Mia Press spoke with gallerist Mariela Lairet
By Bastian Marin, 15-10-2020
Director of the Mariela Lairet Gallery. Art Curator.She was Director of the Estudio Arte 8 Gallery in Venezuela. Degree in Social Communication. Postgraduate Degree in Current Art Management from the University of Barcelona, Spain. Specializations in Art Market and Contemporary Art History at Sotheby’s Art Institute. D. Diploma in Visual Arts at the Metropolitan University.Teacher of the Escuela Corriente Alterna.
1. At what point in your life do you discover your passion for art?
When I did my undergraduate thesis, in 2009, I did an exhibition of an average of 30 artists who intervened in the spaces of the Montéavila University, and from that work I discovered that’s what I wanted to dedicate myself to.
2. When and how do you decide to become an art gallery owner?
I was interested in opening my own gallery in 2018, a few months before participating as a gallerist in Art Lima 2019. She had already had the experience of working 8 consecutive years as Director of the Galería Estudio Arte 8 (2010-2014) and as Art Dealer and Curator (2014-2018) curating more than 10 art exhibitions, and exhibiting artists at numerous fairs such as PINTA NY, PINTA London, FIA Caracas, FIART Dominican Republic, among others.
3. As an art gallery owner, how do you see the development of women’s art exhibitions and collections? As a Venezuelan gallerist in Peru, it strikes me that artistic initiatives and proposals always include both genres. I haven’t seen much development of female art shows or collections.
4.The exhibition collaboration with Mia Art Collection, what does it mean to you?
I find it a very eye-catching window to promote my artists on an international platform. Now is when you have to do more collaborations, because we are in the virtual era and you have to work as a team to have more visibility.
5.What was the reason for choosing the four artists in the exhibition?
They are the artists with whom I have been working most currently, in recent virtual exhibitions, and I thought it opportune to exhibit them and that they can have recognition before other audiences.
6.What do you think of the work that MIA does regarding feminism in the art world?
I find it admirable, as there are not many collections or organizations dedicated to collecting women artists. Every day it is observed that there is more interest in recognizing the work of female artists, however, it is still a novelty.
7.How do you see the development of initiatives that support women artists in Venezuela?
I am sure that it would be a success if more and more initiatives were generated that support women artists since it is still very rare in Peru for initiatives like MIA ANYWHERE to occur.
8.What is your opinion on the digitisation of art samples ?
And what do you think of MIA Anywhere, the world’s first digital women’s art museum? I think it is ideal that there are virtual exhibitions, as this way the promotion of artists can have a wider scope, to other interested audiences and collectors. It seems to me that MIA ANYWHERE is adapting to new technologies and the needs of the current public, which every day has less time to move, or complications to travel, and in this way you can continue to enjoy new artistic expressions in a virtual way.