In this week’s episode, we interview Hong Gyu Shin (from Korea) of Shin Gallery and Vajra Kingsley who works at Art Media Holdings as the Director of Marketing & Business Development. I met Vajra on a Six Degrees Society retreat to the Hamptons. Art Media Holdings has: Art News, Art in American, Modern Magazine, Antiques Magazine. Vajra - What does a typical week look like for you? Art Media Holdings is trying to rewrite how people understand publishing. People aren't reading how they used to. The concept of longford digestion has gone away because we don't have the time/don't make the time. Vajra is focused on new ways to engage with their audience. Whether that is VR experience or create an evening that takes the art to a new level. This is important because education around arts & culture has to shift if people are going to invest in it. Going to a museum as a child isn't enough anymore to get them to buy and invest in their 20s & 30s in the way their parents did. The experiential partnerships she is working on will pay off in 20 years when someone says, I had a great experience at The Apollo Circle at The Metropolitan Museum of Art where I got to see the art come to life in a new way. Collecting as we know it now will change. Shin - How did you start your art gallery? Founded in 2013, 3 spaces are going to convert to one large space by March 2019. He started the gallery on the Lower East Side of Manhattan when he was a Sophomore in College. They represent brands from Israel, Sweden, Brazil, Switzerland, Korea, etc. Shin - How long does it take to prepare for a show? 1 show goes for 6 weeks and putting them together takes 1-3 months. Shin - What was an out-of-the-box exhibit that you curated? They created a massage parlor similar to Chinatown. They also painted the calls black and invited people to come and graffiti the walls to recreate the CBGB bathrooms. Vajra - What goes into putting on an art event? Finding the appropriate partner (fine art insurance or major banks), what is the message, who is the community. Is it top 200 collectors, people who haven't experienced the art world, etc. In choosing the venue, you have to think about the right aesthetic and atmosphere for the event. It needs to be inspiring and engaging. Then content, in the space so people understand why they are there and the purpose of the event. How do you discover new artists? You have to be open. It can be in the coffee shop, at a party, at an art gallery, direct message on social media, etc. Look up and don't get too focused in what you're doing. Go outside the norm. If an artist is so talented, even if the artist doesn't promote their artwork, people will find the artwork. Vajra - What are the different roles in the art world? From majoring in art, she thought she would become a curator. There is the gallery side working in sales, the institution side working at a museum and work under curators, there is the communications side working in social media, philanthropy and foundation work, etc. You are protected from the art market working on the philanthropy and foundation side which allows you to have integrity and not get pushed around on the business side and you can focus on an artists vision. As media is growing, the roles & opportunities in the art world will continue to expand. Vajra: What has been the biggest lesson you've learned in your position? Know what you're not good at and when to ask for help, even when you think you can do it all. Vajra: What is the best way to get into the art world? Attend talks & lectures outside of the traditional art space (at Columbia University, The Whitney Museum, etc), conferences, be curious, what are the different jobs that exist and what jobs are emerging. Her role didn't exist

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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