s the first piece of advice I would give. It’s a “create and let everything come to you, but go out there and get it” kind of paradox that you have to live out as an artist. The second most important piece of advice is to be professional. Make to-do lists and check off all the items, create databases and know who in your network you need to be showing your product to and who you need to be sitting down with to discuss your ideas and plans. When I’m painting, I’m thinking about art and the artistic process but once I put my tools down, I’m thinking like a fully operational business, and that’s what keeps me successful.<\/p>\n AZ: Dream collaboration?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n JR:\u00a0<\/strong>At the start of 2017, I’ll be doing a fashion collaboration with Miguel Antoinne<\/a> that will bring to life ideas that I had when I was first introduced to the brand a couple of years ago. Other dream collaborations involve partnering with major brands to use art as a way to raise funds for social issues \u2013 not a new idea, just a new face and name to add to the roster!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong> Rozsa Zita Farkas, 28<\/span><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Curator<\/strong><\/p>\n AZ: What advice would you give a young curator just starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n RF:\u00a0<\/strong>Find your own interests, work with friends, and take pride in project management (all the boring logistical stuff). Curation isn’t just about your own ideas or framing.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: What is the most difficult part of your job?<\/strong><\/p>\n RF:\u00a0<\/strong>Time \u2013 the affective labour involved can sometimes be deeply unrewarding. If I am off my email for a day, I generally have upwards of 50 emails that need to be read and replied to. Then there is the labour of care that doesn’t stop irrespective of how you are feeling or what is going on in your life. Then, of course, some of the social side (some is fun of course), but most art workers have this “being present” obligation.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Most exciting exhibition you’ve seen this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n RF:\u00a0<\/strong>I loved the Hilma af Klimt at Serpentine<\/a>, Martine Syms at ICA<\/a>, and Emma Talbot at the Freud Museum<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: What made you decide to become a curator? Did anyone influence your decision?<\/strong><\/p>\n RF:\u00a0<\/strong>It kind of just happened. I didn’t know the word ‘curator’ until my third year at university. I just started a space to show people who weren’t getting shown and as a place of assembly, and then the space and me both evolved, culminating in my being ‘a curator’ and having the opportunity to do projects outside of Arcadia Missa<\/a> as well, that I am very proud of those projects, such as rematerialising feminism, ways of living (at DRAF) and rehearsals in instability (for curated by_vienna<\/a> at Andreas Huber Gallery).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 6.<\/strong> Bryant Toth<\/a>, 28,\u00a0<\/strong>Curator<\/strong><\/p>\n AZ: When did you realize you wanted to be a curator full time? What were you doing before this?<\/strong><\/p>\n BT:\u00a0<\/strong>I have always been interested in the art world \u2014 specifically collecting and curating work from different cultures. Cuba, for me, was the catalyst of change from a career in the hospitality world as the Membership Manager of Soho House New York & Soho Beach House Miami to <\/span>Bryant Toth Fine Art<\/a>, a pop-up gallery concept, and Cuban Art Curator.<\/span><\/p>\n The moment I disembarked on Cuban soil roughly six years ago, I quickly identified a real thriving, captivating culture. Everything is decidedly Cuban \u2013 the art, music, culture, and community. There is honestly no place like it. The explosion of culture and lively rhythm parading through the dimly lit streets, the colorful architectural facades, and the joyful and kind demeanor of the Cuban people \u2013 they all weave together to create a truly striking yet captivating place. Bryant Toth Fine Art was created from an appreciation of Cuba, its culture and creative talents.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Your ultimate goal in the art world?<\/strong><\/p>\n BT:\u00a0<\/strong>I am not only committed to introducing under-represented Cuban artists to new markets, but also to challenge the gallery-based model that currently dominates the art world. Through experience-focused exhibitions and collaborations, my goal is to create emotional connections through each of my shows\u2014first and foremost around the art, but also accompanied by music, design, aesthetic, and community.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: Who do you idolize within your profession? Dream collaboration?<\/strong><\/p>\n BT:\u00a0<\/strong>It’s difficult to name just one individual who\u00a0I idolize within my profession\u2014I choose to pull inspiration from multiple industries that\u00a0I strive to encompass within my Gallery concept:\u00a0Danny Meyer’s<\/a> honest approach to hospitality;\u00a0Soho House’s<\/a> idea of community; and F\u00e1brica de Arte Cubano’s<\/a> emphases of collaboration. My dream is to collaborate Art x Music x Hospitality x Culture\u2014there are many dream collaborations within these individual fields.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ: How would you describe the work you curate?<\/strong><\/p>\n BT:\u00a0<\/strong>I try to curate an experience. Art is the main focus but the environment which surrounds the works serve as complements. With that said, that work is, and will always be, decidedly Cuban and true to its history. You can see for yourself at my\u00a0Hector Frank exhibition,\u00a0Cuba to New York<\/em>, which will be on view November 3rd – November 10th at Gallery 151<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 7.<\/strong> Anne Huntington<\/a>, 31,\u00a0<\/strong>Founder of AMH Industries<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0What led you to pursue a career in the art world?<\/strong><\/p>\n AH:\u00a0<\/strong>I don’t look at it as a career in the art world, but rather a life in the art world. My passion and love for art drive every art decision I make and have led me to this “life in the art world.”<\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0Best art moment of this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n AH:\u00a0<\/strong>This is a hard one because so many moments are special. The first moment that comes to mind was during an early evening event with the Whitney Museum<\/a> in Wainscott chatting with Mary Heilmann about the pink chair I purchased from Hauser & Wirth \u2013 the chairs that were on the roof of the Whitney when it opened in the Meatpacking District. Mary ended the conversation with “Anne is the lady with the pink chair \u2013 the pink lady!” Well, for those who know me, pink is my favorite color, and this left a lasting smile; and for those who know Mary, she is the kindest\u00a0and whimsical person. This was a special moment.<\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0Who do you idolize within your profession?<\/strong><\/p>\n AH:\u00a0<\/strong>I idolize strong, passionate, female leaders. Two that come to mind are Brooke Neidich and Jennifer Stockman.<\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0What advice would you give a young person just starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n AH:\u00a0<\/strong>Always be you and always be true. No one can take that away, though some may try.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 8.<\/strong> Alonsa Guevara<\/a>, 29,\u00a0Artist<\/strong><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0What events in your life led you to start painting? Did you ever picture yourself doing anything else?<\/strong><\/p>\n AG:<\/strong> Since I was very young I always felt attracted to different kinds of art, not just painting, but drawing, singing, playing instruments, telling stories, etc. I started oil painting with my grandmother when I was 12 years old. Grandma Maruja used to paint, draw and sculpt all the time and she used to keep\u00a0me entertained, making things next to her . She is very critical and very straight forward, so she would always tell me what was right and wrong. Even now that we are far away from each other \u2013 because she lives in Chile \u2013 she tells me what she likes and doesn’t like about my paintings.<\/p>\n I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. Painting for me stops the time, I never get bored or tired; it’s totally the opposite: I get full of energy and excited. Sometimes I get tired of ideas or images, but never of the act of painting.<\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0Who was your single biggest influence?<\/strong><\/p>\n AG:\u00a0<\/strong>This might sound a little weird and silly, but if I remember correctly, the very first time I thought I wanted to make paintings was when I watched the movie “The Witches” from 1990. I must of been 6 or 7 years old so I don’t remember the movie very well. But in one of the scenes, a man brings home a painting that depicts a house in the countryside with a small pond with white ducks. One day the little daughter of this man was cursed by one of the witches, which trapped the little girl inside of the painting. The girl would appear in different places of the canvas every time people would look at the painting. And I thought: I want to make something magical like that.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0What advice would you give a young artist just starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n AG:<\/strong> First of all, being an artist is not easy. Artists, in general, have to work very hard to get their work out there. You will be your own assistant, manager, and boss. For sure you’ll find hundreds of obstacles and your work will probably be more rejected than accepted. Sometimes your work will consume you so much that you’ll lose track of time and of reality (that can be a good or bad thing) but most importantly: being able to work every day doing\u00a0something that you love is incredible! The tears and mad moments won’t compare with the joy and the pleasure that making art gives you. Especially when you have worked so hard for it!\u00a0<\/span>I feel very lucky and privileged to be an artist.<\/span><\/p>\n AZ:\u00a0How did growing up in Chile and Ecuador influence the work you create today?<\/strong><\/p>\n AG:\u00a0<\/strong>Childhood memories are like tattoos on my brain. I always come back to those memories of being surrounded by fields with trees, flowers, domestic animals like horses, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits and wild animals like snakes, scorpions, iguanas, sloths, turtles, beautiful colorful insects and birds \u2013 feeling a strong connection with nature, not just love for it, but also fear. Technology devices were rare, and the outside was the only place to get entertained and creative.<\/span><\/p>\n Now that I live in NYC I’m trying to bring that back with my paintings, that connection between people and nature. In my Ceremony<\/em> series, the unclothed bodies become one with the soil while covered with a mix of fruits, vegetables and flowers as a connection with earthly gifts. By incorporating fresh and vibrant, and rotten and blemished produce, the work represents the full cycle of life, making fertility and fecundity coexist in a parallel with decay and death. The addition of memento mori, such as insects, snails, and lizards, hidden among the lush fruit and flesh, further symbolizes the inevitable end of the life cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 9.<\/strong> Kyle Jacques<\/a>, 28 & Alexander Johns<\/a>, 29,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Curators<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"unnamed-25\"](\"http:\/\/artzealous.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/unnamed-25-183x300.jpg\")
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