Q&A: ArtCircle Aims to Revolutionize Pop-Up Art Show Scene
BY NICHOLAS FORREST | JUNE 01, 2017
Elena Sereda, Natasha Chagoubatova and Volker Diehl. Photo by Vicente Mateu.
As the global art world continues to experience an increase in the popularity of pop-up art exhibitions, a new London-based initiative is attempting to revolutionize the pop-art art exhibition scene. ArtCircle is a new curator-led pop-up art platform which organizes one-off, short-term, exhibitions around the world, showing and selling museum-quality modern and contemporary art.
Founded by Natasha Chagoubatova, Elena Sereda, and German gallerist Volker Diehl, ArtCircle has been launched with the aim of enabling museums, commercial galleries, collectors, and artists’ estates to present museum-quality, scholarly short-term exhibitions in collaboration with internationally renowned curators and art historians.
ArtCircle co-founder Elena Sereda explains: “Until now, pop-up exhibitions have largely been focused on young and emerging artists. Our intention is to revolutionise this format, and present the type of shows that you might encounter either in blue chip art galleries or in the collections of major museums, displaying them in unusual spaces that transcend the conformity of the white cube.
“Along with Volker, who brings more than twenty-five years’ experience as a gallerist, Natasha and I already have strong relationships in the art world. However, to ensure our programme remains fresh and relevant, we are very much looking forward to working with other gallerists, curators and museums in the UK and beyond in the coming years.”
ArtCircle’s first exhibition showcases work by artists of the Zero movement, as well as the Kinetic Art and Op Art movements. Titled “Focusing Room” and curated by Bettina Ruhrberg of the MoMA in Goslar, the exhibition includes conceptual works by Adolf Luther, Heinz Mack, Alberto Biasi, Nanda Vigo and Christian Megert as well as works by Nicolas Schöffer, Grazia Varisco, and Peter Sedgley.
“Focusing Room” is currently on show at 48 Albemarle Street in Mayfair until June 9.
To find out more about ArtCircle, BLOUIN ARTINFO’s Nicholas Forrest got in touch with the founders and asked them a few questions.
What was the inspiration and the motivation behind the launch of the ArtCircle initiative?
ArtCircle came together after much deliberation and brainstorming on behalf of its team members who wanted to create something completely new, an art platform with a difference. ArtCircle hosts guest curators with an international reputation to produce content of high cultural value by special selection of top quality works from renowned artists, many of which would not have been on show before in the UK. The pop-up format of the show allows the platform to stay mobile, flexible and find unusual venues breaking the traditional display methods of the white cube gallery and catered specifically for the content and mood of works for each show. ArtCircle is an alternative as it does not compete or work within a usual gallery model, but instead provides a service that any gallery, museum or private collection could participate in.
What sort of activities and events will ArtCircle be involved with?
ArtCircle will create innovative, ‘one-off’ curated exhibitions worldwide in pop-up formats. The exhibitions will take place in unconventional locations within the convenience of the city center. ArtCircle will be responsible for the production of the shows from start to finish including the opening evenings which will carefully combine art, music and catering to enhance the visitors’ visual and emotional experience. We have two further shows planned for this year which will explore interesting collaborations with recognized individuals in the art world.
What role will ArtCircle play in the projects that it takes on?
ArtCircle is the organizational and promotional vehicle behind each exhibition, starting from collaboration with curators and art experts, to logistical and show production, documentation and commercial activities.
What are the initial projects being supported by ArtCircle?
ArtCircle works in close collaboration with and in promotion of curators as we believe that they are the inspirational and cultural forces essential for the creation of truly exceptional exhibitions and the choosing of pioneering artists and their works.
Where do you want to take the initiative into the future?
We have two further unique shows planned for this year in the UK and our vision is to expand our model internationally once we have proven our business strategy.
No comments:
Post a Comment