Business Finance Media Technology Policy Wealth Insights Interviews

Art Art Fairs Art Market Art Reviews Auctions Galleries Museums Interviews

Lifestyle Nightlife & Dining Style Travel Interviews

Power Index Nightlife & Dining Art A.I. PR

About About Observer Advertise With Us Reprints

Francesco Bonami’s Case Against Trend-Chasing in the Museum Business

Under Bonami’s direction, By Art Matters in Hangzhou, China, has embraced a curatorial model that favors instinct, experimentation and intellectual risk.

Late last year, I had the privilege of visiting Hangzhou, China, as the guest of By Art Matters, a remarkable museum that opened in 2021. The museum is situated in a sprawling complex designed by Renzo Piano, and across several floors and two buildings, it takes an innovative approach to curation, both in the subjects it tackles and in the way exhibitions are organized. Located just an hour by train from Shanghai, it is truly a must-visit for anyone traveling in the region. At least part of its success can be attributed to the work of curator Francesco Bonami, who serves as its director. I caught up with Bonami in Shanghai to learn more about how this one-of-a-kind institution came to be.

Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter

Thank you for signing up!

By clicking submit, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime.

In person, you told me a little bit about how you came to know By Art Matters through your friend Renzo Piano, who designed the complex it occupies in Hangzhou. I’d love to hear more about these early stages. How did the institution’s curatorial ethos........

© Observer