Known for its emphasis on figuration, surrealism, and pop culture, the New Contemporary Art movement has roots in the irreverent, high-energy counterculture of the ‘90s. Largely self-supported and community-driven, the movement has slowly taken shape beyond gallery walls, incorporating “lowbrow,” accessible, and socially-activated work by artists that tend to fall outside the mainstream. 

On today’s podcast episode, host and NOT REAL ART founder Scott “Sourdough” Power sits down with Andrew Hosner of Thinkspace Projects to discuss the curator’s leading role in the New Contemporary Art movement. As the co-founder, curator, and owner of Thinkspace, Andrew is an authority on all things street art and L.A. subculture. “We're blessed to know a lot of people,” he says. “We’ve got our toe in the subculture. If we’re able to help be that mouthpiece that helps expand that bandwidth for those folks and get them seen by the general public and let them live their lives through their creativity and their God-given gifts and stuff like that, that's a pretty special thing.”

For nearly 20 years now, Andrew’s discerning eye for emerging talent, commitment to community building, and passion for pushing culture forward has resulted in an exceptional roster of lesser-known, mid-career, and established artists from all over the world (as well as a close-knit circle of loyal art-lovers that keep coming back for more). “In LA, a city that's probably got [a hundred things going on on any given night], we’re pretty blessed to have [so many people in] our community that are always showing up, month after month, to support us and our artists,” Andrew says. “We try to never lose sight of that.” 

In this episode, Andrew gives us a glimpse into Thinkspace’s history, charting its unconventional trajectory from a passion project to an internationally acclaimed gallery space. Tuning in, you’ll learn how Thinkspace’s focus on collaboration and community benefits both the gallery and the artists it supports. Don’t miss our conversation with the visionary curator behind Thinkspace Projects, Andrew Hosner. 

In Today’s Podcast Episode:

Andrew Hosner discusses…

• How Thinkspace found a foothold in the up-and-coming L.A. art scene
• The history behind the gallery and their unconventional approach
• The collaborative mindset that underpins Thinkspace’s marketing strategy
• How Thinkspace’s focus on community benefits both the gallery and its artists
• The gallery’s process for working with international artists and galleries
• Art as a spiritual product that benefits your health and well-being
• The juxtaposition of gentrification and economic development through art
• Why he refers to his ever-expanding art collection as a “roadmap”
• Insight into his approach as an art dealer: “If I wouldn’t buy it, I won’t try and sell it to you.”
• Why it's better to have art on the walls than money in the bank

For more information, please visit http://notrealart.com/andrew-hosner