A Millennial working in the art industry: Art curation
Meet Elena Bernardi, the embodiment of the millennial generation that wants to have it all and do it all.
To start off, tell us a little bit about yourself! Where do you come from? Please, also tell us about your academic and professional background and your interests.
I come from Modena; a little town not far from Milan. I do not have an art history background, since I had a master on Lingue e Culture Europee, but I have always been interested in art and especially in contemporary art. This is the main reason why, almost two years ago, I decided to attend a Curatorial Course at Fondazione Fotografia Modena trying to start a new career in that field. During the past two years, I had the opportunity to work with two platform galleries based in London: ARTUNER and The Art of This Century. I have also done a few collaborations with private museums, art galleries, and private collections in London. I had the chance to work at two important Art Fairs: Artissima 2016, Turin and Photo London, 2017.
Even if I’ve been living in London for the last 10 months, I try to continue my freelance curator activity in Italy, especially in Milan, collaborating with different artists and art magazines such as Nouvelle factory and Revolart. I have a few exciting projects in the near future in Italy and in China as well.
What would be your ultimate advice for a young curator?
I have only an advice for a curator: believe and follow your perceptions
Who is your favourite curator and why?
My favourite curator is Hans Ulrich Obrist, the curator of Serpentine Gallery, and the reason is very simple: he is a “Whole curator “ ; he writes about art and has a deep knowledge of the entire art world. He knows about artworks and artists and even if he is an accomplished curator he is still very curious and desirous of art.
Do you go to art fairs, art museums, art foundations and/or art galleries events? What are your all-time favourite art spaces/events?
Yes, I try to attend at least 1 or 2 art events every week. My last discovery, in term of artworks and also philosophy which is behind these works, is the solo exhibition which has been presented at the Olivier Malingue Gallery in London, about a Japanese Artist: Makoto Ofune …. Excellent ! And one of my favourite galleries is the Whitechapel Gallery; I am a member and the program is always so various and interesting.
What do you think about art curation as a discipline at the moment?
I think that in this particular moment the curation must be one part of the immense art world ; curation doesn’t exclude other activities which are connected to the art field.
Who is your favourite artist? Tell us a bit about his/her work and why you enjoy it particularly.
One of my favourite artist is Giorgio De Chirico. the main reason is that De Chirico is focused on the topic of “ Beyond” and the human figure disappeares from his canvas; he starts to depict oneiric paintings which allude to Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams . To him the experience of dreaming offers an escape from reality; the everyday and the bizarre coexist in the same canvas. This strange depiction hides a particular intensity that leads the observer to expand his viewing beyond the limits of the frame.
Who is the latest contemporary artist that you have discovered? Tell us a bit about his/her work and why you enjoy it particularly.
My latest discovery is a German artist : David Czupryn born in 1983. He started his artistic career as a sculptor then he decided to be focused only on painting. he has been heavily inspired by Dali and De Chirico.
“I have only an advice for a curator: believe and follow your perceptions.”
— Elena Bernardi
