The Art Business

In this episode of the Art Business Podcast David Bellingham, Programme Director of the MA Art Business, Sotheby's Institute of Art, visits the Wolf Collective, a curatorial platform run from the co-founders’ modernist home in Primrose Hill. Guests Lupe Sanchez, a curator and advisor with experience in blue-chip galleries and deep ties to Japanese craft traditions, and architect/developer Iain Pattie discuss how their domestic space has evolved into an intimate exhibition platform. The current solo presentation by Chicago-based artist Jaclyn Mednicov , whose ceramics, prints and installations reflect long periods of research in Japan, anchors the conversation.

Topics covered include: the practical and emotional value of showing art in a lived-in home rather than a white-cube gallery; how architecture and natural light shape viewer experience; programming that blends music and performance with exhibitions; curatorial relationships rooted in long-term support; and the social dynamics of invitation-based shows. Lupe and Iain explain why intimacy, community, and multisensory experiences guide their model, how it complements (and differs from) commercial galleries and fairs, and what the Wolf Collective offers artists and local audiences.

Listeners can expect reflections on artistic process, cross-cultural collaboration, the economics and sustainability of private home galleries, and the ways small, intentional spaces can shift values around attention, care and community in the contemporary art world. The Wolf Collective’s exhibitions are open by appointment; the current Jaclyn Mednicov show runs into late summer.

 

Links:

 
https://www.madeinbed.co.uk/emerging-artists/imprints-fragments-reliefs-jaclyn-mednicov?rq=jaclyn%20mednicov

https://cabanamagazine.com/blogs/atlas-of-craftsmanship/jaclyn-mednicov-multi-disciplinary-artist?_pos=1&_sid=a04cfbf27&_ss=r
 
 
 

music

‘Baby, I Miss The Internet’ (Rama, Rama, Rama) 

by TOT TAYLOR

is used by kind permission of the artist

©Tot Taylor/Songmatic Music (2020)

In this episode of the Art Business Podcast, host David speaks with Alisa Demchenko, an MA Art Business (Sotheby’s Institute, London) graduand, and Nilanjan Das, a printmaker and PhD artist from Bhubaneswar, NE India, about their optional TAF (The Arts Family) collaboration. They discuss Alisa’s dissertation on AI in art valuation and personalization, and how algorithmic visibility shapes how emerging artists present their work online.

The conversation explores Nilanjan’s practice—serigraphy, cyanotype and concrete-board works that investigate public space, plant life, urban beautification and power structures—and how Elisa supported him with portfolio sequencing, narrative framing, artist statements, gallery research and strategic positioning for both UK and Indian contexts.

Key takeaways include practical mentorship methods (regular remote meetings, clarity over reinvention), ethical boundaries for art-business professionals, the importance of artist statements and sequencing, and steps for presenting to galleries and curators. The episode closes with next steps, contact handles (LinkedIn for Alisa, Instagram for Nilanjan) and actionable advice for emerging artists and arts professionals.

 

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisa-demchenko-bb24ab235/

https://www.instagram.com/nelvsnel/?hl=en

https://www.theartsfamily.com/artists/nilanjan-das

 

music

‘Baby, I Miss The Internet’ (Rama, Rama, Rama) 

by TOT TAYLOR

is used by kind permission of the artist

©Tot Taylor/Songmatic Music (2020)

Dr. David Bellingham speaks with Shahane Hakobyan, MA Art Business alumna and founder/CEO of ARTanalyst, about her journey from artist to gallery director to tech entrepreneur. They discuss the fragmented nature of art market data, the value of measuring financial, cultural and social indicators, and how ARTanalyst’s AI-driven platform helps galleries connect internal CRM and inventory data with external signals (auctions, press, social) to generate actionable insights, KPIs and meeting prep. They cover lessons from Art Dubai and Galerie Kornfeld, building and testing measurement frameworks, ethical data use and security, and the practical benefits of bringing analytics to the primary market. Shahane shares advice for emerging professionals, challenges of fundraising and adoption, and her vision for a networked, collaborative art ecosystem.

Links:

Website: https://artanalyst.ai/ 
 
Gallery Centric-Demo (where you can try and test some of the features): https://app.artanalyst.ai/assistant 
 

music

‘Baby, I Miss The Internet’ (Rama, Rama, Rama) 

by TOT TAYLOR

is used by kind permission of the artist

©Tot Taylor/Songmatic Music (2020)

We meet guests Kasia Piszkos (Art Director) and Lukasz Sinitsyn (Gallery Manager) live from Warsaw to discuss the founding of Bliss Gallery earlier in 2025, the meaning behind its name, and its location in a historic fourth‑floor apartment. They outline the gallery’s curatorial focus on abstraction and minimalism and describe standout shows such as Hydrofornia and Material Tendencies, plus their presentation of Urszula Bról at Artissima.

The episode covers: practical gallery logistics (including installing water on an upper floor!); Warsaw’s gallery ecology and Warsaw Gallery Weekend; strategies for art fairs (Vienna, Artissima) and growing international ambitions; the role of social media; and plans to revisit overlooked Polish artists and collaborate with foreign curators.

Links:

https://blissgallery.pl/en/home/

@bliss_warsaw

 

 

music

‘Baby, I Miss The Internet’ (Rama, Rama, Rama) 

by TOT TAYLOR

is used by kind permission of the artist

©Tot Taylor/Songmatic Music (2020)

David Bellingham speaks with Victor Custot and Carmen Hu of Waddington Custot Gallery about continuing a 70-year family legacy, the gallery’s curatorial identity, and their approaches to artist representation and international engagement. They discuss the gallery’s focus on technical excellence, relationships with artist estates (including Peter Blake and Barry Flanagan), and recent contemporary exhibitions such as Qiong Er and textile artist Kenia Almaraz Murillo. The hosts also cover operational choices, including reconfiguring the reception to highlight artworks, and the role of gallery staff and technicians in executing ambitious shows.

Victor and Carmen reflect on trends in collector behaviour post-pandemic, the importance of art fairs, online sales dynamics, and generational shifts in collecting. They share advice for MA Art Business students on finding a niche, being curious, and building long-term professional relationships. Listeners are invited to visit the gallery on Cork Street and follow updates at waddingtoncustot.com.

 

music

‘Baby, I Miss The Internet’ (Rama, Rama, Rama) 

by TOT TAYLOR

is used by kind permission of the artist

©Tot Taylor/Songmatic Music (2020)