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Founded in 2015, by Amar A. Zahr and Nathalie Ackawi, the Beirut Art Residency is dedicated to supporting the production and dissemination of contemporary art. The program focuses on three main facets; residencies, local exhibitions and public interventions. BAR provides both emerging and mid-career artists with the time and space to work, encouraging artists to venture beyond their usual practice while laying the groundwork for future projects. BAR’s exhibition and public intervention programs enhance the approachability and dissemination of contemporary art. The work BAR presents is often experimental in nature, allowing artists to take a more conceptual approach with their practice. Ultimately, BAR’s activities strive to provide insight on the culturally rich Lebanese climate whilst creating a global network of meaningfully engaged artists.

Beirut Art Residency

Dan Nguyen is a New York-based physician, entrepreneur, and avid collector of contemporary art with a particular focus on artists of Asian descent and hands-on expertise in NFTs. As the co-founder of The Here and There Collective, his mission is to make space for narratives often overlooked in the Western art canon, through a programming focused on Asian diaspora artists, curators, and collectors.

Dan Nguyen

<div dir="ltr">The founder of renowned Instagram account She Curates (@she_curates_), Mollie E Barnes is an Independent Curator based in the UK, with a particular interest in the works of women and queer artists.</div>
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Mollie E Barnes

Collection

Curator's Picks

$1,000 and under

$1,000-$2,000

$2,000-$5,000

$5,000-$8,000

$8,000-$10,000

Granfiniland

Untitled (Yerevan)

Was. Pink

Was. Pink.

Angry Girl

Untitled

Instagram

Editorial

Magazine

Collector Michael Wiener at the ICA in Miami, 2025.

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Everyone knows abstract art is back in full force. Some talk about the figuration bubble bursting, while others claim they crave more freedom to interpret the art around them. But the truth is, Abstract Art was never dead. And Figurative Art will never die. But this is always a fun conversation to have. The New York and Miami based collector Michael Wiener is an art patron in the truest sense of it and a collector with an eye for young talents. Also known as the “Admirer of the Abstract” on Instagram, we met with Michael to speak about his trajectory in the art world, the artists he has his eye on and why he chose to focus his collection predominantly on abstract art. 
Michael, it’s a pleasure to connect again. You’ve been collecting art for over 30 years, first in New York and most recently in Miami where you also live for part of each year. What has your collecting journey been like and how did you first fall in love with art? 
Michael Wiener: Yes, certainly great to connect with you Bibi, and to see all that you have accomplished with newcube. About 34 years ago I purchased my first piece of art. It was a lithograph by Yaacov Agam. I found myself studying it each day, I was captivated by the work. At the beginning I was collecting rather aimlessly, mostly modernists but was interested in knowing more. With a desire to explore more of art history, I bought my first abstract expressionist work by Elaine De Kooning, a good size canvas from the 1950s. After living with that painting, I was hooked and I collected ABEX works for about 20 years, building a museum quality collection focused on the 1950s. 
Once that goal was complete, I wanted to see more artists working with Abstraction. Ultimately, that led me to collecting emerging artists, which also gave me the opportunity to engage with artists at the start of their careers. I collect with the same passion, but have transformed that drive into supporting the artists and the galleries where it really matters. I now spend most of my time doing studio visits, seeing shows, and discovering new practices by young talents. This has been truly intriguing and fulfilling.
As a collector and art patron, it’s important to support institutions. 
MW: Absolutely. I actively loan works from my collection to museums and currently have a painting by Kate Meissner on loan to her exhibition at Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts in Alabama. It’s a real joy to see these works shared with new audiences and traveling for museum exhibitions around the country or abroad. 
Now, tell us more about your collection. We already know you admire abstract art and we appreciate your support of up and coming artists.
MW: I am partial to gestural abstraction and collect artists whose works I love and find transformational. A big part of what I enjoy is the pursuit of discovering these artists. Some of the favorite works in my collection are by artists such as Mannat Gandotra, Wenhui Hao, Tsai Yanju, Sylvia Ong and Sarah Martin-nuss. 
Most recently, I acquired a painting by the young artist Justin Robinson from Danny First’s The Cabin in Los Angeles – a residency Robinson just completed. I love the composition of his painting and his brilliant use of color, which I believe was influenced by his time working as Eddie Martinez’s assistant. I am now proudly hanging that work in my Miami residence.

Gwen O'Neil, Expecting to Fly, 2021. Michael Wiener's Private Collection. 
Courtesy of the artist.

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As a collector with an eye for catching talents early, who are the artists you currently have your eye on? 
MW: Tara Downs just closed an exhibition featuring the works of Nizhonniya Austin (the exhibition was on view until February 22). Her work is exceptional and I was lucky enough to acquire a painting by her. These powerful works are rendered in saturated and bold colors and chronicle deeply personal histories. I also have my eye on a recent RCA grad, Seohyun Oh. Seohyun’s work is inspired by nature, and animal/tree spirits and she explores the interconnectedness of life through a unique interplay of color, form and rhythm – a practice to watch. Seohyun is currently part of a two person show at Jack Barrett Gallery in New York City.

Maxwell Wade, Dawn Chorus, 2020. Michael Wiener's Private Collection. 
Courtesy of the artist.

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There are so many great talents out there and most recently, there have been many heated conversations regarding the role and necessity of an art advisor. How do you typically choose the artists whose works you wish to acquire? 
MW: I watch Instagram very closely, and find that as a good place to identify talent early on. I also count on my relationships with many gallerists here and abroad. Attending shows has also been particularly useful, especially art fairs such as Untitled and NADA in Miami. In New York I am also fond of fairs like Independent, NADA and The Armory show. I also have to give a lot of the credit to my art advisor, Dakota Sica, whose eye and input have been invaluable to building my collection. He and I often collect the same artists and the process has actually been super enjoyable. A great art advisor definitely makes all the difference.
We couldn’t agree more. A great art advisor has your best interest at heart and can add so much to your collecting journey and experience. Similarly, given our extensive art advisory services at newcube, I can say that working with genuine art collectors who understand the subtleties and ethics of the art world is also equally valuable!

Mannat Gandotra, In Another Life, 2024. Michael Wiener's Private Collection. Courtesy of the artist.

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At newcube, we work with seasoned collectors who have been acquiring works for decades, but we also advise young collectors who look up to more seasoned collectors like yourself and who are just starting. We give them genuine advice, support them with due diligence, help them identify the best works by the artists they follow, and guide them in the best way possible. What advice would you give to a collector or an art lover who is just starting to collect art? 
MW: This may be cliché, but I would say “only buy what you love.” I would also say to try and collect the best work of an artist… don’t settle, don’t rush. If you really get the collecting bug and want to bring purpose and continuity to your collection, an art advisor, to me, is an invaluable part of this process. The relationship allows you to spend your time exploring art in a more streamlined way while avoiding potential pitfalls. A good advisor can open up doors to works you might not be able to otherwise secure, while at the same time advising you on the quality of the work and its pricing. 
Absolutely! There are great advisors to collectors out there, but unfortunately very few advisors to artists. At newcube, a big part of what we do is to support, guide and advise up and coming artists throughout their career paths. As a collector who’s been building valuable relationships with the artists you collect, what advice would you give to up-and-coming artists today? 
MW: I would tell them to price smart. You can always raise your prices, but it’s hard to lower them. Stay true to what is captivating your collectors initially until you build a solid following and then experiment more at that point, as your collectors will be willing to perhaps follow you over a cliff at that point (but likely not before). It is important for an artist to be able to articulate their practice with others. Last but not least, it is good to have a robust presence on Instagram, as that’s often how artists are first noticed in today’s world.
Thank you for these valuable tips. I particularly appreciate your take on how important it is for artists to be able to articulate their practice. In today’s competitive world, artists need to find ways to stand out and build a reliable support system around them. A big part of what you do as an art patron is to introduce these young artists to galleries or collectors that can help them grow. You’ve worked with galleries to place some artists. Can you tell us a little more about how you see these partnerships work? 
MW: I really enjoy helping young artists, so when I see one that I think is exceptional and whose work hasn’t been shown in the US yet, I try to make an introduction to a few galleries in NYC to see where there is a fit. I am honored that the gallerists trust my eye and know me well from collecting. I have had great success with this and have organized three solo exhibitions this year alone. Half gallery had a solo exhibition of Katherine Qiyu-Su last year and is having another solo currently through March 15th this year. I personally own two of her works and I think it’s still a great opportunity to own this very talented artist’s work. Katherine paints these colorful and fantastic organic patterns on linen, which flicker between abstraction and figuration. 
On an end note, any dream acquisition? 
MW: I have a few. But I would love to own another painting by Mannat Gandotra – I just have to find a wall big enough to fit the painting I have my eye on. Mannat paints big and one of my favorite works I saw in her studio in London this past summer, but it was 9 feet high. It would indeed be a dream to own that painting or one that scale. I see her work as museum worthy. They exude an intense energy and are quite lyrical. Mannat aims to create these visually abstract universes that are alive and that seem endless in a way. They are full of foreign forms in bold colors intertwined with lines, which all come together to create this other world. And she talks so well of her own work, it’s all in all very captivating. 
We also love Mannat’s work and can’t wait to see where she’s headed! We know she’s going places. Thank you Michael! Always a pleasure chatting with you!

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Green Eyes

The New York and Miami based collector Michael Wiener is an art patron in the truest sense of it and a collector with an eye for young talents. Also known as the “Admirer of the Abstract” on Instagram, we met with Michael to speak about his trajectory in the art world, the artists he has his eye on and why he chose to focus his collection only on abstract art. 


Admiring Abstract Art with the Admirer of Abstract Art

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Women in the art world are inspiring, driven and hardworking leaders. Megan, an Angeleno and former director at Nino Mier gallery, is the perfect example of an ongoing success story at the top of the art world. Hired as a senior director in 2018 by Nino Mier, she left the gallery in May 2024 at a time when a controversial story subsequently led to the closing of the gallery’s multiple LA locations. Finding the opportunity to take over those same spaces she once worked at, Megan took over the three spaces on Santa Monica boulevard to open her eponymous gallery, <a href="https://www.meganmulrooney.com/" target="_blank">Megan Mulrooney</a>. 
It takes guts and courage to take such a big step, but since its inaugural opening, we’ve seen great shows bring together the best of LA’s artistic community with a much needed focus on intergenerational conversations. 
Megan, it’s a pleasure to reconnect. Congratulations on the opening of your gallery, how exciting! Los Angeles is lucky to have you. First and foremost, it&#8217;s impossible to chat without mentioning the recent wildfires that ravaged LA. Since last Tuesday, more than 180,000 of the city&#8217;s residents have been put under evacuation orders. Many homes have literally turned to ash. This is by far one of the worst natural disasters we have witnessed this century, and dozens of artists have been directly affected as they lost their homes and studio spaces. An entire community is affected by this tragedy. How does it feel to be in LA right now? 
As the world witnessed during the past two weeks, Los Angeles has been devastated by the largest wildfires in the history of the city and tragically the fires continue to burn. While unfortunately the hardships faced by displaced community members will continue long after the fires have ended, it has been heartwarming and uplifting to see how those in the arts have banded together to donate and fundraise for artists, galleries and cultural workers who have suffered the loss of their home, studios and belongings. 
Are there any trusted charities or organization that you&#8217;d like to share with us and with our readers? 
If you would like to contribute to the rebuilding and restoration of the arts community here in Los Angeles Grief and Hope is a campaign whose goal is to fundraise $500,000 to be distributed to artists and art workers who have lost their home and / or studio as a result of the Eaton, Palisades, Sunset, and other fires in the Los Angeles area. You can find more information <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-the-lives-of-las-artists-and-art-workers" target="_blank">here</a>. While this is a broad way to support, another method is to identify the artists who have lost their homes or are displaced as a result of the fires and collect or acquire their work. 
Thank you for sharing this with us. We encourage every one of our readers to support the affected artists in the best way they can, even a few dollars add up and help them rebuild. We are happy to hear the galleries are reopening now, it feels like the positive energy needs to be spread again throughout the city. Now, tell us a little more about you. How did you first enter the art world and how has your journey been so far?
After graduating from NYU, I moved to London to work at Sotheby’s in Mayfair where I started as a floating assistant, before I joined the auction house’s Impressionist &#038; Modern department. After Sotheby’s, my mentor Patrick Van der Vorst, who had opened his private valuation company called St. George Valuations, asked me to join and develop the business under his stewardship. After a few years, I returned to Los Angeles where I worked at several auction houses before deciding to move on to work directly with artists. Before making the change from auction house to gallery, I sat down with collector and founder of Felix Art Fair, Dean Valentine, at Mel’s Diner on Sunset to seek his counsel and discuss which up-and coming-gallery in LA most aligned with my interest in emerging artists. Dean still remains a friend to this day and I’m excited that my gallery will have its inaugural presentation at his fair this February. 
With the 3 spaces of the gallery, you are able to play around with curation in many interesting ways. The gallery focuses on an intergenerational curation with each space speaking to each other and some outside curators joining forces with you. You’re also committed to bringing together some more established artists with new voices in the art world. Can you tell us more about your perspective on the dialogue you are looking to create? 
I am lucky to have a gallery in the heart of West Hollywood. Situated at the beginning of a cul-de-sac, the <a href="https://www.meganmulrooney.com/" target="_blank">gallery</a> is divided into three dynamic spaces that allow for multiple exhibitions at once. Given the nature of the spaces, we are able to create a dialogue among different artists so that each individual exhibition can curatorially align with the other while existing in its own space. The ability to create a conversation between the artists’ exhibitions was something that felt important given my background of working so closely with great mid-career artists as well as more emerging and younger voices. I find it so interesting how artists can work in the same mediums or have similar compositional constructs but be generations apart &#8211; and thus I wanted to foster those conversations and make them visible to the public. My greatest friendships have been intergenerational and I find there is so much to learn from our similarities and differences. It’s this same concept that I hope to apply by showing artists across generations. 
Born and raised in LA, you’re a true Angeleno. Is your gallery focusing on the LA art scene? Can you also talk a little bit about your take on the community aspect and how you are trying to create a strong community through the gallery and its programming. 
In recent years, the city has seen an influx of out-of-state galleries opening their second spaces in Los Angeles with a focus on bringing artists from outside of California to exhibit. However, these large galleries focus on bringing their existing program to LA and thus there is still a need for LA galleries to show local, LA-based artists. When starting the gallery I received great advice from artist Jon Pylypchuk and gallerist David Kordansky who both recommended I focus on creating a community by showing Los Angeles artists. I’ve been thinking a lot about how the physical space of the gallery should foster community by encouraging people to gather and discuss art, culture, ideas and politics. I have been programming the forthcoming year with this principle in mind bringing together an artist like Drake Carr who will do live portraiture of influential Angelenos during his “Sit-Ins” series contrasted with LA-based Nick Taggart’s 1970s portraits of models, musicians, and actors as well as famous places from the Sunset Strip to Echo Park.

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Which galleries have inspired you throughout your career? 
When I think of Los Angeles galleries the names that always come to mind are Ferus Gallery, China Art Objects, Black Dragon Society, Suzanne Vielmetter, Regen Projects, Blum &#038; Poe, and David Kordansky. I am also so inspired by the many transient gallery spaces within LA and I have been in awe of their innovative approach to showing art. 
Do you also collect? As a collector, what was the first and last artwork you’ve acquired? How do you typically select the artists you add to your personal art collection and to the gallery programming? 
I do collect! The first artwork I ever bought was a pastiche of Francisco Goya’s “Saturn Devouring His Son” at the gift shop of his birthplace in Fuendetodos. It remains my most favorite work of art in my collection and would even travel around with me &#8211; at one point I had it in the glovebox of my car!! &#8211; sounds pretty dark right?. Then in my twenties I began collecting more seriously &#8211; moved out of the gift shop and into the gallery so to speak and began seeking advice from artists who were friends, other collectors and advisors. I have an instinctual sense about the works I buy &#8211; I usually know immediately what I want and I don’t question it &#8211; even though the why is not always clear. I recently acquired a small painting by Mia Middleton from Roberts Projects which I’m excited to hang on my salon wall. There is always something sinister afoot in Mia’s works and this one is no exception, in it her subject holds a red apple. The apple is the focus of the painting and for me symbolizes fertility and desire. However, how I program the gallery is more purposeful than my personal collection. It takes into account the artists that I have had the opportunity to work with over my years as a Director and new emerging voices that I am exposed to now. 
How was your first Nada experience and what other fairs will you be participating in this year?
I am a huge fan of NADA &#8211; I love that they represent an association of galleries that fosters the idea of community at its center bringing together gallerists, artists and collectors from around the globe. It was great to be presenting work under my own name at the fair for the first time, and for our inaugural presentation, I asked three generations of female artists to respond to the themes of “coming-of-age”. It felt very apropos for my first fair! This year we also plan to exhibit at Felix Art Fair in LA during Frieze Week, Expo Chicago, Aspen Art Fair and the inaugural edition of Untitled Houston. 
 
Many congrats! A lot going on for you in 2025! 
Yes, I am so excited for our January exhibitions which include solo exhibitions by Vienna-based Philip Mueller and Paris-based Flora Temnouche, and a group exhibition curated by Los Angeles based artist Mindy Shapero. Mindy and I have worked together for many years and I am in awe of her incredible studio practice all while raising her two children. Mindy’s exhibition will be the third artist curated project that the gallery has held and it feels extra special given that Mindy is organizing the exhibition around her MICA professor Ken Tisa. Ken has influenced hundreds of working artists and it feels lovely that Mindy is honoring his legacy through an exhibition that brings together those that he has inspired throughout his career. 
 
At newcube, we work with young collectors who look up to more seasoned collectors and we are always on the lookout for new artists. What advice would you give a collector who’s just starting? 
I’d say, see as much art in person as possible. My advice to any young collector is to choose a couple of different galleries who represent artists that are of interest. Follow their programs, learn from their directors and start to acquire works by the artists that they represent. By aligning yourself with a few galleries you can begin to foster a relationship with them and their artists, as well as get to know other collectors who support the gallery who can then expose you to new artists. 
We couldn’t agree more. There is something about building your own community within the collector, gallery and artist communities while supporting each other. Since you work closely with many artists, some emerging, others more mid-career or established, you know how challenging it can be for an artist to stand out and succeed. What would the top 3 advice you would give to up and coming artists today? 
That’s a great question. Most importantly, 1. be in the studio and create; 2. visit the galleries you are interested in showing at. Become part of their ecosystem! The more you are seen by them the more apt they are to think of you when programming for their next exhibitions. 3. find a gallerist who can be your partner throughout your career. I always admire artists who have life-long friendships and lasting relationships with their gallerists. Lastly, 4. I’ve heard a lot of artists discuss how social media can be distracting to their practice and in this vein I think it’s important as an artist to not be influenced by it, but rather to utilize social media as a marketing tool for their own work. 
Would you have any advice to share with someone looking to open their own art gallery? 
Ensure you have a strong community of artists, collectors, writers, curators, and other gallerists who support you and your vision. I am lucky enough to be friends with other peers of mine who are starting their own galleries at the same time, and it seems special that we are all supporting each other.
Opening my own gallery is like having a second child &#8211; I like to say it’s my biggest achievement since having my son. 
Well, I wish you and both your babies the very best for many many years to come. I’m very excited to see the gallery grow, and to come see you at Felix!

Los Angeles is lucky to have such a strong art community. We spoke to Megan Mulrooney, a few months after the opening of her eponymous gallery on Sunset. Mulrooney shares with us about her love for LA and her passion for creating intergenerational dialogue. 

WOMEN IN THE ARTS: Megan Mulrooney,  a rising voice of the LA art scene

WOMEN IN THE ARTS: Megan Mulrooney, a rising voice of the LA art scene

Anne Parke (left) and Danielle Falls (right)

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One of the greatest joys of working in the art world today is the opportunity to cross paths with inspiring, authentic, and passionate women. Over the years, we’ve formed lasting friendships that are as much a part of our professional journey as the art we collect and champion. Anne Parke and Danielle Falls, an art advisor-collector duo who are also close friends, are a perfect example of how the personal and professional can beautifully intertwine. Their partnership is a testament to the idea that the most meaningful collaborations in the art world often blossom from genuine relationships, where trust and shared values transcend traditional boundaries. In their case, the lines between friendship and business are not only blurred but enriched—creating a dynamic that is both professional and deeply personal, and a true reflection of the power of connection in this field.
With <a href="https://www.artbasel.com/miami-beach/general-tickets?gad_source=1&#038;gclid=CjwKCAiA0rW6BhAcEiwAQH28IuW79uXAViuQqH1rkAE6jvgv4YjRx5_n0wOc0RL6OcV3Dd5oPMPfexoCt8kQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Art Basel</a> opening in Miami this week, our founder Bibi Zavieh reconnected with Anne and Danielle. We took a moment to reflect on our respective journeys into the art world—how we arrived, why we stay, and how it’s shaped who we are. Anne and Danielle shared how they support artists and how the art world has become an integral part of their lives. This reunion is a reminder that we’re not just participants; we are connected to something much larger—an ever-evolving conversation that continues to inspire, challenge, and define us.
Bibi Zavieh: Thank you both so much for taking the time to chat. One thing the three of us share is that art became something we knew we couldn’t live without from a young age. Anne and myself are also both art historians. Now, in our respective careers, our passion for art and for supporting artists is deeply woven into what we do. I&#8217;d love to hear how each of you found your way into the art world—what was the spark that brought you here?
Danielle Falls: My journey into the art world began in childhood, with trips to New York City to explore exhibitions. In college, while studying Art History, I spent weekends visiting galleries and traveling to see shows—experiences that solidified my deep appreciation for the creative energy art brings. Early on, I focused on collecting smaller works and editions from artists I admired, gradually expanding my collection as my career as a lawyer allowed me to acquire larger pieces. Beyond collecting, my involvement has grown through serving on boards and museum groups, such as at the Bronx Museum, and collaborating with artists and clients who share a similar passion. These experiences have not only enriched my understanding of the art world, but also shaped my perspective on the vital connections that drive this community.
Anne Parke: I studied Art History and International Studies at the University of Richmond and I had internships in New York at the Asian American Arts Centre and the International Monuments Fund. After a few years working as an assistant at financial institutions, I knew I wanted to transition to the commercial gallery world. I exhaustively started calling and emailing everyone I knew with a connection in the art world. I saved up for a flight to Miami during the fairs, slept on a couch in an AirBNB with probably 6 other people. I accepted every meeting, every coffee, really any introduction that I thought would help lead me to a role at a gallery. One of those meetings was with Eleanor Acquavella, who then very kindly forwarded my resume to Kristine Bell, senior partner at David Zwirner. The stars aligned that at that moment she was looking for a second sales assistant and Kristine hired me! I worked for and learned from her for the following three years.
BZ: A few years ago, you two were introduced through a mutual friend, and since then, you&#8217;ve built a close friendship that&#8217;s clearly rooted in your shared passion for the arts. Anne, as an art advisor, and Danielle, as a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and now a collector, how do you support one another in both your professional roles and your personal successes?
DF: Anne’s expertise and sharp eye for identifying meaningful works immediately impressed me. Over the years, she has been instrumental in shaping my collection and introducing me to artists and galleries that align perfectly with my vision. What truly sets our relationship apart is how we champion each other’s growth and successes, both professionally and personally. As my art advisor, Anne knows my taste intimately, which allows for an honest and collaborative working relationship that I deeply value.
AP: I’ll never forget the first time I met Danielle for a drink at Temple Bar a few years ago. After probably 10 minutes of getting to know each other, this young woman was already telling me (actually almost yelling at me) how to pivot my skill set into setting myself up for financial success within a 3-5 year time frame. She was genuinely confused why I wasn’t consulting, sitting on boards, expanding my advisory. I remember leaving drinks feeling so inspired by this person I barely knew, but with whom I shared a lot of values and perspectives. Since then, Danielle has helped manifest all those things for me: through her introductions, I now consult on the art for the member’s only club People’s in Greenwich Village, I have joined the board of the Bronx Museum, and my advisory has expanded at a pace I can barely keep up with the referrals. In turn, I always refer any client or friend to Danielle’s legal services. She’s helped so many of my gallery and artist friends, as well as my contacts beyond the art world. We both prioritize each other’s professional endeavors and successes. 
BZ: This is truly wonderful—women supporting each other with such genuine care. It&#8217;s such a powerful key to success and to building a strong, thriving community. Both of you are involved with the Bronx Museum, particularly its Acquisition Committee. How did you each become involved, and how do you contribute to the museum’s accessibility and ongoing success? For others looking to engage, what’s the best way to get involved with the Bronx Museum?
DF: I joined the <a href="https://bronxmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Bronx Museum</a> as a trustee two years ago and nominated Anne to become a trustee last year. As chair of the acquisitions committee, I had the privilege of restarting it after nearly a decade of inactivity. Anne has been a tremendous support, serving as a committee member alongside an incredible group of women I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with professionally in recent years.
For anyone looking to get involved, the Bronx Museum welcomes people who are passionate about art and accessibility. Whether through memberships, donations, or volunteering, there are so many ways to support the museum and its mission to make art available to everyone.
AP: There are so many ways to support this incredible institution, starting with our Emerging Patrons group. We endeavored to form a group of members who are curious about art and community engagement and who also want to have fun hanging out with each other as we explore the museum and surrounding art world. We intentionally programmed events for smaller groups so that each member of Emerging Patrons could talk to one another and engage directly with artists, curators, and gallerists. Annual membership is significantly less than the larger museums in other boroughs and we are still delivering knock-out programming. From studio tours to gallery walks, gala after-parties and salon presentations, every member knows that attending an Emerging Patrons event will be genuinely fun and fulfilling. 
BZ: The Bronx Museum’s mission of being at the intersection of art and social justice, truly empowers the community. I love seeing how the collection has evolved in recent years and how it focuses on artists of African, Asian, and Latin American ancestry, and artists who live(d) and/or work(ed) in the Bronx and for whom the Bronx has been critical to their artistic practice and development. 
The three of us also share a genuine interest in supporting and championing the works of emerging artists. At newcube, we are proud to champion up and coming artists globally by providing them key career guidance, by connecting them to curators and galleries and by placing their works in reputable collections. Anne, who are some of the artists you’ve recently placed in Danielle’s collection? 
AP: I am constantly looking at art in any way possible: reading, visiting galleries, attending art fairs, even friends’ apartments spur beautiful discoveries of artists. By now I know Danielle’s taste and we have worked a lot on the direction of her collection. I am thrilled by her recent acquisitions of works by Stephanie H. Shih, Hasani Sahlehe, Sylvie Hayes-Wallace, Justin Chance, and Y. Malik Jalal.

Y. Malik Jalal
Let me hold something (1 & 2), 2023. Courtesy of the artist. 

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BZ: Danielle, can you tell us more about your art collection?
DF: My collection focuses on emerging and traditionally underrepresented artists, particularly those from minority backgrounds. I’m passionate about supporting entire gallery programs, rather than just selecting one or two artists.
The first piece I purchased this year was a sculpture by vanessa german titled For Honoring Sexual Desire and Kink and my most recent acquisition is a quilt by Justin Chance from Tara Downs Gallery. Interestingly, both pieces feature ladybugs, which hold special meaning for me. A few years ago, my closest friend encouraged me to choose a spirit animal—a creature that symbolizes qualities or guidance I identify with. I chose the ladybug, which is often associated with protection, luck, and renewal. Ever since, I’ve been drawn to artworks that incorporate them.
I’m always on the lookout for works that resonate emotionally or conceptually—there’s something thrilling about discovering new talent and connecting deeply with their vision. My wishlist today include artists like Kim Dacras, Reverend Joyce Mcdonald, Clotide Jiminez, and Eduardo Sarabia, to name a few. 
BZ: As young collectors living in New York, we know how wall space can be a challenge. Danielle, do you display all the artworks you&#8217;ve acquired in your home, or do you get creative with how you store or rotate pieces in your collection? Any tips for managing and showcasing art when space is -somewhat- limited?
DF: I don’t live with all of my artworks, but I try to avoid traditional storage as much as possible. While I do have a storage unit with the exceptional team at SRI for particularly large or challenging pieces, my preference is to keep the collection dynamic and accessible. I often loan works to friends, with the only stipulation being that they carry insurance for the piece while it’s in their care. I’m also exploring the idea of creating a kind of “rotating home gallery series” across the city—where, once or twice a month, people could visit my friends’ homes and experience the works that are part of the Falls collection in intimate and unexpected settings.

vanessa german, For Honoring Sexual Desire and Kink, 2022. Courtesy of the artist. 

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BZ: That’s such a cool idea! I can&#8217;t wait for this to happen! What advice would you give a young professional looking to acquire their first artwork?
DF: For new collectors, my first piece of advice would be to immerse yourself in the art world — see as much as you can and spend time exploring the local art scene. Visit galleries, attend openings, talk to artists and curators. The more exposure you have, the better you’ll understand what resonates with you.
Working with someone like Anne as an advisor is invaluable. A good advisor brings expertise, deep connections, and a nuanced understanding of the market, which can help guide your decisions, especially early on. In the collecting process, seeing a work in person is ideal — it’s hard to replicate the physical presence of a piece digitally. That said, if you trust your advisor and they have an intimate understanding of your preferences, it’s not always necessary.
AP: The top piece of advice for someone looking to acquire their first artwork or their 100th artwork will always be to buy what you love. The next piece of advice is to just LOOK at as much art as possible &#8211; look at what else the artist is making, look at what the contemporaries of that artist are making. The more art you see at galleries and museums and fairs, the more your brain will recognize and understand which pieces you are drawn to and why. I don’t think you need to see an artwork in person before acquiring it, especially if you have seen other examples of the artist’s work, and that is where the trust comes into the advisor dynamic. There have been times where I call Danielle from a gallery or an art fair and ask “Can I confirm this sale for you, I know you need this for your collection” and she trusts my eye and my relationships with galleries enough to say yes. 
BZ: Trust is key when advising collectors. It&#8217;s ideal when it becomes a genuine friendship along the way. How do you think one can cohesively bring pieces together from different artists? 
AP: Danielle and I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about her collection as a whole, and which artists make sense for her interests. Truly we spend hours strategizing over her artist wishlist, mapping out intentional acquisitions for upcoming exhibitions and fairs while also allowing room for artist discovery. I think the most important thing you can do when building a collection is taking the time to think about what you like and why. Once you understand that foundation and intention, navigating the overwhelming amount of shows and booths will become significantly more manageable. I also like to remind my clients that taste and interest can change and as a result it is natural for a collection to change in direction too. It’s what actually makes art collecting an engaging and fulfilling lifelong experience. 
BZ: Everyone is down in Miami this week for the last crazy week of the year! Can you both tell us about your upcoming plans this week in Miami? 
DF: The <a href="https://www.newartdealers.org/" target="_blank">NADA</a> closets &#8211; It’s one of my favorite parts of Miami Art Week because I’ve found some of my best pieces there at incredibly accessible prices. The key, though, is being there in person — you can’t buy these works from a preview. The thrill of discovery and those unexpected finds make it such a rewarding experience.
AP: I definitely look forward to NADA every year &#8211; I absolutely love the possibility of discovery, and I feel the galleries really deliver on bringing excellent presentations of their program. I am also looking forward to the Bronx Museum Monday Night Welcome dinner where I can spend quality time with other board members and museum staff. But the highlight of the week will be the dinner on Thursday night! Danielle and I founded an art insurance brokerage, Nail to Nail, and we are cohosting a dinner with SRI Fine Art Services. We cannot wait to share Nail to Nail with everyone and to support our friends at SRI. 
BZ: Many congratulations on launching Nail to Nail! Can you share advice to a young collector attending Art Basel Miami for the first time? 
DF: Take the time to see everything, even when you’re feeling tired or overstimulated. The sheer volume of art can be overwhelming, but it’s also what makes Art Basel Miami such an incredible experience. Push through, stay curious, and allow yourself the time to discover pieces or artists that truly resonate with you. Sometimes, the most rewarding finds come when you least expect them.
AP: It is near impossible not to be overwhelmed your first time at Miami art week, so I recommend staying grounded and reminding yourself of your initial intentions. I love starting my mornings with a run on the boardwalk and a quick dip in the ocean to clear my head. It helps me to focus when I later walk into the mania of the fairs and events. Also for all first timers: if you are taking a photo of an artwork on a booth, remember the next photo immediately needs to be the caption label or booth sign with the gallery name. I promise you will not remember where you saw that one artwork when you’re scrolling through hundreds of photos later. Make this a habit every time you see art. 
BZ: Love the caption advice, Anne! And, my piece of advice: recharge on Vitamin D and manage your FOMO! Thank you both so much for your time, and see you all soon in Miami!

Art Basel Miami Beach. Courtesy of Art Basel.

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One of the greatest joys of working in the art world today is the opportunity to cross paths with inspiring, authentic, and passionate women. With Art Basel opening in Miami this week, our founder Bibi Zavieh reconnected with advisor-collector duo Anne Parke and Danielle Falls. 

WOMEN IN THE ARTS: Building a Collection that Supports Emerging Artists

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Born in 1992 in Seoul, South Korea, Arang Choi lives and works in Vienna, Austria.

Born in 1992 in Seoul, South Korea, Arang Choi lives and works in Vienna, Austria. A recent graduate of Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts under famed professors such as Daniel Richter, Choi’s body of work interrogates our understanding of existence. Her signature anthropomorphic and mythical creature, called Emulb (meaning "Flower" in reverse German) appears in a variety of forms throughout Choi’s work. This hybrid alter ego invokes a metaphysical notion of animism that positions humans, animals and nature on equal planes. Otherworldly and fantastical, Choi’s compositions bring together the definable and undefinable in a narrative of mystical fiction inspired by her infinite dream stage. Choi's works are featured in collections internationally, and were recently acquired by the permanent collection of a leading art institution in Vienna, Austria.

Arang Choi

Born in 2001 in Ulaan Ude, Buriad-Mongolia, Yuma Radne lives and works in London, UK.

Born in 2001 in Ulaan Ude, Buriad-Mongolia, Yuma Radne currently lives and works in London, UK where she is completing her degree at Slade School of Art. Radne previously studied in Saint Petersburg and Vienna. Her work explores the relationship between humans and nature, and narrates the connection between the two. Mythological, fantastical, energetic and incredibly unique, Radne creates her own myths to explore, and operates with the idea that nothing is supposed to have an answer and anything can be any color you want it to be.

Yuma Radne

Born in 1997 in Shenzhen, China Baoying Huang lives and works in Long Island City, NY.

Born in 1997 in Shenzhen, China, Baoying Huang lives and works in Long Island City, NY. Huang uses art as a portal to tell her story of living between two cultures: being a citizen of China, and a resident of the U.S. Living in the ongoing pandemic and the antagonism between the two nations, Huang’s paintings depict the compartmentalized environments that she lives in, and her emotional connection with domestic themes as she raises questions about the meaning of home.

Huang considers her paintings as containers of “nomad” thoughts. The aspiration of wanting to express herself through language and conversation is compromised and compressed into painting materials and visual forms. Colors in these paintings are filtered and dimmed, which points to a sense of coldness she observes in her repetitive living patterns during the pandemic– being trapped in a humanless land and only able to see the traces she left in a space. The distinction between the air-tight surface and scratchy brush marks represents the paradox between hyperrealism and a gauzy, blurred romanticism. Huang believes in the power of painting because of its open-endedness communication. She is pointing at the mundane which all human beings can perceive, and hopes the spark in the dark can eventually make a good blaze. Painting is a practice to process the melancholy that comes from the present disconnect and allergy to the past; painting is Huang’s reconciliation to the outside world and the reflection of the internal mind.

Baoying Huang

Born in 1988 in Tehran, Iran, Reihaneh Hosseini lives and works in Vienna, Austria.

Born in 1988 in Tehran, Iran, Reihaneh Hosseini lives and works in Vienna.

Born and raised in Tehran, Hosseini studied philosophy before emigrating to Vienna in 2014, where she currently resides. Trained under Austrian abstract artists including Christian Schwarzwald and Gunter Damisch, Reihaneh soon returned to figurative painting, her favored style for reflecting on the world that surrounds her. As a storyteller, she is inspired by her friends and her everyday life experiences, yet she portrays them with a dysmorphic rendition, exaggerated proportions, grotesque, and distorted features, and an incongruous palette. Her strong sense of corporeality coupled with the absurdity of the scenes that she depicts reveal a psycho-emotional approach to life and painting. The figures that populate her works oscillate between beauty and ugliness, they have a cartoonish appearance that adds a glimpse of humor and playfulness to her compositions, yet they are imbued with philosophical subtleties. Hosseini’s paintings take us to a dreamlike world where each of her characters evokes our unconscious thoughts, our inner child, as well as our mental and social imagery.

Reihaneh Hosseini

Born in 1993 in Lisbon, Portugal, Pedro Ruxa lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.

Born in 1993 in Lisbon, Portugal, Pedro Ruxa lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.

Ruxa is enamored with painting and inspired by words. It is through painting, but also through objects and bits and pieces of poems that Ruxa attempts to communicate with his senses and sensibility. His works create an intimate dialogue, be it actually between himself and the paint, or us and the words. Through a reconstructed language that is his own, shapes, colors, letters, and sentences become his subject matter. Ruxa constantly creates ever-changing clouds of words and imagery and sticks them on his studio walls, making them the starting point to his oeuvre. Yet, he simultaneously explores the restraints of this same language: what is happening before or after what we see? The more Ruxa tends to take control over his words, his sight, and his emotions, the more he is unable to contain it within the realm of comprehension. But all this is exactly at the core of his aesthetic language and it is undeniably touching, both visually and emotionally.

Pedro Ruxa

Born in 1992 in Seattle, Washington, Brandon Elijah Johnson lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Born in 1992 in Seattle, Washington, Brandon Elijah Johnson lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

As we step into Johnson's world, somewhere between imagination and reality, we become a part of his visual diary. A collector of images, from photographs found on the internet to snapshots taken with his phone, Johnson reinterprets familiar ordinary scenes in his paintings and drawings, perhaps in an attempt to freeze a moment in time. He takes reference images from his direct environment and intentionally - or not - offers a representative picture of today’s world. His vivid compositions draw from pop culture, embrace pastiche, and remain attached to the here and now. As part of a generation willingly returning to figurative painting, Johnson moves away from pure representation, at times infusing a touch of playfulness, and distancing himself from painterly conventions. Between fiction and documentary reality, Johnson’s works reveal a part of our collective memory.

Brandon Elijah Johnson

Born in 1977 in Helsinki, Finland, Elina Salminen lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.

Born in 1977 in Helsinki, Finland, Elina Salminen lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.

Salminen’s works are hybrid. They are both paintings and objects, sculptures and installations, light and shadow, floating and barely palpable, yet we are drawn to unveil what lies behind them or else, within the color itself. Salminen surprises us as viewers and we question what we see. Her works play with space and time, they move beyond the surface and reflect on her fascination with color as an intangible source of light. With her paintings, Salminen delicately applies monochromatic hues on edges and corners, then covers the emptiness with translucent materials such as cloth or glass. There is no paint on the surface of the painting, only a reflection of the color that hides behind. Utterly romantic, her works engage us in a conversation about protection and warmth. They are abstracted minimalist compositions that entail infinite meanings, each altered with time and space.

Elina Salminen

Born in 1987, Nick Farhi lives and works in New York, NY.

Nick Farhi (b. 1987, New York) is an artist, poet, and theorist. 

Developing a wonky and uniquely a-skewed visual grammar through the labor of painting, Farhi's works are often large scale representational oil paintings that depict everyday objects and reflect on the rhythm of life. Through an interplay between visual research, spanning from found imagery and autobiographical photography, to an internal intuition for cinematic figuration, Farhi makes his painterly mark by elevating ordinary objects to the status of memento mori. A piano, a glass or a coffee machine become symbolic tropes that act as a reminder of the inevitability of nostalgia.

 

Nick Farhi

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Born in Tehran, Iran in 1983, Home Arkani lives and works in Brussels, Belgium. With a MFA from KASK University in Gent, Belgium, Arkani’s artistic journey reflects profound socio-cultural concerns. Initially focusing on figurative paintings related to social issues, particularly those affecting women, Homa’s oeuvre is a testament to her personal journey as a woman and an artist, deeply influenced by luminaries such as Rumi, Peter Bruegel, Hieronymus Bosch, and Van Gogh. Her monochromatic work draws parallels between the strength and resilience of women and the nurturing aspects of nature. Creating dreamlike landscapes that reminisce body shapes or female attributes, she playfully approaches reality until it becomes abstract. 

Homa Arkani

Drawing

Untitled (I Cover Whom I Love)

Dye on canvas (Batik) 
2024
Rachel Hakimian Emenaker's artistic practice and personal life have been shaped by navigating the tension and beauty that come when cultures and traditions collide. Bridging East and the West in a multicultural home, she is inspired by her Armenian-Syrian heritage, her American citizenship, and an upbringing in Suriname and Russia that immersed her in conflicting narratives, aesthetics, and histories. 
In her batiks, she explores diaspora through architecture in recreated spaces. The batik practice that she uses stems from her childhood in Suriname, a former Dutch colony. In the 19th century, Dutch colonizers brought Javanese indentured laborers to Suriname, along with their culture and artistic practices.

Rachel Hakimian Emenaker, born in 1992 in Los Angeles where she currently lives and works, is an artist whose practice deeply engages with the complexities of diasporic identity and memory. Drawing from her Armenian Syrian heritage, American citizenship, and an upbringing in Suriname and Russia, her work navigates the intersections of diverse cultural narratives, aesthetics, and histories. Her art focuses on architecture and space as a vessel for collective memory, exploring how both can be markers of migration and erasure. Spanning across mediums from batik fabrics to stacked ceramics and monumental beadwork, her work combines traditional Eastern and Western art forms with craft practices. By recreating symbolic spaces, in which erasure of collective memory and experience of migration collide, she reflects on the global history of trade routes and their influence on cultural exchange. A recent graduate of UCLA’s MFA program, Rachel Hakimian Emenaker has shown her works in solo and group exhibitions including in the 25 under 25 exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego. Most recently, she was the recipient of the Dedalus Foundation MFA Fellowship, and her works have been acquired by prominent collections. 

Rachel Hakimian Emenaker

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Untitled (Los Angeles)

Oil on canvas 
2023
From her Émulb series, Arang Choi paints a fluid, physical world where emotions play a central role and style and appearance remain secondary. The figures Choi depicts appear exposed, vulnerable and skeptical of their own existence, and can trigger an ambivalent relationship between empathy and strangeness.

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Oil on Canvas 
2021
Baoying Huang is a citizen of China who has been living in the US for over 7 years. Through painting, she tells her story as a young woman living between two cultures. Her paintings depict the compartmentalized environments she lives in, and they reveal her emotional connection to domestic themes as she asks herself what the meaning of home is. With a play on reflection, on inside/outside and a depiction of the normal objects that surround her, Huang builds herself an aesthetic universe that has become her home.

6 P.M.

Oil on linen mounted on panel 
2022
In found midcentury photographs, clichés like suburban cowboys appear as American kitsch, almost comforting in their familiarity. Artist Meghan Murray examines these motifs, parsing out Kodachrome color cast, pouring over the 35 mm slide memories of a stranger with both nostalgia and a cold disaffection. Murray finds herself complicit in a history written by the figures in these photos. In this work, Murray reimagines the humor and warmth of the Christmas season, and the obsession with the western television genre, especially during the 1960s and 1970s. In elevating a discarded snapshot to the historical context of painting and by engaging with the snapshot as both archival object and image, Murray encourages critical viewing of emblematic themes. The titles Murray uses for her works are found in the New York Times archives, from the same year that the original photo was printed, in a way to challenge the temporality - or lack thereof - in the image.

With a certificate of authenticity signed by the Artist.

Born in 1994 in Massachussets, Waltham-based Meghan Murray received her BS in Studio Art from Skidmore College in 2016 and her MFA in Painting from Boston University in 2022. Her representational painting practice embodies and simultaneously intervenes upon historical tradition. Murray’s oeuvre is a continued investigation into intergenerational American ideals and clichés as viewed in the mid-century family photo album. Her paintings examine her preoccupation with nostalgia as she finds inspiration in midcentury photographs that she collects. She is a recipient of the 2022 Blanche E. Colman award for New England artists and was awarded second place in the 2023 Miami University Young Painters competition by juror John Yau. Murray currently lives and works in Waltham, MA.



Meghan Murray

President and Family Spend Quiet Christmas in Capital (December 26, 1968)

Oil on canvas 
2022
A collector of images, from photographs found on the internet to snapshots taken with his phone, Brandon Elijah Johnson typically reinterprets a familiar or an ordinary scene, perhaps in an attempt to freeze a moment in time.

Claire's Knee

Oil on canvas 
2022
In Three Women, Reihaneh Hosseini once again pushes boundaries forward, tainted with humor and cynicism. A selfportrait, Hosseini stands proud alongside two of her closest friends from the LBGTQ community back in her native Iran. Their somewhat deranged and melancholic appearance is a reflection of how the conservative society in which they live - or rather survive - perceives them. There's something purposefully disturbing, yet a peaceful and tender affection between the figures seems obvious. These figures are not erotic objects, rather Hosseini speaks against genderism, and in favor of humanity. A contemporary take on The Three Graces, the artist and her friends - like Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia - each bestow a particular gift on humanity, but with a twist. They become a metaphor for a complex approach to gender identity: the artist herself is heterosexual, yet still on a journey exploring her sexual identity, while her friends are respectively lesbian and transexual. How do they fit - as human beings - in their contemporary society, and in particular within the restrained and overly restricted Iranian community?

Three Women

Acrylic on wood and Cotton cloth 
2020
In Finnish, Kangastus means 'mirage' or 'illusion' and Kangas refers to the 'cloth'. The title of the painting, therefore, brings together two defining aspects of Salminen’s work, the illusion and perception of color with the delicate cloth that reflects light. As part of an intimate series created by Salminen, this work epitomises how the artist plays around with both the visible and the invisible.

Arang Choi

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Untitled (I Cover Whom I Love)

Untitled (Los Angeles)

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Our Artists

Arang Choi

Artist from Vienna, Austria

Yuma Radne

Artist from London, UK

Baoying Huang

Artist from Long Island City, NY

Reihaneh Hosseini

Artist from Vienna, Austria

Pedro Ruxa

Artist from Brussels, Belgium

Brandon Elijah Johnson

Artist from Brooklyn, NY

Elina Salminen

Artist from Brussels, Belgium

Nick Farhi

Artist from New York, NY

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