Conversation with Natalia Palombo
Managing Director, Many Studios and Curator, The Gallow Gate
Which art exhibition/event/artist are you looking forward to the most now museums and galleries are beginning to reopen?
You know, I’ve just been looking forward to being in one. Last weekend, after six months, I visited the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow with a friend and colleague. We were keen to see the new works acquired for Domestic Bliss (curated by Katie Bruce), including works by Scotland-based artists Ray Camara and Rabiya Choudhry.
I had hoped to head down to London last week but in the end it just didn’t seen necessary in the current climate! I’m currently working with London-based artist Januario Jano and was looking forward to seeing his graduate work at Goldsmiths and Saatchi Gallery. I was also looking forward to seeing ‘The Medium is the Message’ at Unit London, curated by Azu Nwagbogu and featuring work by Ngozi Schommers amongst many more artists. This exhibition is open until mid-November. If I made it down to London, I’ll coincide with the opening of 1957 in London too. The Ghanaian gallery is opening a new space in London with a solo exhibition of Kwesi Botchway’s work, curated by Ekow Eshun (opening 23 October).
Have you launched any online initiatives recently?
At Many Studios and The Gallow Gate, international working has always been imbedded in our programming, and while finding ways to work in person is important within that, we’ve been nurturing international relationships online for quite some time. We’ve been developing a manifesto and toolkit to help Scotland-based organisations to navigate the UK Government’s Hostile Environment through practical visa application guidance and advocacy, in partnership with Deveron Projects: www.manystudios.co.uk/movement-of-freedom.
We also designed our project space to be ‘anti-white cube’ and have been programming beyond the gallery for years. I’m currently working with Mother Tongue and Kayus Bankole to co-commission writing as part of an artist book project called Delineate. Writing will reflect on the papermaking process, linen and cotton trades lesser-known aspects of post-colonial legacies in Scotland.
A lot of people are feeling challenged by adapting work online. Creating work outside of a physical space doesn’t need to mean online outcomes.