28 APRIL - 1 MAY LIVE STREAMED 2 MAY - 31 MAY ON DEMAND
4 DAYS | 30 EVENTS | 100 SPEAKERS
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WELCOME Welcome to the sixth annual Future Now Symposium. I am so pleased to bring you this unique livestreamed and virtual event. The Future Now Symposium is an exploration of 21st century culture through the mechanism of contemporary art. This multi-disciplinary festival brings together key institutions, galleries, publications and artists for discussion surrounding the most pressing issues from today’s creative industries. We are thrilled with this year’s masterclasses and additional industry sessions such as expert portfolio reviews and opportunities to meet the shortlisted artists from this year’s Aesthetica Art Prize. Hear from headliners Jane & Louise Wilson, Bieke Depoorter and Shirin Neshat, as well as over 100 other speakers from across the globe. Join representatives from prestigious institutions such as MoMA, High Museum, Fondazione Prada, Tate, Serpentine, Arts Council England, Gagosian, New Museum, Brooklyn Museum, International Center of Photography, Leica Galleries, ICA Boston, MASS MoCA and British Council, as well as individual artists Fahamu Pecou, George Byrne, Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Athi-Patra Ruga and more. The 2021 Symposium is particularly special as it coincides with the 100th issue of Aesthetica, an edition focused on idea generation and artists who are contributing to global discourse surrounding visual culture. We dedicate the first day of the Symposium to celebrate the issue, bringing the magazine to life. Future Now 2021 also ties into the 14th edition of the Aesthetica Art Prize, with the prestigious winner announcements at the end of May as a final live event for the month. You will be able to access everything On Demand until 31 May from any device or your Smart TV. I hope that you enjoy Future Now, and that you are able to join us in person this summer at York Art Gallery to see the Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition. Cherie Federico Director, Aesthetica 1
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL Log-in to Stream Live
09:00
SESSION 1 WELCOME ADDRESS 09:00-09:15
10:00
SESSION 2 09:30 - 10:30 MEET THE FOUNDERS OF AESTHETICA
11:00
SESSION 3 11:00-12:00 PLAYING WITH TRADITION: HASSAN HAJJAJ
12:00 13:00 14:00
SESSION 4 12:30-13:30 TRANSFORMING THE EVERYDAY: CIG HARVEY
SESSION 5 14:00-15:00 ARTIFICIAL LIGHT: A CATALYST FOR INNOVATION
15:00 16:00 17:00
SESSION 6 15:30-16:30 CINEMATIC STORYTELLING: ALEX PRAGER
SESSION 7 17:00-18:00 IMAGES THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE SEE THE WORLD
18:00 19:00 20:00
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SESSION 8 18:30-19:30 RECLAIMING THE LENS: KRISS MUNSYA
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: THURSDAY 29 APRIL Log-in to Stream Live
09:00 10:00 11:00
SESSION 9 WELCOME ADDRESS 09:00-09:15
SESSION 10 09:30 - 10:30 DOCUMENTARY & ETHICS: WHEN IS IT YOUR STORY TO TELL?
SESSION 11 11:00-12:00 ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY: HOW CAN IMAGES SAVE US?
12:00 13:00 14:00
SESSION 12 12:30-13:30 ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES: WHAT’S AVAILABLE POST-PANDEMIC?
SESSION 13 14:00-15:00 AESTHETICA ART PRIZE MEET THE ARTISTS (1)
15:00 16:00 17:00
SESSION 14 15:30-16:30 ARCHITECTURE OF THE FUTURE: AWARD-WINNING DESIGN
SESSION 15 17:00-18:00 CURATING DURING A TIME OF CHANGE: PART I
18:00 19:00 20:00
SESSION 16 18:15-19:15 CUT, PASTE, POST: THE CONVERGENCE OF FINE ART & SOCIAL MEDIA SESSION 17 19:30-20:30 AGENCY, OWNERSHIP AND IDENTITY: BIEKE DEPOORTER
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: FRIDAY 30 APRIL Log-in to Stream Live
09:00 10:00 11:00
SESSION 18 WELCOME ADDRESS 09:00-09:15
SESSION 19 09:30 - 10:30 NEW AUSTRALIAN ART: GEOGRAPHY, PERSPECTIVE AND GENRE
SESSION 20 11:00-12:00 DIGITAL ECOLOGIES: THREE-DIMENSIONAL STORYTELLING
12:00 13:00 14:00
SESSION 21 12:30-13:30 THE BUSINESS OF ART: THE FUTURE OF COLLECTING
SESSION 22 14:00-15:00 WOMEN STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS: RESHAPING THE CANON
15:00 16:00 17:00
SESSION 23 15:30-16:30 AESTHETICA ART PRIZE MEET THE ARTISTS (2)
SESSION 24 17:00-18:00 CURATING DURING A TIME OF CHANGE: PART II
18:00 19:00 20:00
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SESSION 25 18:15-19:15 BREAKING THE MOULD: WOMEN SCULPTORS SINCE 1945 SESSION 26 19:30-20:30 REDEFINING NARRATIVE: JANE & LOUISE WILSON
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: SATURDAY 1 MAY Log-in to Stream Live
09:00 10:00
SESSION 27 WELCOME ADDRESS 09:15-09:30
SESSION 28 10:00-11:00 BEYOND EACH HORIZON IS ANOTHER: ATHI-PATRA RUGA
11:00 12:00 13:00
SESSION 29 11:30-12:30 CULTURAL RELATIONS: GLOBAL CHALLENGES
SESSION 30 13:00-14:00 DEEP FAKES: CONTROL AND SUBVERSION IN ART
14:00 15:00 16:00
SESSION 31 14:30-15:30 FINE ART, HIP HOP, POP CULTURE: FAHAMU PECOU
SESSION 32 16:00-17:00 AESTHETICA ART PRIZE MEET THE ARTISTS (3)
17:00 18:00 19:00
SESSION 33 17:30-18:30 TALES OF US: GLOBAL VISUAL NARRATIVES
SESSION 34 19:00-20:00 POLITICS AND IDENTITY: SHIRIN NESHAT IN CONVERSATION
20:00
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TICKETS & THIS YEAR’S FORMAT The Aesthetica Future Now Symposium finds a new home in an accessible online space for 2021. All content is available from the comfort of your home and is available to re-watch. To gain access to this year’s event, simply sign up to our online platform, purchase your pass, log-in and gain access to an expansive programme of films On Demand. The Symposium can be watched from your desktop computer, laptop, phone, TV, tablet and any other digital viewing device.
The Day Pass grants 24 hours of access to the symposium platform and includes all live events and recorded discussions available when you log in. Immerse yourself in our platform and try a selection of masterclasses. Valid for 24 hours from first log-in, and only includes sessions that have taken place at date of login. Ticket includes sign-up to portfolio reviews.
Gain access to the Future Now Symposium for the full duration of the event. This pass allows unlimited access to all daily live sessions and recorded content across the four days. This is your chance to hear from renowned artists, engage in discussion and learn something new. Ticket includes sign-up option to portfolio reviews with industry experts.
This all-inclusive pass grants the holder complete freedom within the Future Now platform for one month. Until 31 May, pass holders will have continued access to events On Demand Tune in live, re-watch your favourite talks or catch up on those you missed. Ticket includes sign-up to portfolio reviews with industry experts. Also includes access to over 100 Films.
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Film Still from WATA. Dir. Joy Yamusangie and Ronan Mckenzie. Official Selection, Artists’ Film, Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2020.
STREAM 100 FILMS
Film has the power to ignite, transform and change the world. It is rich in powerful storytelling, compelling narratives and ideas. Stream 100 Films from the Aesthetica Art Prize and Aesthetica Short Film Festival. Spanning Artists’ Film, Dance, Experimental and Documentary, these shorts focus on the topics that are the most meaningful, pressing and present in our world. Film is a way to understand the past, present and future, and we’re delighted to offer these expansive, innovative works as part of the platform.
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LIVE SESSIONS • • • • • •
Pass types include access to the Future Now live sessions. Live sessions are accessible through the online platform and are broadcast. Live events will feature a chat function, enabling visitors to ask questions. Live activity will take place between 28 April - 1 May. Sessions will be recorded and available On Demand the following day. Content will be available until 31 May. For full listings, visit our events page.
PORTFOLIO REVIEW SESSIONS The Portfolio Review Sessions at Future Now are for practitioners working across all forms and genres, including drawing and painting, photography and digital art, sculpture, design and three-dimensional art, video, installation and performance. Here, artists have the opportunity to book a Zoom slot with industry experts who can provide essential advice and guidance on your current practice and career progression opportunities. This is a unique chance for you to find out about ways to expand your practice. Booking Essential. Sessions last 20 minutes. Portfolio Reviewers can be found on p. 75.
100 FILMS TO STREAM • • • • •
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There are 100 films that will be screening online at the 2021 edition. Pass types grant access to film content. Programmes will be available On Demand 28 April - 31 May. Film screenings are given age certificate ratings and trigger warnings. Viewer discretion is advised. Full listings can be found on pg. 46.
ACCESSIBILITY The Aesthetica Future Now Symposium is committed to providing a safe and all-inclusive environment for all attendees. Please find more information about this below.
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Online Platform: In 2021, Future Now will take place virtually, allowing On Demand access to audiences from their own homes. The platform can be accessed on computers, smart TVs, smart phones and all tablet devices.
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Subtitled Screenings: Future Now is dedicated to ensuring that screenings are as accessible as possible. All foreign language films will include English subtitles.
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Speech to Text: In order to make our events inclusive and available to all audiences, we will be implementing speech-to-text captioning across all live activity.
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Carers, Personal Assistants & Interpreters: Complimentary passes are available to all Carers, Personal Assistants and Sign-Language Interpreters, but must be booked in advance. A proof of DLA or a valid CEA card is required. For more information, please contact the team.
FURTHER INFORMATION For all accessibility enquiries and adjustments, please contact the team: art-prize@aestheticamagazine.com
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Image Credit: Ruby Pluhar, Living Colour.
SESSIONS & EVENTS
FRIDAY 30 APRIL
VARIOUS TIMES | HOSTED BY: DENISE FAHMY
ADVICE SURGERY WITH ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND Arts Council England was set up in 1946, by Royal Charter, to champion and develop art and culture across the country. Denise Fahmy, Relationship Manager Visual Arts from Arts Council North, offers a series of unique and tailored advice surgeries. Each 30-minute session, offered on a 1:1 basis, gives individuals the opportunity to discuss the realities of funding applications and gain feedback on prospective projects, ideas and aspirations. Attendees can learn more about accessing the wider industry through the annual Arts Grants – open access funding programmes for practitioners and art organisations working in multiple media and at differing levels. You will need to fill out a pre-application form as places are limited.
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Image Credit: © Jim Poyner
SESSIONS & EVENTS
SESSIONS HELD EACH DAY
VARIOUS TIMES | LIST OF PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS ON PG. 75
PORTFOLIO REVIEWS: HOSTED BY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS These 1:1 sessions are for practitioners working across all different types of genres including drawing, painting, photography and digital media, sculpture, design and three-dimensional art, video, installation and performance. Whether you’re starting out in your career or already have gallery representation, our industry experts provide essential guidance on how to develop ideas and further your work, as well as providing insights on funding opportunities, applications and exhibitions across the globe. Reviewers for 2021 include representatives from Aesthetica, Gazelli Art House, British Journal of Photography, Fabrica, V&A, Acute Art, DYSPLA and Arts Council Collection, as well as award-winning artists.
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Alex Mitchell, Framing (2020). Courtesy of the artist
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 1 09:00-09:15 HOSTED BY: CHERIE FEDERICO, KATE SIMPSON
WELCOME ADDRESS: BRINGING THE MAGAZINE TO LIFE Cherie Federico, Director and Managing Editor of Aesthetica, and Kate Simpson, Associate Editor, kick off the 2021 Future Now Symposium with a Keynote Speech. On Day One, we are celebrating 100 issues of Aesthetica, marking 18 years of independent publishing. We bring the magazine to life through a variety of features from the momentous 100th issue as well as special archive editions. In this session, Federico and Simpson will consider what it takes to bring a magazine to life in 2021. How does the process work? What are we writing about, and why? How do we select artists? What elements do we consider when presenting the images together? Learn more about the production of independent print magazines and go behind the scenes.
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A selection of covers from Aesthetica’s archive.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 2 09:30-10:30 HOSTED BY: CHERIE FEDERICO, DALE DONLEY & KIT MONKMAN
AESTHETICA MAGAZINE: MEET THE FOUNDERS Aesthetica Magazine was founded in November 2002 when Dale Donley and Cherie Federico were students. It started on a Sunday. They did not have funding, a business plan or distribution. It was just an idea and a passion to engage with art and culture. The internet was dial up and social media didn’t exist. The magazine was started with flyers hung up around York city centre, asking for new work from writers and artists. Hear from the founders, and learn about their journey starting Aesthetica Magazine – how it has become one of the world’s leading publications for art and design with a reach of 500,000, as well as a platform for creativity across the Aesthetica Art Prize, Creative Writing Award and a BAFTA-Qualifying Film Festival.
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Dotted Peace, framed photography by ©Hassan Hajjaj, 2000/1421.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 3 11:00-12:00 HOSTED BY: HASSAN HAJJAJ & SKINDER HUNDAL
HASSAN HAJJAJ: PLAYING WITH TRADITION Hassan Hajjaj is a Moroccan-British photographer. Blending the glossy aesthetic of fashion shoots with Moroccan tradition and street culture, his bold, detailed images challenge culture-specific beliefs, predominantly western perceptions of the Hijab and female disempowerment in Islam. His alluring, multi-layered compositions fuse contemporary North African culture with familiar western iconography. They do so through appropriation, subversion and adaption, blurring boundaries through contrasting patterns – from stacked soup cans to Louis Vuitton prints. In conversation with Skinder Hundal, Director of Arts, British Council, Hajjaj reflects upon a neo-nomadic lifestyle and the relationships he has formed along the way.
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Cig Harvey, Sadie & The Moon. Courtesy of the artist.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 4 12:30-13:30 HOSTED BY: CIG HARVEY & ELISABETH AANES
CIG HARVEY: TRANSFORMING THE EVERYDAY Cig Harvey’s enchanting photography transforms the familiar themes of home, family, nature and time, uncovering cinematic moments in the ordinary movement of life. Born in Devon, Harvey now resides in Maine, USA, where she spends time writing and producing images of the natural world, as well as friends and family, to better understand their connected relationships. Her photographs are full of stark contrasts; vivid colours stand out against bleak backdrops, human hands intersect with nature and shadows dance across still domestic scenery. In conversation with Elisabeth Aanes, Director of Nord Photography, Harvey reflects upon her multi-faceted practice, an obsession with books, and her sense of wonder in the everyday.
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Vico Magistretti, manufactured by Artemide, Eclisse Table Lamp, designed 1966, made c. 1970, lacquered aluminum and bulb, private collection. © Archivio / Studio Magistretti—Fondazione Vico Magistretti.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 5 14:00-15:00 HOSTED BY: SARAH SCHLEUNING & CINDI STRAUSS
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT: A CATALYST FOR INNOVATION The impact of light is not to be underestimated. It affects what we do, how we feel, how we see and interact. Artificial light has made technical advancements possible. Where would we be without the humble light bulb? From the invention of the first electric light by British chemist Humphry Davy in 1808 to Phillips’ development of the “ultra efficient” light bulb in 2011, lighting technology has fascinated engineers, scientists, architects and designers worldwide. Electrifying Design: A Century of Lighting examines international lighting over the past 100 years as a catalyst for technological and artistic innovation. Sarah Schleuning, Dallas Museum of Art, and Cindi Strauss, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, talk more about the show.
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Alex Prager, Turnstile, 2019. Courtesy Alex Prager Studio and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul and London. © ALEX PRAGER.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 6 15:30-16:30 HOSTED BY: ALEX PRAGER & FIONNA FLAHERTY
ALEX PRAGER: CINEMATIC STORYTELLING Alex Prager is an artist and filmmaker who creates elaborately staged scenes that expose the often-overlooked aspects of everyday life and culture through complex layered narratives and fictionalised characters. The highly choreographed nature of her photographs and films exposes the way images are constructed and consumed in our media-saturated society. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, Vogue and New York Magazine, and has been exhibited all over the world. Prager joins Fionna Flaherty, Senior Director of Lehmann Maupin, for an illuminating discussion about her highly saturated narratives, the importance of storytelling, her view about an artist’s place in society and her transgression into filmmaking.
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Ryan Schude, Halloween, 2014.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 7 17:00-18:00 HOSTED BY: ELLIE DAVIES, KEVIN COOLEY, RYAN SCHUDE, YANNIS DAVY GUIBINGA, BROOKE DIDONATO & FIONA ROGERS
IMAGES THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE SEE THE WORLD Aesthetica Magazine is renowned for curation and for talent spotting. There is a certain visual aesthetic that defines what we do. We search for images that change the way we see the world and that invite viewers to explore a new set of possibilities and perspectives. How do you take a photograph in a new way? How do you create something original and authentic? How far can you push the ideas in order to create something that is captivating and contributes to wider discourse on image-making? Hear from some of our favourite photographers over the last 100 issues, including Ellie Davies, Kevin Cooley, Ryan Schude, Yannis Davy Guibinga and Brooke DiDonato. The discussion is led by Fiona Rogers, Webber Represents.
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Kriss Munsya, from The Eraser (2020). Courtesy of the artist.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL
SESSION 8 18:30-19:30 HOSTED BY: KRISS MUNSYA & RACHEL HAMILTON
KRISS MUNSYA: RECLAIMING THE LENS Kriss Munsya was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in Brussels. Here, nestled within a Euro-centric community, he was “confronted with his differences” early on. Discrimination and violence – experienced in early childhood – left a mark upon the artist, shrouding the construction of an authentic identity, leaving Munsya distanced from a sense of self. His photography has since between about translating the experience of detachment and disassociation, providing a critical reflection upon internalised social structures. Munsya discusses his practice in detail – considering the power that images have to reclaim identities and examine what Blackness means today. Munsya is in conversation with journalist Rachel Hamilton.
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Evan Sheehan, Peek, 2017. Model: Caroline Woodford. Location: Los Angeles, CA.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 9 09:00-09:15 HOSTED BY: CHERIE FEDERICO
KEYNOTE SPEECH: WELCOME ADDRESS Cherie Federico, Editor of Aesthetica Magazine, kicks off Day Two of Future Now with a Keynote Speech. Tune in to the Welcome Address and get set up for a day of inspiring live-streamed talks, film screenings and portfolio reviews. We’re excited to welcome attendees to our first ever virtual edition, taking place on the new online platform. Future Now is a destination for imaginative debates, panel discussions and career advice. Whilst we may be apart, we can still connect to the arts from home. Federico will foreground key sessions for the day ahead, including masterclasses on the future of documentary, panel discussions on artist opportunities and the start of our seminal curatorial panels with global institutions.
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Photo Credit: Alice Duncan, Black Holes.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 10 09:30-10:30 HOSTED BY: JESS CROMBIE, JENNIFER GOOD, PRATĀP RUGHANI & KAREN SHEPHERDSON
DOCUMENTARY & ETHICS: WHEN IS IT YOUR STORY TO TELL? We are fascinated by stories of others – people, landscapes, cultures. What role does the documentarian play in disseminating these narratives? Who is the author? How do we know that story has been authentically re-told through photography or film? What can we learn from history about the complexities of ethical storytelling, and not repeat mistakes of the past? How do practitioners ensure accurate representation of their subjects – one that’s responsible and accountable? London College of Communication’s Jess Crombie, Jennifer Good and Pratāp Rughani discuss how documentary can incite positive change. The conversation is led by Karen Shepherdson, Programme Director and Reader for Photography at LCC.
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Flow, 2019. Series, Beyond the Border: A Journey to Touba. Copyright © Maïmouna Guerresi Courtesy Mariane Ibrahim Gallery.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 11 11:00-12:00 HOSTED BY: KARIN KAUFMANN, LUCA LOCATELLI, GONÇALO FONSECA & MAIMOUNA GUERRESI
ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY: HOW CAN IMAGES SAVE US? The Leica Oskar Barnack Award is a prestigious annual prize acknowledging imagery that makes sense of humanity’s rapidly changing relationship with the environment. Previous winners have depicted the climate emergency across the globe, whilst exploring the metrics of social justice. In a year defined by responsibility and accountability – with the UN Climate change summit taking place this November – Karin Kaufmann, Director of Leica Galleries, discusses the power and potential of reportage to change the narrative and encourage tangible solutions to the environment. She leads a conversation with the winners of the 2020 award – Luca Locatelli and Gonçalo Fonseca – as well as shortlisted artist Maïmouna Guerresi.
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Image Credit: Erwin Redl, Reflections.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 12 12:30-13:30 HOSTED BY: DENISE FAHMY, HELOISE WINSTONE, JACK ADDIS, HARRIET COOPER, SARAH MONK & AUDREY CARLIN
ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES: WHAT’S AVAILABLE POST-PANDEMIC? The pandemic has altered everything that we do. The landscape for artists has been immensely affected. What opportunities are there for artists to access funding, studio spaces and residencies in 2021 and beyond? How can you transform your practice and continue to make work in the “new normal”? What are the current priorities for individuals? A panel of experts from organisations such as Arts Council England, British Journal of Photography, Jerwood Arts, London Art Fair, Lumen Prize and Wasps Studios will speak about understanding the best practice for furthering your career post-pandemic and making your work stand out.
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Image Credit: Monica Alcazar Duarte, Second Nature.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 13 14:00-15:00 MONICA ALCAZAR-DUARTE, ANDREW LEVENTIS, CHRIS COMBS, JAMES TAPSCOTT ALICE DUNCAN, CESAR & LOIS COLLECTIVE & GRISELDA GOLDSBROUGH
MEET THE ARTISTS: HEAR FROM THE 2021 SHORTLIST (1) In these informative sessions, viewers will have the opportunity to meet this year’s shortlisted artists from the prestigious Aesthetica Art Prize. We will learn about their practice, the ideas behind the pieces, and how they are navigating the art world today during- and post-pandemic. The individuals are working across video, sculpture, photography and painting, discussing some of today’s most pressing themes from representation of women in the media and pollution, to new technologies. The artists in this session are Monica Alcazar-Duarte, Andrew Leventis, Chris Combs, James Tapscott, Alice Duncan and Cesar & Lois Collective.
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Image Credit: Wood Innovation Design Center by MGA. Photograph by Ema Peter Photography.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 14 15:30-16:30 HOSTED BY: PAUL KESKEYS, JEAN PAUL SEBUHAYI, MICHAEL GREEN & ANTOINETTE NASSOPOULOS-ERICKSON
ARCHITECTURE OF THE FUTURE: AWARD-WINNING DESIGN The Architizer A+Awards is the world’s largest and most democratic awards programme for architecture. The prize acts as a barometer of contemporary design, revealing trends in public perception as well as priorities in relation to the built environment in 2021 and beyond – across the globe. Paul Keskeys, Content Director at Architizer, introduces winners from the 2020 award, including representatives from Foster + Partners, MGA | Michael Green Architecture and MASS Design Group. This session explores how successful design has a real impact on people’s everyday lives, especially in a time of unprecedented worldwide uncertainty.
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Image Credit: Christiane Zschommler, THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 15 17:00-18:00 HOSTED BY: DAVID CAMPANY, RAND SUFFOLK, SARAH MEISTER, ANTWAUN SARGENT, KYUNG AN & ELIZA WILLIAMS
CURATING DURING A TIME OF CHANGE: PART 1 The idea of the gallery closing down for months on end is not something we could fathom before 2020. How do you curate exhibitions when society has been redefining every facet of existence? Are pre-pandemic exhibition themes still relevant, and how are curators ensuring that shows have widespread public engagement? Do hybrid shows translate well? What is the future of the gallery? Join a panel of experts: David Campany, International Center of Photography; Rand Suffolk, High Museum; Sarah Meister, MoMA; Antwaun Sargent, Gagosian; and Kyung An Hui, Guggenheim Museum. Led by Creative Review’s Eliza Williams.
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Image Credit: George Byrne, East Hollywood Carpark, 2016.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 16 18:15-19:15 HOSTED BY: GEORGE BYRNE & IAN VOLNER
CUT, PASTE, POST: THE CONVERGENCE OF FINE ART & SOCIAL MEDIA Urban minimalism is growing in popularity through the rise of Instagram, with sleek aesthetics and pop-coloured street signs pulling in thousands of engagements every day. George Byrne’s large-format images build on this fascination and take it to another level, presenting Californian landscapes as painterly abstractions, referencing the works of Lewis Baltz and Ellsworth Kelly. Flattened lines and interjectory shadows become part of a wider dimensional puzzle that revels in texture. In conversation with design writer Ian Volner, Byrne discusses his collage-like practice, as well as the technical and conceptual differences between viewing images in the gallery as opposed to scrolling through the parameters of the screen.
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Image Credit: LEBANON. Beirut. August 3, 2018. From the series Agata. © Bieke Depoorter / Magnum Photos
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 29 APRIL
SESSION 17 19:30-20:30 HOSTED BY: SARAH ALLEN & BIEKE DEPOORTER
AGENCY, OWNERSHIP AND IDENTITY: BIEKE DEPOORTER IN CONVERSATION At just 25, Bieke Depoorter was welcomed into Magnum Photos and is, to date, one of its youngest members. She has won several awards including the Magnum Expression Award, The Larry Sultan Award and the Prix Levallois, and has published four books with the likes of Aperture, Editions Xavier Barral, Edition Patrick Frey, Lannoo, Hannibal and Le bec en l’air, amongst others. Depoorter’s practice is centred around relationships – the complex interactions between subject and photographer – as well as a constant questioning of the medium: the tensions between authority, fiction and reality. Depoorter will explore the idea of agency and ownership in 21st century image-making, in conversation with Tate’s Assistant Curator, Sarah Allen.
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Evan Sheehan, Dreaming Of , 2020. Collaboration with Alex Wallbaum. Location: Chicago, IL.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 18 09:00-09:15 HOSTED BY: CHERIE FEDERICO
KEYNOTE SPEECH: WELCOME ADDRESS Cherie Federico, Editor of Aesthetica Magazine, kicks off Day Three of Future Now with a Keynote Speech. Tune in to the Welcome Address and get set up for a day of inspiring live-streamed talks, film screenings and portfolio reviews. We’re excited to welcome attendees to our first ever virtual edition, taking place on the new online platform. Future Now is a destination for imaginative debates, panel discussions and career advice. Whilst we may be apart, we can still connect to the arts from home. Federico will foreground key sessions for the day ahead, including masterclasses on the future of digital technologies, panel discussions on the future of collecting, and the second part of our seminal curatorial panels with global institutions.
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Image Credit: Atong Atem, Morayo (2015). Printed 2019, from the Studio series (2015). Digital type C print, ed. 6/10 84.1 x 56.1 cm (image) 104.1 x 65.4 cm irreg. (sheet). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2019 © Atong Atem.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 19 09:30-10:30 HOSTED BY: RACHEL KENT, SUSAN VAN WYK & ALI MACGILP
NEW AUSTRALIAN ART: GEOGRAPHY, PERSPECTIVE AND GENRE The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, and Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, are two of the most-visited galleries in Australia, welcoming millions of people each year. Over the last year, both galleries have grappled with Covid-related restrictions, balancing international triennials with exhibitions centred around local artists. Through the lens of their collections and upcoming shows, Rachel Kent, Chief Curator at MCA, and Susan van Wyk, Senior Curator, Photography at NGV, talk about the diversity of Australian art today, examining the gallery’s responsibility as a high-visibility platform, and the wider goals to explore complex perspectives on geography, history and belonging. Led by Ali MacGilp, Frith Street Gallery.
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Image Credit: Courtesy of the artist // Caption: Jakob Kudsk Steensen, The Deep Listener, 2019, The Serpentine Galleries London.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 20 11:00-12:00 HOSTED BY: KAY WATSON & JAKOB KUDSK STEENSEN
DIGITAL ECOLOGIES: THREE-DIMENSIONAL STORYTELLING Jakob Kudsk Steensen is an environmental storyteller, utilising three-dimensional animation, sound and installation to produce complete digital ecosystems. He creates poetic interpretations about overlooked natural phenomena through collaborations with field biologists, composers and writers. He was the inaugural recipient of Serpentine Galleries’ Augmented Architecture Commission, which was established with Google Arts & Culture and Sir David Adjaye in 2019, and is longlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2021. Kay Watson, Interim Head of Arts Technologies at Serpentine, leads an innovative session with Steensen, examining the concept of “slow media” as well as the intricate relationship between technology and the natural world.
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Image Credit: Studio Above & Below, Atmospheric Seeings.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 21 12:30-13:30 HOSTED BY: ELIZA OSBORNE, MARY-ALICE STACK, TOURIA EL-GLAOUI, EVA LANGRET & GABY SCHWARZ
THE BUSINESS OF ART: THE FUTURE OF COLLECTING What is the landscape of commercial galleries and fairs? How do artists find their footing, gain representation and attract the attention of gallerists and collectors? How has the virtual fair and exhibition model worked? Are collectors still investing in artists? Moreover, have the criteria for representation changed? Will gallerists take more risks if overheads are lower? There is a balanced and dynamic relationship between fairs and galleries, so what does the future look like for the market? Will it be buoyant? Join a panel of speakers including Eliza Osborne, Armory Show; Mary-Alice Stack, Creative United; Touria El-Glaoui, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair; and Eva Langret, Frieze. Chaired by Gaby Schwarz, Online Editor at Apollo.
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Image Credit: Betty Goh, The Maze, Singapore, 2018 © Betty Goh (detail)
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 22 14:00-15:00 HOSTED BY: GULNARA SAMOILOVA & DIANE SMYTH
RESHAPING THE CANON: WOMEN STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS Think of a great street photographer: who springs to mind? Henri Cartier-Bresson and the “decisive moment”? Garry Winogrand or Bruce Gilden? Martin Parr shooting on the beach in Brighton, Brassaï capturing Paris at night in the 1930s or Daidō Moriyama and his raw vision of Tokyo in the 1960s and 1970s? Gulnara Samoilova is a New York-based photographer and curator determined to spotlight women street photographers, from Instagram to the gallery floor and beyond. Diane Smyth, independent journalist and former Deputy Editor at British Journal of Photography, leads a conversation with Samoilova about balancing the scales – building your own platform, developing your own resources and inspiring others to create.
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Image Credit: Carlos David, KiyKiy B
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 23 15:30-16:30 HOSTED BY: CARLOS DAVID, SEB AGNEW, KITOKO DIVA, CHRISTIANE ZSCHOMMLER, HENNY BURNETT, NIELS LYHNE LØKKEGAARD & GRISELDA GOLDSBROUGH
AESTHETICA ART PRIZE: MEET THE ARTISTS – PANEL (2) In these informative sessions, viewers will have the opportunity to meet this year’s shortlisted artists from the prestigious Aesthetica Art Prize. We will learn about their practice, the ideas behind the pieces, and how they are navigating the art world today during- and post-pandemic. The artists are working across video, sculpture, photography and painting, discussing some of today’s most pressing themes from representation of women in the media and pollution, to new technologies. The artists in this session are Carlos David, Seb Agnew, Kitoko Diva, Christiane Zschommler, Henny Burnett, and Niels Lyhne Løkkegaard.
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Image Credit: Henny Burnett, 365 Days of Plastic.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 24 17:00-18:00 HOSTED BY: MARGOT NORTON, DENISE MARKONISH, CHIARA COSTA, EVA RESPINI, DEVIKA SINGH, ZOE WHITLEY & DREW SAWYERS
CURATING DURING A TIME OF CHANGE: PART II Building on the topics discussed yesterday, we will use today’s session to look at what the future holds. Can we go back to practices before the pandemic? Moreover, would we want to go back to how things were? How can we harness this moment in time to reflect on more sustainable and diverse modes of working? In part two of our curatorial panels, hear from Margot Norton, New Museum; Denise Markonish, MASS MoCA; Chiara Costa, Fondazione Prada; Eva Respini, ICA Boston; Devika Singh, Tate; and Zoe Whitley, Chisenhale. Led by Drew Sawyers, Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Curator, Brooklyn Museum.
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Image Credit: Rana Begum, No. 429 SFold, 2013. Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre, London.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 25 18:15-19:15 HOSTED BY: NATALIE RUDD, HOLLY HENDRY, PERMINDAR KAUR, RANA BEGUM & HOLLY TRUSTED
BREAKING THE MOULD: WOMEN SCULPTORS SINCE 1945 2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the Arts Council Collection. During its history, the UK’s Arts Council Collection has acquired more than 250 sculptures by over 150 women. The landmark exhibition, Breaking the Mould: Sculpture by Women since 1945, on view at Yorkshire Sculpture Park from 29 May - 5 September, challenges male-dominated narratives of post-war British sculpture by presenting a range of ambitious work. Natalie Rudd, Senior Curator, reflects upon the significance of the exhibition, celebrating key figures that have contributed to the landscape of contemporary sculpture, including Rana Begum, Holly Hendry and Permindar Kaur. Led by Holly Trusted, Fellow at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
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Image Credit: Jane and Louise Wilson, Suspended Island.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | FRIDAY 30 APRIL
SESSION 26 19:30-20:30 HOSTED BY: DAVID KNIGHT, JANE & LOUISE WILSON
RE-DEFINING NARRATIVE: JANE & LOUISE WILSON IN CONVERSATION Film is rich in narrative. It can take you to new places and cultures and offer insights into the lives of others. It is at once personal and universal. It is the most immediate art from. In recent years, artist filmmakers have been exploring new ways of telling stories and pushing definitions of the term “artists’ film.” Do works always have to appear in a gallery? What might this look like in the future? In conversation with David Knight, Senior Academic Lecturer in Film and Television, London College of Communication, Turner Prize nominees Jane & Louise Wilson will consider the role of storytelling and the importance of film as a mechanism to understanding our world, touching upon wider socio-political issues and the role of the lens today.
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Rebecca Reeve, Untitled #16, (Through Looking). Courtesy of the artist and Upfor Gallery.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 27 09:15-09:30 HOSTED BY: CHERIE FEDERICO
KEYNOTE SPEECH: WELCOME ADDRESS Cherie Federico, Editor of Aesthetica Magazine, kicks off Day Four of Future Now with a Keynote Speech. Tune in to the Welcome Address and get set up for a day of inspiring live-streamed talks, film screenings and portfolio reviews. We’re excited to welcome attendees to our first ever virtual edition, taking place on the new online platform. Future Now is a destination for imaginative debates, panel discussions and career advice. Whilst we may be apart, we can still connect to the arts from home. Federico will foreground key sessions for the day ahead, including masterclasses on building an inclusive industry, panel discussions with shortlisted artists from the Aesthetica Art Prize and a closing session with Headline Speaker Shirin Neshat.
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Image Credit: Detail, Inyanga yeNkanga, 2020. Archival ink-jet print 60 x 80 cm. Edition of 20 + 3 AP Photographer: Nic Hartell © Athi-Patra Ruga. Image courtesy of Athi-Patra Ruga and WHATIFTHEWORLD.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 28 10:00-11:00 HOSTED BY: ATHI-PATRA RUGA & LINDSAY RAYMOND
BEYOND EACH HORIZON IS ANOTHER: IN CONVERSATION WITH ATHI-PATRA RUGA Since the mid-noughties, trans-disciplinary artist Athi-Patra Ruga has worked from a detached place of knowing: particularly, that Utopia (or the notion of a “unified South Africa”) is not a destination but an exile. It is a place of waiting, of formulating, and of queering one’s personae and “futuring” a new statecraft. In conversation with WHATIFTHEWORLD’s gallery manager and independent culture writer, Lindsey Raymond, Athi-Patra Ruga walks us through his critically acclaimed body of work – bold and colourful compositions which explore sexuality, queer identities, cultural hybridity and post-colonial landscapes. The engaging discussion will focus on his use of avatars as a way to critique the existing political and social status quo.
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Image Credit: Ignacio Barrios.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 29 11:30-12:30 HOSTED BY: SKINDER HUNDAL
CULTURAL RELATIONS: GLOBAL CHALLENGES Cultural relations are changing in an era of seismic shifts. Global challenges are significant and unprecedented. The paradigm of cultural relations is in a state of reinvention, but are we changing too late? The British Council works on the ground in more than 100 countries engaging hundreds of millions of people. How can the arts make real change in international relations so that we can develop a more inclusive and representative cultural sector at home and worldwide? Join Skinder Hundal MBE, Director of Arts, British Council, who will speak about how British Council is addressing these very profound questions – shaping the ways in which programming will function in 2021, and over the next few years to follow.
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Image Credit: Big Dada. AI-synthesised video personas. Single-channel video, 3min 4sec. Courtesy of Barnaby Francis.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 30 13:00-14:00 HOSTED BY: BARNABY FRANCIS
DEEP FAKES: CONTROL AND SUBVERSION IN ART In the context of the disinformation age – fake news and algorithmic colonialism via the surveillance architectures of social media – artists are beginning to creatively re-appropriate the freely available biometric data of others: the “public faces” of celebrities, politicians and influencers, to create a new form of art. In this session, Bill Posters, shortlisted artist for the Aesthetica Art Prize in 2020 with Big Dada (a piece comprising six “deep fake” works featuring synthesised personas of Marcel Duchamp, Marina Abramović, Mark Zuckerberg and Freddie Mercury) will speak about his critical practice and research into synthetic art. Discover how deep fake technologies are more than just a commentary on the novelty of technology.
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Image Credit: Dr. Fahamu Pecou, Trapademia, Kopeikin Gallery.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 31 14:30-15:30 HOSTED BY: FAHAMU PECOU
FAHAMU PECOU: FINE ART, HIP HOP, POP CULTURE Dr. Fahamu Pecou is an interdisciplinary artist and scholar whose works combine observations on hip-hop, fine art and popular culture. Pecou’s paintings – which are held in various international collections including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Art and Culture, Seattle Art Museum and The High Museum of Art – addresses concerns around contemporary representations of Black men and the performance of Black masculinity. Pecou is also the founding Director of the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta. He delivers a radical re-thinking on painting – how the canvas can be used to engage with stereotypes and misconceptions as a critical intervention on our understanding of Black identity.
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Image Credit: Cathryn Shilling, Metamorphosis.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 32 16:00-17:00 HOSTED BY: DAVID BRANDY, SHAN WU, CATHRYN SHILLING, DIRK HARDY, JULIANA KASUMU, GABRIEL HENSCHE, ERWIN REDL & GRISELDA GOLDSBROUGH
AESTHETICA ART PRIZE: MEET THE ARTISTS – PANEL (3) In these informative sessions, viewers will have the opportunity to meet this year’s shortlisted artists from the prestigious Aesthetica Art Prize. We will learn about their practice, the ideas behind the pieces, and how they are navigating the art world today during- and post-pandemic. The artists are working across video, sculpture, photography and painting, discussing some of today’s most pressing themes from representation of women in the media and pollution, to new technologies. The featured artists in this session are David Brandy, Shan Wu, Cathryn Shilling, Dirk Hardy, Juliana Kasumu, Gabriel Hensche and Erwin Redl.
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Image Credit: The Two Nkééngé Sisters. “A strict respect for traditional laws and prohibitions protects against misfortune. The eternal aura of spiritual beings enriches the heart.” Photo by Pieter Henket. Edited by Eva Vonk and Stefanie Plattner. Story told and recorded by Mr. Simon Miakaluzabi N’Sondé in 1999; written version by S.R. Kovo N’Sondé. Produced by Tales of Us.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 33 17:30-18:30 HOSTED BY: KOVO N’SONDE & EVA VONK
TALES OF US: GLOBAL VISUAL NARRATIVES Tales of Us is an ongoing multimedia project that communicates the urgency of protecting the world’s most fragile and necessary ecosystems. The project began in 2013 as an initiative to draw attention to the Congo Basin, raising awareness of 500 million acres of rain forest and six nations under threat. Since then, Tales of Us has produced films, photography, books and online education, partnering with storytellers from lesser-known and less understood parts of the world. Its team has received critical acclaim from the BBC, The New York Times, PBS and more. Eva Vonk, Creative Director, and Kovo N’sonde, Story Adaptor, join us to examine the conventions of environmental messaging through the modes of visual culture today.
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Image Credit: Shirin Neshat – Roja (Patriots), 2012, from The Book of Kings.
SESSIONS & EVENTS | SATURDAY 1 MAY
SESSION 34 19:00-20:00 HOSTED BY: ED SCHAD & SHIRIN NESHAT
POLITICS & IDENTITY: SHIRIN NESHAT IN CONVERSATION “Every Iranian artist, in some form, is political. Politics have defined our lives.” Shirin Neshat was born in Iran but has spent much of her life in exile in the USA. Through this experience, she has relentlessly and poignantly engaged with the world through lens-based media, exploring universal themes of displacement, oppression, gender and identity. Perhaps more than any other living practitioner today, she has demonstrated the power of art to question and deconstruct the political climate – including Trump’s legacy of an aggressive and nationalist America. Neshat discusses her award-winning and boundary pushing practice alongside Ed Schad, Curator and Publications Manager at The Broad in Los Angeles.
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Film Still from WATA. Dir. Joy Yamusangie and Ronan Mckenzie. Official Selection, Artists’ Film, Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2020.
FUTURE NOW 2021 FILM LIBRARY
EXPANSIVE PROGRAMMING. INSPIRED BY IDEAS. We invite a number of filmmakers from the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival and Aesthetica Art Prize to join us on the Future Now platform. We present 100 films that were in competition across the categories of Artists’ Film, Dance, Documentary, Experimental and Documentary. Across the Aesthetica Art Prize and Aesthetica Film Festival, we are dedicated to showcasing the best in independent cinema. We invite filmmakers from across the world to share their stories with one of the UK’s largest film audiences. The following selection is our most expansive and diverse to date and the following programmes takes a deep dive into some of the most exciting talent today. These films are transformative and will take you to new places, introduce new languages and cultures. Log-in and enjoy until 31 May. There are over 100 films included across Guest programmes, Shortlisted and Longlisted Artists. 46
Artists’ film: Cinema, but not as you know it. This strand is perfect for those looking to be surprised or challenged by cinema. Each year, these films push back against expected story lines and familiar tropes, flipping the lens on linear narratives, timelines, relationships and structures. Viewers are brought closer to intangible ideas, thoughts, memories and landscapes. In these visceral films, life is rewritten, and borders are dismantled.
Dance: Performance like never before. Dance provides a collaborative arena combining choreography and performance. With fluid movements, balanced sets, fitting soundtracks and timeless direction, these expressive shorts draw a line between bold delivery and delicate gestures. This selection includes subtle narratives that explore the self and the other in tandem. These projects are intuitively paced and creatively executed.
Documentary: The personal and political. Meditating on the world around us, these multi-faceted films take viewers behind closed doors. Culturally rich and eye-opening screenings move beyond the parameters of public spaces, entering private realms and sparking dialogues with a range of timely topics such as unemployment, immigration and national disaster. Our filmmakers challenge racial bias and social prejudice, chasing the truth.
Experimental: Beyond the horizon. A navigation of love, life, death that pushes the boundaries of traditional storytelling. Unique visuals, isolated narrators and bold, uncanny environments are integral, featuring new philosophies, strange objects and near-apocalyptic worlds. Topics include environmental destruction, the devastating realities of colonialism and the potential for a future ruled by AI technology.
Documentary Feature: Connecting with humanity. These five documentary features assess what it truly means to be alive today and to share this experience with others. These are deeply contemplative features for today’s viewers. They ask audiences key questions: what does it mean to be someone’s child? How can we look into the past to make sense of the present? How can we re-enter society after being away for so long, as someone else? 47
SUBMIT YOUR WORK Win £5000 & Exhibition
DEADLINE 31 AUGUST 2021 48
©Reiko Kawaguchi
FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS JACK ADDIS SESSION DETAILS: PG:23 Jack has nine years’ experience working in the digital arts. As Director of Lumen Art Projects, he works closely to create relationships with varied partners to build opportunities for artists around the world. Since joining Lumen in 2016, he has curated exhibitions in the UK, USA, Russia and China.
SEB AGNEW SESSION DETAILS: PG:34 Seb Agnew is a photo artist specialising in staged and often dreamlike sceneries which explore the human psyche and our modern society. Disorientation, momentary solitude and lonesome reflection are recurring themes within Agnew’s conceptual body of work. seb-agnew.com.
MONICA ALCAZAR-DUARTE SESSION DETAILS: PG:24 Monica Alcazar-Duarte is a British-Mexican cultural interventionist non-fiction photographer. Her way of thinking and seeing has been influenced by being a migrant. Alcazar-Duarte’s work explores change and confronts a human obsession with speed and growth. monicaalcazarduarte.com
SARAH ALLEN SESSION DETAILS: PG:28 Sarah Allen is Assistant Curator, International Art, at Tate Modern. She has recently co-curated the major touring survey Zanele Muholi (2020), as well as curating exhibitions from the permanent collection including Nan Goldin (2019), Irving Penn (2019) and David Goldblatt (2019). 49
FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS KYUNG AN SESSION DETAILS: PG:26 Kyung An, PhD, is Associate Curator, Asian Art, at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, where she plays a significant role in the research, presentation and collection of Asian and Asian-diaspora artists. Currently, she is organising an exhibition on the Experimental Art of South Korea.
RANA BEGUM SESSION DETAILS: PG:36 Lonson-based Rana Begum distills spatial and visual experience into an ordered form. Through a refined language of minimal abstraction, Begum blurs the boundaries between sculpture, painting and architecture. She draws from the urban landscape as well as patterns from Islamic art.
DAVID BRANDY SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 David Brandy is a fine art photographer based in Toronto. His work juxtaposes natural landscapes with man-made structures to evoke a sense of isolation. He won an Emerging award at the 2019 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair and was shortlisted for the 2018 Quest Art National Art Prize. davidbrandy.com.
HENNY BURNETT SESSION DETAILS: PG:34 Born in London, UK, artist Henny Burnett now lives and works in Bristol and London. She attended Byam Shaw and Edinburgh Colleges of Art. She is a mixed-media artist working mainly in sculpture and installation. Her process explores fragility of memory; in the fabric of the home.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS GEORGE BYRNE SESSION DETAILS: PG:27 George Byrne is based in LA. He produces large-scale images that depict everyday landscapes as painterly abstractions. Byrne’s keen interest in modernist painting, paired with a sharp compositional eye, results in a fresh, contemporary and cutting-edge perspective of the American landscape.
DAVID CAMPANY SESSION DETAILS: PG:26 David Campany is a curator, writer, educator and Managing Director of Programs at the International Center of Photography, New York. Recent projects include the six-museum Biennale für aktuelle Fotografie, The Lives and Loves of Images (Germany 2020), A Handful of Dust (touring since 2015).
AUDREY CARLIN SESSION DETAILS: PG:23 Audrey Carlin is the Chief Executive Officer at Wasps, Scotland’s largest provider of creative spaces. Wasps (Workshop and Artists’ Studio Provision Scotland Ltd) provides affordable high-quality studio and working spaces to 1000 artists, creative industries and cultural tenants at 20 locations.
CESAR & LOIS COLLECTIVE SESSION DETAILS: PG:24 Cesar & Lois advances intersections between nature and technology, working alongside scientists to imagine new futures. Cesar & Lois received the 2018 Lumen Prize in AI and were selected for Singapore’s Global Digital Art Prize Biennial in 2019. They were artists in residence at Coalesce in 2020.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS CHRIS COMBS SESSION DETAILS: PG:24 Chris Combs is based in Washington, D.C., creating provocative technology. His first solo exhibition, Judging Me Judging You, at the DC Arts Center explored themes of surveillance and control. His installation Maelstrom featured 35 machines spreading rumors about its visitors. chriscombs.net.
KEVIN COOLEY SESSION DETAILS: PG:18: For the past 15 years, Cooley’s work has centered around a phenomenological, systems-based inquiry into humanity’s contemporary relationship with the five classical elements – earth, air, fire, water and aether. The resulting photographs, videos and public installations look outwards.
HARRIET COOPER SESSION DETAILS: PG:23 Harriet Cooper is Head of Visual Arts at Jerwood Arts where she is responsible for leading their visual arts work including projects, partnerships, funding, research and awards. She curates Jerwood Arts’ programme in London and on tour around the UK, and recently developed Jerwood Collaborate!
CHIARA COSTA SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Chiara Costa, art historian and researcher, was appointed Head of Programs for Fondazione Prada in 2019. Previously, she was the editor of Fondazione Prada’s publications, a role she had since 2012. She recently curated Whether Line, monographs dedicated to artists Lizzie Fitch and Ryan Trecartin.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS JESS CROMBIE SESSION DETAILS: PG:21 Jess Crombie is co-course leader on the Photojournalism and Documentary Photography BA course at London College of Communication (University of the Arts London). She is also a consultant for the humanitarian sector – helping NGOs deliver their stories both powerfully and ethically.
CARLOS DAVID SESSION DETAILS: PG:34 Carlos David focuses on diversity and inclusion. Through multimedia portraiture, he explores the intricate relationship between the way we see ourselves and the objective reality captured by the camera and the observer. His work looks at creating a diverse community of collective action.
ELLIE DAVIES SESSION DETAILS: PG:18: Ellie Davies is a photographer who lives in Dorset, working in the forests of southern England. She is represented by Crane Kalman Brighton Gallery in the UK, Patricia Armocida Gallery in Milan, Susan Spiritus Gallery in California, A.Galerie in Paris and Brussels and Brucie Collections in Kiev.
YANNIS DAVY GUIBINGA SESSION DETAILS: PG:18: Yannis Davy Guibinga is a photographer from Libreville, Gabon, currently based in Montréal. Photography has allowed Guibinga to celebrate and represent the many cultures on the African continent and its diaspora. Guibinga has worked with Apple and Nikon, and has exhibited internationally.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS BIEKE DEPOORTER SESSION DETAILS: PG:28 Bieke Depoorter received a Master’s Degree in photography at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent in 2009. Depoorter has won several awards and honours, including the prestigious Magnum Expression Award, The Larry Sultan award and the Prix Levallois. She has published four books.
BROOKE DIDONATO SESSION DETAILS: PG:18: Brooke DiDonato (b. 1990) is a visual artist from Ohio now based in Austin, TX. After studying photojournalism in college, DiDonato began developing a body of personal work questioning the notion of realism induced by the photographic medium. Her images propose scenes of a distorted everyday.
KITOKO DIVA SESSION DETAILS: PG:34 Kitoko Diva’s hybrid practice includes moving images, installations and sound, including immersive video installations that interact with identity, heritage and social structures through a surreal lens. Her work challenges socio-political issues through alternative realities. kitokodiva.com.
DALE DONLEY SESSION DETAILS: PG:13 Dale Donley is the Production Director and Co-Founder of Aesthetica Magazine and the Director of the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Aesthetica Art Prize and Future Now Symposium. He spent his early career working as an artist and then moved into graphic design.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS ALICE DUNCAN SESSION DETAILS: PG:24 Alice Duncan resides in Melbourne (Naarm/Birraranga). Duncan’s practice exposes the multifaceted, ever-changing and (most importantly) constructed nature of our personal and cultural identities. Utilising photography, Duncan visualises the complexities involved in living on colonised land.
TOURIA EL-GLAOUI SESSION DETAILS: PG:32 Born and raised in Morocco, Touria El-Glaoui completed her education in New York before beginning a career in the banking industry as a wealth management consultant. After 10 years in the field she relocated to London, where she initiated 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in 2013.
DENISE FAHMY SESSION DETAILS: PG:10, 23 Denise Fahmy is Relationship Manager Visual Arts at Arts Council England. ACE champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences to enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, music to literature.
CHERIE FEDERICO SESSION DETAILS: PG:12, 13, 20, 29, 38 Cherie Federico is the Editor of Aesthetica Magazine and the Director of the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Aesthetica Art Prize and Future Now Symposium. Originally from New York, Cherie moved to the UK in 2002 to study for her Masters degree and founded Aesthetica.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS FIONA FLAHERTY SESSION DETAILS: PG:17 Fionna Flaherty, based in New York, has been with Lehmann Maupin since 2011 and works closely with artists including Catherine Opie, Angel Otero, Tony Oursler, Alex Prager, Robin Rhode and Liu Wei. As a Senior Director, she plays a vital role in enhancing the gallery’s art fairs programme.
GONÇALO FONSECA SESSION DETAILS: PG:22 Gonçalo Fonseca is a documentary photographer based in Lisbon. Since 2017, he has worked on projects in Portugal, China and India, dedicating himself to shed light on under-reported topics and to amplify underrepresented voices. He won the Leica Oskar Barnak Award – Newcomer.
BARNABY FRANCIS SESSION DETAILS: PG:41 Working under the pseudonym Bill Posters, Barnaby Francis is an artist-researcher, author and facilitator who is interested in art as research and critical practice. Poster’s works often interrogate disinformation, persuasion architectures and power relations that exist in public spaces and online.
GRISELDA GOLDSBROUGH SESSION DETAILS: PG:24, 34, 43 Griselda Goldsbrough, visual artist and writer, is committed to cultural and creative activity in community engagement projects within heritage, science, musuems, galleries and healthcare. She is artist in Residence at Foss Park Hospital. Goldsbrough is also co-curator of the Aesthetica Art Prize.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS JENNIFER GOOD SESSION DETAILS: PG:21 Dr Jennifer Good is a writer and Senior Lecturer in the history and theory of photojournalism and documentary photography at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. She is also co-course leader of BA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography.
MICHAEL GREEN SESSION DETAILS: PG:25 Based in Vancouve, Michael Green founded MGA Architects to create sustainable change in building through innovation in construction sciences and design. He is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and has been honoured with North America’s most prestigious awards.
MAIMOUNA GUERRESI SESSION DETAILS: PG:22 Maïmouna Guerresi is an Italian-Senegalese multimedia artist who works with photography, sculpture, video and installations. Her practice has developed a fascinating and introspective view on the different perspectives of her two cultures: European and African linked to Sufi spirituality.
HASSAN HAJJAJ SESSION DETAILS: PG:14 Hassan Hajjaj is a Moroccan-British photographer. Blending the glossy aesthetic of fashion shoots with Moroccan tradition and street culture, his bold, detailed images challenge culture-specific beliefs, predominantly western perceptions of the Hijab and female disempowerment in Islam.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS RACHEL HAMILTON SESSION DETAILS: PG:19 Rachel Segal Hamilton is an arts writer and editor based in Birmingham. Her work has been published by Aesthetica, Hoxton Mini Press, the British Journal of Photography, Photomonitor, VICE and The Telegraph. She is a Contributing Editor for the Royal Photographic Society’s award-winning journal.
DIRK HARDY SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 Dirk Hardy is a Dutch visual artist based in The Hague. Hardy welcomes us to a multitude of worlds. He explores the complexity of life through his constructed tableau. Each work unfolds a modest stage that invites collective reflection and dialogue to increase our social sensitivity. dirkhardy.com.
CIG HARVEY SESSION DETAILS: PG:15 Cig Harvey uses images and language to explore sensory experience and elevate the everyday. Her work has featured in The New York Times, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, Vice, The Sunday Times and The Independent. Her new book, Blue Violet, is released this spring with Monacelli Press.
HOLLY HENDRY SESSION DETAILS: PG:36 Holly Hendry’s works deal with internal and external in terms of the body, display and production – architectural rear spaces and hidden bodily activities or situations that are brought into view through specific objects, textures or forms. She addresses concerns of permeability and morbidity.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS GABRIEL HENSCHE SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 Gabriel Hensche follows a situational, conceptual and collaborative approach. Many of his moving image, installation and performance pieces investigate belief systems through echoing, altering, and dispersing explanation models to explore co-existence. gabrielhensche.com.
SKINDER HUNDAL SESSION DETAILS: PG:14, 40 Skinder Hundal was recently appointed as the Director of Arts at British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Hundal was previously Director at New Art Exchange, Nottingham an award-winning contemporary arts space.
JULIANA KASUMU SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 Juliana Kasumu utilises film, photography, and site-specific installation to engage in interpersonal speculation regarding identity production. Presented are critical ideas which challenge existing epistemologies of transculturalism within West Africa and the diaspora. julianakasumu.com.
KARIN REHN-KAUFMANN SESSION DETAILS: PG:22 Karin Rehn-Kaufmann holds management responsibility for the 25 Leica Galleries around the world. She has curated prestigious exhibitions worldwide, including an exclusive collection of images by the US photographer Elliot Erwitt. She is a jury member of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS PERMINDAR KAUR SESSION DETAILS:PG:36 Permindar Kaur is a sculpture and installation artist, whose approach to art is playful, using childlike objects to explore the territory of cultural identity, home and belonging. Kaur has exhibited internationally at Ikon Gallery and Mead Gallery, Turner Contemporary and Tate. permindarkaur.com.
RACHEL KENT SESSION DETAILS: PG:30 Rachel Kent is the Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. She leads the MCA curatorial team, and delivers key initiatives including the annual Sydney International Art Series. She has presented exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United States and Canada.
PAUL KESKEYS SESSION DETAILS: PG:25 Paul Keskeys is a UK architect, writer and editor based in New York. Paul specialises in telling the complex stories behind contemporary architecture and cities, as well as illuminating the work of the innovators tackling today’s challenges through design. He is Content Director at Architizer.
DAVID KNIGHT SESSION DETAILS: PG:37 David Knight brings together a broad spectrum of skills to his professional practice as a director of photography and director. A portfolio of creative work spans the collection of the film and television industries: sponsorship idents, promos, drama, documentary, commercials and features.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS JAKOB KUDSK STEENSEN SESSION DETAILS: PG:31 Jakob Kudsk Steensen is an artist working with environmental storytelling through three-dimensional animation, sound and immersive installations. He creates poetic interpretations about overlooked natural phenomena through collaborations with field biologists, composers and writers.
EVA LANGRET SESSION DETAILS: PG:32 Eva Langret was appointed Artistic Director of Frieze London in 2019. Prior to this, she was a Director at London-based gallery Tiwani Contemporary, a Programme Manager at The Delfina Foundation and curator at 198 Gallery in Brixton. She is a member of the Chisenhale Council, Chisenhale Gallery.
ANDREW LEVENTIS SESSION DETAILS: PG:24 Andrew Leventis creates intricately detailed oil paintings of contemporary vanitas. He has recently depicted his stocked refrigerator and icebox throughout the global pandemic. Andrew earned a BFA from the American Academy of Art in Chicago and an MFA from Goldsmiths London.
LUCA LOCATELLI SESSION DETAILS: PG:22 Luca Locatelli is an environmental photographer and filmmaker focused on the relations between people, science-technology and the environment. He started photography in 2006 after a 10-year career as a software developer. He is the main winner of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2020.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS NIELS LYHNE LØKKEGAARD SESSION DETAILS: PG:34 Multidisciplinary artist Niels Lyhne Løkkegaard’s work is a basic research in realities. Løkkegaard is interested in how bubble-like systems unfold themselves as human conditions. He’s intruiged by how to escape these bubbles, and if not, then exploring how they can be warped. nielslyhne.com.
ALI MACGILP SESSION DETAILS: PG:30 Dr. Ali MacGilp has been a Director at Frith Street Gallery, London since 2018. She was Programmes Curator at Contemporary Art Society, London in 2017, and was Curator at Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah 2015-2016. She undertook her PhD at the University of Reading, writing on Tate’s Collection.
DENISE MARKONISH SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Denise Markonish is the Senior Curator and Director of Exhibitions at MASS MoCA. Her exhibitions include Glenn Kaino: In the Light of a Shadow; Suffering from Realness; Nick Cave: Until; Explode Every Day: An Inquiry into the Phenomena of Wonder; and Teresita Fernández: As Above So Below.
SARAH MEISTER SESSION DETAILS: PG:26 In May 2021 Sarah Meister will become the Executive Director of Aperture. She has been a Curator in the Department of Photography at The Museum of Modern Art since 2009, where most recently she organised Fotoclubismo: Brazilian Modernist Photography, 1946-1964 (opening 8 May).
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS SARAH MONK SESSION DETAILS: PG:23 Sarah Monk is the Director of the Art, Craft and Design Events Portfolio for Immediate Media, which includes London Art Fair, New Designers and The Festival of Quilts. Sarah was Director of London Art Fair from 2014 to 2020, and remains responsible for its delivery and long term development.
KIT MONKMAN SESSION DETAILS: PG:13: Kit Monkman is an innovator in screen-based art and interactive media. He directed the experimental feature Macbeth and co-directed The Knife That Killed Me. He is also co-founder of KMA – an artistic collaboration that specialises in environmental installations. Kit has worked with Prince and DV8.
KRISS MUNSYA SESSION DETAILS: PG:19 Kriss Munsya is a DRC-born artist currently living in Vancouver. He grew up in Brussels, Belgium, in the 1990s as a first generation African immigrant. He is self-taught, with experience in photography, graphic design, music and video, and the cover photographer for Aesthetica Issue 100.
KOVO N’SONDÉ SESSION DETAILS: PG:44 Steve Regis “Kovo” N’Sondé is an Afropean philosopher based in Paris and Berlin. A world-renowned authority on Congolese oral traditions, N’Sondé helped curate and translate the stories from the region for Congo Tales in order to share them with the world. He holds a PhD in Philosophy.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS ANTOINETTE NASSOPOULOS-ERICKSON SESSION DETAILS: PG:25 Antoinette is an architect and urban designer, chair of the Women’s Forum at Foster + Partners, with over 25 years’ experience. Her work includes HSBC HQ, 30 St Mary Axe, and the masterplan for Hellinikon in Athens. Her most ambitious project, Spaceport America, is the first commercial spaceport.
SHIRIN NESHAT SESSION DETAILS: PG:45 Shirin Neshat is an Iranian-born artist and filmmaker living in New York. In 2019, Neshat was the subject of a retrospective exhibition, Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again at The Broad, Los Angeles, which will travel to The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and remain on view until 16 May.
ELISABETH NORDENG AANES SESSION DETAILS: PG:15 Elisabeth Nordeng Aanes is the founder and CEO of NORDphotography and SAGA Center for Photography. She teaches NORDphotography’s mentor programme in Oslo and at SAGA. Elisabeth studied in USA, and worked for several years with the world renowned photographer Joyce Tenneson.
MARGOT NORTON SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Margot Norton is Curator at the New Museum, New York. She is currently working on a Lynn Hershman Leeson exhibition and the 2021 New Museum Triennial, co-curated with Jamillah James. Before she joined the New Museum in 2011, she was Curatorial Assistant at the Whitney Museum.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS ELIZA OSBORNE SESSION DETAILS: PG:32 As Deputy Director of The Armory Show, Eliza oversees the VIP Program, manages strategic partnerships, and further strengthens the fair’s relationships with collectors, galleries, and institutions worldwide. From 2014-2018, Osborne was the Executive Director for the Centre Pompidou Foundation.
ATHI-PATRA RUGA SESSION DETAILS: PG:39 Athi-Patra Ruga is a South African artist whose work adopts the trope of myth as a contemporary response by creating alternate realities and using philosophical allure and allegorical value of “utopia.” Ruga has exhibited with Sean Kelly Gallery, Louis Vuitton Foundation and Tate Modern.
FAHAMU PECOU SESSION DETAILS: PG:42 Dr. Fahamu Pecou is an interdisciplinary artist and scholar whose works combine observations on hip-hop, fine art and popular culture. Pecou’s work is featured in collections including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Art and Culture and The High Museum of Art.
ALEX PRAGER SESSION DETAILS: PG:17 Alex Prager is an artist and filmmaker who creates elaborately staged scenes that expose the often-overlooked aspects of everyday life and culture through complex narratives and fictionalised characters. Her editorial work has been featured in The New Yorker, Vogue, New York Magazine and W.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS LINDSAY RAYMOND SESSION DETAILS: PG:39 Lindsey Raymond is the current Gallery Manager at WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town. She is also an independent editor, researcher and arts and culture writer, and has edited for institutions such as the Smithsonian, Washington; Hayward Gallery, London; and the Norval Foundation, Cape Town.
ERWIN REDL SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 Erwin Redl was born in Gföhl, Austria in 1963. The scale of his installations very often reaches large, architectural dimensions. The artist’s work was featured in the 2002 Whitney Biennial. In 2017, his large-scale kinetic light installation Whiteout was shown in Manhattan. paramedia.net.
EVA RESPINI SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Eva Respini is the Barbara Lee Chief Curator at the ICA/Boston. Under her leadership, the ICA’s visual arts program has seen increased rigor, diversity and popular appeal. Respini is co-commissioner of the US Pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2022.
FIONA ROGERS SESSION DETAILS: PG:18 Rogers is the Director of Photography and Operations for Webber Represents and Webber Gallery. Prior to that she was the Chief Operating Officer of Magnum Photos. She is the founder of Firecracker, a platform supporting female photographers. She is an advisor to the Royal Photographic Society.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS NATALIE RUDD SESSION DETAILS: PG:36 Natalie Rudd is Senior Curator of the Arts Council Collection. Her curated projects include the forthcoming Arts Council Collection Touring Exhibition, Breaking the Mould: Sculpture by Women since 1945. Rudd has written widely on art, published by Tate, Thames & Hudson and more.
PRATĀP RUGHANI SESSION DETAILS: PG:21 Pratāp Rughani is a documentary filmmaker and Professor of Documentary Practices at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. He films during periods of tension and conflict in South Africa, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Aboriginal Australia, India and US/UK.
GULNARA SAMOILOVA SESSION DETAILS: PG:33 Gulnara Samoilova is a photographer, author, and the founder of Women Street Photographers. Samoilova’s work is a part of major collections such as the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Public Library, New York Historical Society, the Newseum and Houston Museum of Fine Arts.
ANTWAUN SARGENT SESSION DETAILS: PG:26 Antwaun Sargent is writer, editor, curator living in New York City. Sargent is the author of The New Black Vanguard: Photography between Art and Fashion (Aperture) and the editor of Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists (DAP). He is also a Director at Gagosian Gallery.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS DREW SAWYERS SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Drew Sawyer is the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Curator at the Brooklyn Museum where he recently organised or co-organised the exhibitions John Edmonds: A Sidelong Glance, Art on the Stoop, JR: Chronicles, Garry Winogrand: Color and Liz Johnson Artur: Dusha.
ED SCHAD SESSION DETAILS: PG:45 Ed Schad is Curator and Publications Manager at The Broad in Los Angeles. Most recently, he curated a survey of Shirin Neshat. He also curated Carlos Cruz-Diez’s large public commission in LA, Couleur Additive, co-curated a trilogy of exhibitions Creature, Oracle, and a Journey that Wasn’t.
SARAH SCHLEUNING SESSION DETAILS: PG:16 Sarah Schleuning is the Margot B. Perot Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design and interim Chief Curator at the Dallas Museum of Art. Schleuning oversees the decorative arts and design collection, internationally recognised as one of the foremost decorative arts collections in the US.
RYAN SCHUDE SESSION DETAILS: PG:18 Ryan Schude is a LA-based visual artist working primarily in photography and motion pictures. The focus of his work over the past 15 years has been the creation of staged narrative scenes in the tradition of tableaux vivants carried over from painting and theater. His process begins with location.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS GABRIELLE SCHWARZ SESSION DETAILS: PG:32 Gabrielle Schwarz is Web Editor of Apollo magazine. Her writing has covered topics from VR to gender inequality in the art market. She has interviewed numerous artists in print, on podcasts and on live panels. Previously she was Programme and Curatorial Advisor at Hales Gallery.
JEAN PAUL SEBUHAYI SESSION DETAILS: PG:25 Jean Paul Sebuhayi joined MASS in 2013 and currently serves as a Principal in the Kigali office. At MASS, Sebuhayi has led multidisciplinary teams to create sustainable designs. A registered architect, he holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology.
KAREN SHEPHERDSON SESSION DETAILS: PG:21 Karen Shepherdson is Reader and Programme Director for Photography at UAL’s London College of Communication. Shepherdson is an academic researcher and practitioner within the field of photography. She considers her roles as curator, writer, practising artist and academic researcher.
CATHRYN SHILLING SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 Cathryn Shilling is an internationally renowned, London-based glass artist. She began her career as a graphic designer but went on to study glass after moving to Connecticut with her family. On returning to the UK, Shilling studied kiln-formed glass and blown glass, setting up her studio in 2009.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS KATE SIMPSON SESSION DETAILS: PG:12 Kate Simpson is Associate Editor of Aesthetica Magazine, having joined the team in 2016. She produces content for international readerships of over 550,000. Simpson has also been involved in a number of related projects including Future Now, the Aesthetica Art Prize and Aesthetica Film Festival.
DEVIKA SINGH SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Devika Singh is Curator, International Art at Tate Modern. Her writing has appeared widely in catalogues, journals and magazines. She was Smuts Research Fellow at the Centre of South Asian Studies of the University of Cambridge and a fellow at the Centre allemand d’histoire de l’art in Paris.
DIANE SMYTH SESSION DETAILS: PG:33 Diane Smyth is a freelance journalist for The Guardian, Apollo, Aesthetica, Creative Review, Calvert Journal and British Journal of Photography. She has curated exhibitions for The Photographers’ Gallery and Lianzhou Foto Festival. Smyth edited the British Journal of Photography for 15 years.
MARY-ALICE STACK SESSION DETAILS: PG:32 Mary-Alice Stack is Chief Executive of Creative United – an entrepreneurial community interest company committed to supporting the growth and development of the arts and creative industries across the UK, with a particular focus on the landscape of the contemporary visual arts market.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS CINDI STRAUSS SESSION DETAILS: PG:16 Cindi Strauss is the Sara and Bill Morgan Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design and Assistant Director, Programming at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. At the MFAH, Strauss is responsible for the acquisition, research, publication, and exhibition of post-1900 decorative arts, design, and craft.
RAND SUFFOLK SESSION DETAILS: PG:26 Since becoming High Museum’s Director in November 2015, Suffolk has championed a renewed commitment to community engagement, placing emphasis on collaboration and inclusivity. To support these objectives, the High has strategically added more than 3000 objects to the collection.
JAMES TAPSCOTT SESSION DETAILS: PG:24 James Tapscott is a contemporary land artist and pioneer of experimental light. His work is primarily based outdoors, and is intrinsically site-responsive. His collaborative approach to working with a particular site creates a carefully constructed sensory experience for the viewer. studio-jt.net.
HOLLY TRUSTED SESSION DETAILS: PG:36 Dr Marjorie Trusted FSA (also known as Holly Trusted) is a graduate of Cambridge University and the Courtauld Institute of Art, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. A Senior Honorary Research Fellow at the Victoria and Albert Museum, she was previously Senior Curator of Sculpture at the V&A. 71
FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS SUSAN VAN WYK SESSION DETAILS: PG:30 Susan van Wyk is the Senior Curator of Photography at the National Gallery of Victoria. Since joining NGV, she has worked on more than 60 exhibitions of Australian and international photography. Over a 30-year career, van Wyk has written numerous catalogues and contributed to journals.
IAN VOLNER SESSION DETAILS: PG:27 Ian Volner has contributed articles on architecture, art and design to The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Harper’s, The Atlantic and The New Yorker online, amongst others. He is contributing editor at Architect. His books include Philip Johnson: A Visual Biography (Phaidon, 2020).
EVA VONK SESSION DETAILS: PG:44 Eva Vonk is the Executive Producer and Creative Director for Tales of Us, a non-profit production company whose first projects – the multi-media series Congo Tales and the short children’s film The Little Fish and the Crocodile – brought a new story about the Congo rainforest and its peoples.
KAY WATSON SESSION DETAILS: PG:31 Kay Watson is a researcher, producer and curator working with art and advanced technologies, photography and video games. She is Arts Technologies Curator at Serpentine Galleries and a PhD researcher at Birkbeck, University of London. Recent projects include Hito Steyerl, Actual Reality OS.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS ZOÉ WHITLEY SESSION DETAILS: PG:35 Dr. Zoé Whitley is Director of Chisenhale Gallery, London, a leading non-profit space which produces and commissions new works of art with emerging British and international artists. Her prior roles include Senior Curator at Hayward Gallery and Curator, International Art at Tate Modern.
ELIZA WILLIAMS SESSION DETAILS: PG:26 Eliza Williams is Editor at Creative Review, and a writer, critic and broadcaster on advertising and design. She also hosts the Creative Review Podcast and has published two books via Laurence King, titled This Is Advertising and How 30 Great Ads Were Made, as well as contributing texts to several books.
JANE WILSON SESSION DETAILS: PG:37 Jane and Louise Wilson, RA Elect, have been working as an artist duo for over two decades since their joint postgraduate degree from Goldsmiths College in 1992. Jane and Louise have gained international reputation. They are appointed as Professors of Fine Art at Newcastle University.
LOUISE WILSON SESSION DETAILS: PG:37 Jane and Louise Wilson, RA Elect, have been working as an artist duo for over two decades since their joint postgraduate degree from Goldsmiths College in 1992. Jane and Louise have gained international reputation. They are appointed as Professors of Fine Art at Newcastle University. 73
FUTURE NOW 2021 SPEAKERS HÉLOISE WINSTONE SESSION DETAILS: PG:23 Héloise Winstone is the Awards Production Manager for 1854 Media and British Journal of Photography, working with artists and partners both in London, and internationally. Winstone works at the forefront of contemporary photography and is passionate about championing new talent.
SHAN WU SESSION DETAILS: PG:43 Shan Wu is a US-based Taiwanese filmmaker and artist working in video, photography, sculpture and installation. She is based between Taipei, LA and Massachusetts. Her work focuses on the use-or-misuse of technology on censorship and its connection to Taiwanese identity. shan-wu.com.
CHRISTIANE ZSCHOMMLER SESSION DETAILS: PG:34 Born and raised in East Berlin, Christiane Zschommler has lived in the UK since 1992. As a lens-based artist and lecturer in art and photography, she uses notebooks, photographs and documents, as well as government statistics, to reflect on her experiences in society. christianezschommler.co.uk.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS MILA ASKAROVA PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 28 APRIL Mila Askarova founded Gazelli Art House, London, in 2010 as a second space to the gallery in Baku. Through these contemporary art spaces and the creation of educational programmes, seminars and exhibitions, Askarova has increased awareness of Azeri artists abroad.
JASMINA CIBIC PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 28 APRIL London-based artist Jasmina Cibic represented Slovenia at the 55th Venice Biennial. Her solo exhibitions include: MSUM Ljubljana, CCA Glasgow, Phi Foundation Montreal, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Kunstmuseen Krefeld, MOCA Belgrade and Ludwig Museum Budapest, amongst others.
GARY CLARK PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL Gary Clark has worked for some of the UK’s most highly respected architectural practices. Gary serves as a visiting professor of sustainable architecture at Queens University Belfast and frequently advises the UK Government on sustainable policy. He is also Chair of RIBA’s Sustainable Futures Group.
LOTTIE DAVIES PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 1 MAY Lottie Davies is a multi award-winning photographer, artist, writer and educator based in London and Cornwall. Her work explores fictional and real stories, personal histories and identity, referencing classical art and literature as well as popular culture such as cinema and television.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS DYSPLA PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL DYSPLA is an award-winning arts studio producing the work of neurodivergent storymakers, supported by Arts Council England, founded by Lennie Varvarides with Creative Director Kazimir Bielecki. DYSPLA continues to elucidate a new artistic aesthetic defined by neurodivergence.
CHERIE FEDERICO PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 28 & 30 APRIL Cherie Federico is the Editor of Aesthetica Magazine and the Director of the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Aesthetica Art Prize and Future Now Symposium. Originally from New York, Cherie moved to the UK in 2002 to study for her Masters degree and founded Aesthetica.
JULIA FULLERTON-BATTEN PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Julia Fullerton-Batten is a fine-art photographer renowned for her cinematic story telling using staged tableaux and sophisticated lighting. She has a permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery, Musee de l’Elysee, Lausanne and the Parliamentary Art Collection, Houses of Parliament.
GRISELDA GOLDSBROUGH PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 9 & 30 APRIL, 1 MAY Griselda Goldsbrough is a visual artist and writer, community educator and co-curator of an arts and events company, Spike and Sponge. She has over 15 years’ experience curating creative art, science and literature programmes and events. She is co-curator of the Aesthetica Art Prize.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS CHARMIAN GRIFFIN PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 28 APRIL Charmian Griffin is Head of Digital at Artangel, a London-based organisation that creates extraordinary art in unexpected places. She is responsible for Artangel’s digital strategy and commissions. She also teaches art criticism at Central Saint Martins and works as a freelance digital producer.
DAMON JACKSON-WALDOCK PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL Damon Jackson-Waldock is curator, producer and arts programmer based in Yorkshire. He is Deputy Curator at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Creative Producer of The Oak Project. Between 2019 and 2020 he was Guest Curator for the visual arts commission at The Piece Hall, Halifax.
PERMINDAR KAUR PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL Permindar Kaur is a sculpture and installation artist, whose approach to art is playful, using childlike objects to explore the territory of cultural identity, home and belonging. Kaur has exhibited internationally at Ikon Gallery and Mead Gallery, Turner Contemporary and Tate. permindarkaur.com.
MAT LAZENBY PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 28 APRIL Mat Lazenby is a key figure in the region's creative industries sector. He was part of the group which created the bid for York to become a UNESCO City of Media Arts. Before founding design agency LazenbyBrown, he worked in senior creative positions for agencies in York and Leeds.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 ORTFOLIO REVIEWERS YUEN FONG LING PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 1 MAY Yuen Fong Ling is an artist, Curator, and Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at Sheffield Hallam University. His practice explores issues of intersectional identities, historical omission, non-permanent public memorial through strategies of socially engaged art practice. He has a PhD from University of Lincoln.
OPE LORI PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Dr Ope Lori is the Director of PILAA (Pre-Image Learning And Action), an Arts & Diversity company which she founded in 2015. Some of their clients include Wilson James, Tate, the Whitworth, the Courtauld and the British Army 104 Logistic Support Brigade. She is an artist using lens-based media.
SHASTI LOWTON PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Shasti Lowton is a curator harnessing culture to promote social change. She has collaborated with Southbank Centre, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Horniman Museum and Gardens and Black Cultural Archives. Shasti curated the Science Museum Group’s Illuminating India: Photography 1857-2017.
WILHEMINA MADELEY PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL Wilhemina Madeley has worked in visual arts for over a decade, with some of the industry’s most notable names including Damien Hirst and Frieze. She is Head of exhibitions at Acute Art, an art and technology company specialising in VR and AR, and a guest lecturer at The Royal College of Art.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS AMEENA M. MCCONNELL PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 1 MAY Ameena M. McConnell’s independent practice, Creative Fruits, has produced curatorial projects since 2004. She has curated for the Design Museum and London Design Festival. Her current project focuses on inclusion and representation, championing a new generation of curators. creative-fruits.com.
KIT MONKMAN PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 1 MAY Kit Monkman is an innovator in screen-based art and interactive media. He directed the experimental feature Macbeth and co-directed The Knife That Killed Me. He is also co-founder of KMA – an artistic collaboration that specialises in environmental installations. Kit has worked with Prince and DV8.
IZABELA ZHANG PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Izabela Radwanska Zhang has been with the British Journal of Photography since 2016, and is the Managing Editor of print and online at 1854 Media. Her words have also appeared in Disegno, The Independent and Press Association. She holds an MA in Magazine Journalism from City University.
NATALIE RUDD PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 1 MAY Natalie Rudd is Senior Curator of the Arts Council Collection. Her curated projects include the forthcoming Arts Council Collection Touring Exhibition, Breaking the Mould: Sculpture by Women since 1945. Rudd has written widely on art, published by Tate, Thames & Hudson and more.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS KATE SIMPSON PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL, 1 MAY Kate Simpson is Associate Editor of Aesthetica Magazine, having joined the team in 2016. She produces content for international readerships of over 550,000+. Simpson has also been involved in a number of related projects including Future Now, the Aesthetica Art Prize and Aesthetica Film Festival.
HANNAH STARKEY PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 28 APRIL Hannah Starkey’s images centre around the female experience, evoking narratives through their appropriation of cultural templates: issues of class, race, gender, and identity are implied. Starkey has featured in The Guardian and Financial Times, and in Tate, London, and the Seattle Art Museum.
ELEANOR SUTHERLAND PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 30 APRIL, 1 MAY Eleanor Sutherland is Digital Content Writer for Aesthetica Magazine, contributing to its online articles, social media and printed issues. She has been part of the Aesthetica team since 2017, interviewing major artists and working with curators and editors from key arts organisations and publishers.
MELANIE VANDENBROUCK PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Dr Melanie Vandenbrouck is Sculpture Curator at the V&A, London, where her responsibility includes the modern and contemporary collection. Prior to this, she was Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich, where she founded and chaired the Museum’s Contemporary Arts Forum.
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FUTURE NOW 2021 PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS KAY WATSON PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Kay Watson is a researcher, producer and curator working with art and advanced technologies, photography and video games. She is Arts Technologies Curator at Serpentine Galleries and a PhD researcher at Birkbeck, University of London. Recent projects include Hito Steyerl, Actual Reality OS.
LIZ WHITEHEAD PORTFOLIO REVIEWER: 29 APRIL Liz Whitehead is Director at Fabrica Gallery, Brighton, which she helped found, as an artist. Established 25 years ago, Fabrica has built a solid reputation for commissioning mid-career artists to create new, extraordinary works for its unique space (a former 19th century chapel) and audiences.
TINA ZIEGLER PORTFOLIO REVIEWER 29 APRIL Since 2008, Tina Ziegler has been a torchbearer for the urban and contemporary art movement, having spent the last 13 years as a professional curator and project director, advocating and supporting the art movement she loves. Originally from California, Ziegler has curated over 300 exhibitions.
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MA in Photography, Landscape & the Environment Two year, part-time course with mixed delivery of online, on-campus and on location learning. To find out more visit www.hca.ac.uk/ma-photography 82
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Prism, Scout (detail) by Cig Harvey, 2017 © Cig Harvey
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