Our Curatorial Board is a body of 11 brilliant and diverse art market professionals, reflecting the global nature of Artfinder and here to shape its future. They include our in-house curators, Alice Phillimore and Helen Buckley, and 11 fine art experts with different expertise in the art world, from gallery owners and curators, to art consultants and art historians. First formed in 2019, the board has continued to develop and grow to better serve our worldwide customer base and artist community.
When selecting the board, the team carefully considered the needs of our community - artist and customer - and it was important that they supported and reflected our values, mission and everything we are trying to achieve as a B-Corp.
The board will help support and spotlight more of our wonderful artists through regular curated collections and content, as well as providing mentoring opportunities for artists. At the same time, ensuring we maintain our standards of quality and meet the needs of our growing and diverse customer base by introducing new emerging artists as well as showcasing established talent.
We are delighted to welcome four new board members for 2022:
Nicola Charles
International curator and founder of 11:Eleven Gallery, Nicola began her early career in the Relationship Management team at Christies Auctioneers in London, before moving on to work in Professional Services for many years before eventually taking the plunge and re-joining the art world. Since then, Nicola has gained her curating certification at the prestigious Sotheby’s Education.
Nicola has successfully worked with reputable contemporary art organisations and galleries in London, and as an ardent globetrotter, her travels have contributed immensely to her passion for the art industry, providing her with a broad and worldly outlook within the arts realm. This combined passion has led her to Washington D.C., where she founded 11:Eleven gallery in 2019. Nicola has quickly made a name for herself in her hometown of London and also Washington, where she is highly respected in the industry.
Beulah Van Rensburg
Beulah is the founder of Van Rensburg Galleries in Hong Kong and Australia, as well as the artistic director at The Chateau d'Orquevaux Artist Residency in France, where their mission is to emphasise the human experience and creative process.
A practising artist herself, Beulah opened a small gallery space in Hong Kong and started exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair, which then began to grow locally and internationally into New York art fairs, and then to a second gallery in Milton, Australia. Their mission is to support globally emerging and established artists, making their work accessible to the widest possible audience via art fairs, galleries and online.
Krista Scenna
Krista is an independent curator and online gallery owner based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BA in Art History and Spanish from the University of Pennsylvania and her MA from New York University’s XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement program.
Krista has worked for the ICA in Philadelphia, the Queens Museum, and the New Museum in various capacities. Past exhibitions include collaborations with BRIC, NURTUREart and Lesley Heller Workspace and site-specific exhibitions in alternative forums such The Old Stone House, DUMBO Arts Festival, SPRING/BREAK Art Show and the Cigar Factory, LLC. Krista also connects local emerging artists with new art buyers as the Co-Founder and owner of Ground Floor Gallery based in Park Slope, Brooklyn from 2013-2020. The gallery continues to operate as a virtual platform specialising in commissions and art consulting for new art buyers.
Krista is a member of AWAD (the Association of Women Art Dealers) and recently served as a juror for the 11th Biennial Alexander Rutsch Award, the Art Fair14C: The Juried Show, and as guest curator for the Ely Center for Contemporary Art. Krista also advises artists and arts organisations as a strategist with the Ninth Street Collective.
Varuna Kollanethu
Varuna is the founder, director, and curator of London-based Ruup & Form, a contemporary craft and applied art gallery. Born in Bangalore, India, Varuna acquired a master’s in journalism and spent her early career with prominent global firms, working in advertising for Ogilvy & Mathur and brand management for ING Worldwide.
Following her relocation to London in 2005, Varuna earned a second master’s in curating contemporary design, and began to develop an impressive roster of curatorial posts and partnerships, including work with the National Museum in Singapore and purchasing pieces for high net-worth individuals and corporate spaces.
Varuna founded Ruup & Form in 2019. She believes that craft and design contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of communities, connect us to our cultural histories, and are integral to building a sustainable future. Her curatorial approach draws heavily on her background, incorporating extensive research into artists and their practice as well as careful consideration of themes and forms. As a gallerist with an in-depth understanding of corporate needs and relationships, she is uniquely positioned for her work with artists and professionals alike.
