The Audio Guide

For this final episode of this first season, I had the pleasure to meet an expert in performances in museum, curator for the Contemporary Art Center Wiels, Helena Kritis.

Helena Kritis received me in her flat, in Brussels, at the end of August. We recorded this episode, sitting at her kitchen table, sharing what would become the best melon of this summer. Like in a performance, Helena is in the moment and has a life full of coincidences and surprises.

In this episode, we talk about the whole process of curating performances in a museum: the selection, the production and the content, but also the influence of her experience at the very famous Brussels based arts centre, Beursschouwburg, the difference between a performance at the museum or at the theatre, and how she learned to consider an audience.

If you are in Brussels, I can only but highly recommend you to dig into the Contemporary Art Center Wiels’s exhibition and performance program and to follow on instagram one of their curator, Helena Kritis @helenakritis

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

I’m so happy to share this episode 15 with Laura Beltrán Villamizar, Founder of Native Agency, Director of Photography for ATMOS Magazine, DJ and music composer. I met Laura a few hours before her DJ set in Berlin, during her European tour. And let me tell you…

With Laura, there is a real vibe, a sort of unique energy and a spark in her eyes when she speaks about photography and music. This girl who grew up with a camera in hands is relaxed, honest and present. It’s on a very warm summer afternoon that we recorded this episode, sitting on a floor of her friend’s flat, in Berlin.

And maybe because it’s already episode 15 of this podcast (I can’t even believe I’m saying this), or maybe because I’ve been following Laura for a while and wanted to record this episode before the podcast even existed.

There was this magic connection that summer afternoon, and maybe you will notice that the birds even started singing at the end of our recording.. I would say that everything kind of stopped for a moment. We obviously talked about the role of photography, ATMOS Magazine, the issue of diverse representation in photography, that brought her to create Native Agency, but also activism, music as a love language and her wish to keep on growing with ethos.

You can follow Laura on instagram at LOLA VILLA @lolabe to check her music and current work.

Don’t forget to check ATMOS Magazine and online plateforme at atmos.earth and Native Agency, founded by Laura, at nativeagency.org.

*** Here below, the references of the books Laura recommended in this episode:

The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet, 2022, Leah Thomas

Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, 2019, Adrienne Maree Brown

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

In this episode, I had the pleasure to meet Olivia Anani, Co-director of Africa, Modern & Contemporary Art department at Piasa Auction House & Board member of the Friends of Palais de Tokyo.

Olivia Anani is one of a kind. Born and raised in Africa, she speaks fluent Chinese and defines her younger self as a geek who loved Manga. And that’s only the beginning of the story.

I met Olivia last June, on a very sunny afternoon, in a lovely Parisian art gallery. We talked about the role of auction houses in the arts sector and how the connection with arts is so intimate in this context. I really enjoyed seeing her passion when she speaks about artworks discovered in auction houses. The research and the story behind the object itself.

In this episode, we mention quite often the « Secondary Market » which is referring to the arts that has been sold before.

We also talked about Abidjan where she grew up, and the political crisis that made her move to Asia, her passion for Japanese culture, the recognition for African artists, and the importance of being curious and thinking out the box.

You can follow Piasa auction house and the amazing masters they are presenting on their website (www.piasa.fr).

As mentioned in the beginning of this episode, Olivia Anani is also a board member of the Friends of Palais de Tokyo, in Paris. If you’re interested and you would like to have more information about their program, I highly recommend you to check their website as well (lesamisdupalaisdetokyo.com).

At some point, we also mentioned The School of Mutants, a collaborative platform for art, research and activism based in Dakar. You can follow their work on instagram @theschoolofmutants

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

For this episode, we’re back in Paris. My guest is Anna Tardivel, New Narratives Program Manager of the Parisian post-internet culture institution, La Gaîté Lyrique.

When Anna told me what « Post-Internet Culture » was I realised that I’m clearly getting old as this arts movement was born in the same time as me. Since the 90s, the post-internet culture is influencing all sectors of the cultural industry and so it’s very naturally that we discussed dance, performances, experience exhibitions and binaural sound such as ASMR. The art center is no longer silent, it is now an immersive place that involves all your senses.

We also talked about arts as a tool for social inclusion, the new ways to tell stories and the human project behind Chateau Sonic Festival that she co-founded with friends few years ago.

For the first time ever, we recorded in a professional podcast studio at La Gaîté Lyrique, and let me tell you that the sound of this episode is as delightful as my guest.

If you enjoyed this episode, you can follow La Gaîté Lyrique on all social media platforms to stay tuned with their amazing program with emerging artists of Post-Internet exhibitions, performances and concerts. https://www.instagram.com/gaitelyrique/

Chateau Sonic Festival - co-founded by Anna Tardivel - is happening soon! This year edition will take place in the magical castle of Chateau Sonic from the 12 to the 14th of August 2022. https://www.chateausonic.com/

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

Psychologist and curator, Sorana Munsya told me what inspired her to work in the arts: jumping on a plane to the Venise Biennale, meeting and talking to people of the field with no fear of judgement. Just going, experiencing arts and writing.

We recorded this episode one week before the opening of the Horst festival and « The Act of Breathing » exhibition (on view until 31.07.2022 in Horst, Vilvoorde) that she co-curated with Evelyn Simons, who was our delightful guest for the episode « Dancing and connecting bridges with Evelyn Simons». In this episode we talk about black and African art, recognition, the challenge to be a woman, to be a black woman, the art as a representation of the society and the importance of voices to be heard. And I think Sorana is one of these important voices.

Co-produced by Kanal-Centre Pompidou, « The Act of Breathing » is open until July 31, 2022 on the Asiat-site of Horst, in Vilvoorde, near Brussels, while 3 artists come together at the Cinematek in Brussels, with a programme of films curated by Monique Mbeka Phoba. Even though the music festival is over, stay tuned for more events coming up by following their beautiful instagram page at horstartsandmusic.

The other exhibition curated by Sorana Munsya - « The River Shines Stronger than the Sun » by the artist Joud Toamah - will be on view until the 12th of June at Pasquart Photoforum in Switzerland.

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

In this episode we’re talking about contemporary art with Art Brussels Managing Director Anne Vierstraete.

What is an art fair?

At the head of Art Brussels for almost 9 years, Anne Vierstraete and her team, exclusively made of women, work a whole year to organise one of the major art fair in Europe.

After a successful career in private banking and medical research, Anne Vierstraete defines herself as a lucky person. And with good reasons, she never hided her passion for arts and people. One month before the fair, I met Anne in the headquarters of Art Brussels.

In this episode, we talk about the Belgian art scene, the art fair as a discovery place, but also the rising of NFTs, how to make contemporary art more accessible and how everything is about encounters.

Art Brussels is every year but for this 38th edition, Art Brussels will take place between the 28th of April and the 1st of May 2022. For more details on Art Brussels vibrant programme, the different sections presenting almost 1000 international artists, take a look at their website follow @artbrussels on social media.

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

For this episode 10, I’m taking you to Paris to talk arts with Charlotte Ketabi Lebard, founder of the new place to be in Paris: Ketabi Projects.

I briefly met Charlotte last year. Fast and honest, I was impressed how she knows exactly where she’s going. So, I decided to reach out and so a few weeks ago, we met her in her new space in Saint Germain des Prés. In her new office, she’s facing me with a coffee with an artwork of Inès Longevial behind her.

In this episode, we talk about her experiences working in the art world, the upcoming exhibitions and Ketabi Project from the beginning but also the new generation of gallerists in Paris, being a woman and living a woman’s life and how everything is about making choices.

Ketabi Projects is open from Tuesday to Saturday, in Saint Germain de Prés. Paulo Pallucco’s solo show « Luck and Sex. That’s all » is on view until March 20 and Inès Longevial’s exhibition « World on Paper » will be open on April 7 until April 23.

The future is bright for Ketabi Projects and more is to come for this young gallery in Paris. So stay tuned and follow them on instagram @ketabiprojects

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

At only 28, Roxana Haines is Staff Director for the Scottish Opera, one of the biggest cultural institution in Scotland. Roxana is also involved into childcare charities believing deeply in the power of arts as a therapeutic way to help others.

I met Roxana at the Scottish Opera Studios where everything is made. She showed me around and we sat in one of the rehearsal room.

In this episode we talk about her job and how to make a story clearer for an opera, the show Rubble coming up in July 2022 but also what is opera nowadays, the imposter syndrome we all have and the importance of story telling.

The show « Rubble » will take place between the 30th and the 31st of July 2022. You can follow them on socials and subscribe to their newsletter at https://www.scottishopera.org.uk/

Don’t forget to check both charities : whocaresscotland.org and articulatehub.com

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

Director of the London Festival of Architecture, Rosa Rogina is also an architect curator, a researcher and a teacher at the University of East London. Born in Croatia, Rosa moved to London to study her Master degree in Architecture and shortly after started volunteering for the festival. Fascinated by accessibility of the festival, Rosa grew with the organization, deeply driven by engaging and democratizing the debate around architecture.

In this episode we discuss, the festival and its powerful theme ACT and the endless potential of London, but also how architecture could be more inclusive and equal, the must read book « The Invisible Women » by Caroline Criado-Perez and the importance of having women role models.

The London Festival of Architecture will take place from the 1st to the 30th of June 2022. For more details on the festival itself and its different locations, you can follow them on socials and have a look at their website at londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar

In this episode, my guest is Michelle Norton, Head of Breakin’ Convention, an international hip hop theatre organisation based in London and part of one of the major dance institution’s programme : Sadler’s Wells.

And this is where I met Michelle, last December. Backstage of the Lilian Baylis Studio, at Sadler’s Wells, right after Breakin’ Convention Youth performance « Has Anyone seen Michael?».

Since the birth of the festival in 2004 not only Breakin’ Convention became the world’s biggest festival of hip hop dance, but it has also grown to deliver a range of events and services such as professional development programmes and youth projects.

In this episode, we obviously talk about dance, theatre and hip hop culture but we also talk about Michelle’s beginnings as a dancer and as a volunteer for the first edition of Breakin’ Convention; her growth within the organization; her friendship with artistic director Jonzi D, and the other members of the Breakin’ Convention family; the new hip hop academy opening in 2023 and the way to shine and enjoying the beauty of things.

If you’re in London, I can only highly but recommend you to check Breakin’ Convention’s events programme on their website at breakinconvention.com

The world’s biggest festival of hip hop dance, Breakin’ Convention 2022, will take place, in London, on Friday 29th of April until Sunday 1st of May 2022.

In the meantime, you can subscribe to their newsletter and follow them on social media.

Special thank you to Soraia Salvador, Head of Wildlife Photography of the Year (episode 6) to be part of the conversation.

You can follow The Audio Guide on all podcasting platforms and on Instagram @theaudioguidepodcast, Facebook @theaudioguidepodcast and Twitter @theaudioguidepod

© Music by Jacques Jaguar