We want to celebrate and find out more about the characters driving the renaissance of the London gallery scene, and what better way than to resurrect our THAT’s Interesting feature.
Last time we had Jerry Zerui Guo from ZÉRUÌ. This time we have his recommendation Nicolas Sorbac of Nisoproject who is opening his permanent space in March in Fitzrovia after 2 years of nomadic programming between London and Paris.
Originally from Paris, I always felt the need to feed my curiosity around the world. After studying business in the US and initiating my career in a tech startup, I made a decisive switch to the arts. I joined Mr. Renos Xippas’ gallery in Le Marais, Paris, where I delved into Latin American Artists and other great talents like Takis and Peter Halley. I finally felt like I was in the right space, connecting the dots of my upbringing – I grew up breathing in the aesthetic sensibilities of my mother, a still life photographer, and of my grandfather, an antique dealer with an obsession for René Lalique.
Then, as I was gearing up to start a job at Christie’s in London in March 2020, the pandemic struck, freezing all new hires. Left without a job, I decided to go solo. As a long-time admirer of the Japanese art scene, in my first exhibition, I wanted to materialize Junichiro Tanizaki’s perspective on aesthetic values. Drawing from his essay “In Praise of Shadows”, I featured a duo show – a conversation – with Japanese ceramicist Yuki Nara and Colombian artist Daniel Brusatin.
Three years and several exhibitions later, I’m now gearing up to institute NISO, a permanent gallery space in Fitzrovia. Officially opening in March 2024, NISO will focus on intergenerational dialogues between important but overlooked artists from the 20th century and exciting young artists from the European scene.
Some Art I’m interested in
Right now, an artist I am particularly interested in is Max Weschler. Born into a Jewish family, he fled Germany in 1939 and established his studio in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. Throughout his 60-year career, he explored the possibilities of dissecting language through cut-outs and collages of printed words in newspapers and other mediums. He unfortunately passed away in 2020; we will be representing his estate in the UK. The inaugural show in March 2024 will feature a dialogue between his work and the work of young British sculptor Guy Haddon Grant.
Some Design I’m interested in
A very cool project that saw the light in 2023 is downtown+. Spearheaded by Luna Laffanour, she also engages in intergenerational dialogues by curating carefully chosen pieces from the renowned François Laffanour – Galerie Downtown, with works from emerging contemporary designers and artists. The project aims to provide a fresh perspective on the gallery’s heritage, exploring design from physical to digital realms.
Some Culture I’m interested in
It is very interesting what is happening culturally in Saudi Arabia. My good friend Aya Mousawi coordinated the third edition of the Noor Riyadh Festival, one of the many initiatives taking place in the Middle East to make culture and art a driving force. The Noor Riyadh Festival is the largest Light Art festival in the world.
Some Style/ Fashion I’m interested in
The sartorial world is being shaken up at the moment with the wonderful brand The Deck. It is the first female-only tailor with a shopfront on the historical Savile Row.
Some Tech I’m interested in
Tech and nutrition are being combined in a very clever way with the new tech company Zoe. With a small wearable device, Zoe analyzes your unique gut, blood fat and blood sugar responses to the food you eat and then proposes a tailored nutrition program.
Some Music I’m interested in
Since the passing of great composer Ryuichi Sakamoto in 2023, I have been delving back into his work. Sakamoto scored for multiple Oscar-winner movies such as The Last Emperor and The Revenant.
A museum and gallery show recommendation –
Philip Guston at Tate Modern. His abstract expressionist works from the 1950’s are exquisite.
Run to see it!
If you happen to be in Paris, you should stop by Galerie Loevenbruck’s new space to see “Animals”, (closing January 20th) an exhibition that gathers artworks from different cultures and eras, all of them exploring the theme of the animal figure. With works, among others, by Roy Adzak, Gilles Aillaud, André Bauchant, Robert Devriendt, Daniel Dewar and Grégory Gicquel.
I’m passing on to Philippa zu Knyphausen from piloto pardo.
