This week, I’m excited to share a new interview with Mollie E. Barnes, independent curator, arts host, writer, gallery advisor, and founder of She Curates!

How did you get your start working in the arts?

So, I suppose, my career in the arts started very early on. I was always fascinated by the strong women around me, all of whom seemed to be involved in the ‘Art World’ in some capacity. Some artists, teachers, curators, gallery assistants… I was brought in by the raucous tide of it all and am thrilled to have come to it so naturally. It can be an incredibly difficult field to break into, as we know. I don’t have the ‘traditional’ background of someone in the arts - I don’t even have a degree! - and have tried to work in every aspect of it I have been able to.

I joined a committee for a local arts Exhibition as a young teen for which I have recently become the chair and curator, I worked managing an arts shop, I trained as a professional framer, I worked as an artist, I took on social media for lots of organizations, I worked in gallery marketing, as an administrator and accountant for a gallery, on various art committees…just everything. I think it’s been a true blessing and a privilege to work in so many fields and aspects of the sector as it’s given me true respect and understanding for each job. No job is small. There can be an arrogance, I’ve found, that is changing I think, that artists - until they achieve museum tote bag celebrity - are at the bottom of the pecking order in the art world, and that is simply not true, and should never have been thought.

Tell us about your work as an independent curator. What kind of artwork is your focus and what types of projects are you typically involved with?

Thank you, yes. Working as a curator is what I have always dreamt of. I am particularly drawn to the work of women artists (big surprise!), and also in the work of decentralizing the art world. London is so important, and I love London, but I’m not a Londoner myself. I live just over an hour from London, and so growing up I wasn’t able to afford OR have the time to constantly be going into the big shows and seeing all the exhibitions. For me, galleries like the Hastings Contemporary, Towner, and more regional galleries were more accessible. I like being a part of organizations, institutions, and smaller spaces, always with a focus on bringing in a wide range of people, to have the art be accessible and have the space be approachable.

My work as a curator is hugely driven by color. This is going to sound extremely abstract for those of you who don’t have this, but I have extremely strong synthesisia, which demonstrates to me as everything (literally everything!) having a color; be it words, sounds, objects, anything. As a child and a teenager, this manifested in crippling OCD, I have been fortunate to be able to channel it into my work and it’s what drives a lot of my practice and my decisions. This is the really abstract part - I can see works, concepts, themes, ideas, sizes, and spaces as colors and they either fit together or they don’t in my mind. I am lucky that people have seen the value in my work as a curator and what I do.

Any challenges of being a curator that people might not initially consider? What about advice for those early on in their careers?

Honestly, I would say the challenges posed are often the same as many other careers in the arts. It always seems to be about who you know, and if you’re not in certain circles it can feel extremely isolating and can become quite debilitating.

My advice is always the same to everybody no matter what: be cheeky!

I always say this, because people love it when you’re cheeky. You want to meet someone for a coffee to talk about their job path? Send them a DM, find their email, LinkedIn, anything. You want to work with an artist? Contact them. Remember that everyone is human, and remember to be human yourself. Listen, learn, respect everyone you meet.

I have had most of my experiences and opportunities through reaching out to people I never thought would message me back.

[This is a sign if you’re reading this and you’re looking to speak to someone for advice, you can always start with me! I respond to every message.]

We are excited to learn more about your platform She Curates! You launched this year and have already built an impressive following. Can you talk about the impetus for founding She Curates and share your mission?

You are so kind. Yes, so I started She Curates on the 28th March 2020, 5 days into the UK lockdown. My curatorial and other freelance positions were largely put on hold, and I had been thinking about launching some kind of platform for women artists and to build this supportive community. It has been insane. I’ve been so fortunate, and it has been a real testimony to the kindness of strangers and support from new people. At the time of writing this, we’re an over 12K strong community, and it’s amazing and beautiful and I’m so lucky to be a part of it.

The mission of She Curates comes from its founding idea: put simply, women artists are not treated or represented equally in the art world. A statistic I read recently equated to artworks by women only represent 2% of global spending at auction. Furthermore, the amount spent on women artists in recent years ($4 billion) is still less than that spent on Picasso ALONE. It’s insane, and it needs to change.

She Curates was born out of a desire to celebrate this plethora of working women artists, to get their names shown, and to champion them. I am doing this through grants (see the recent STARt Grant from She Curates), exhibition initiatives (to be announced soon), and more. There’s definitely work that needs to be done and I am hoping I can help support these women artists.

Who are a few artists you've profiled recently that we should know about?

Most recently I have been so lucky to speak to Betty Tompkins (an absolute dream!), Eileen Cooper (the biggest supporter of me, and the best person), Lily Kemp, Hiba Schabaz, Kate MccGwire… there are so many. Interviews go live on She Curates (on IG @she_curates_ ) every couple of days. I have some amazing ones I’m dying to click ‘live’ on!

Artists you wish you had in your own personal collection?

Oh my goodness so many! I’ll write a list, but it’s definitely not all of them.

Sara Anstis

Okiki Akinfe

Cassie Namoda

Sasha Gordon

Ayobola Kekere-Ekun

Oh De Lavel

Prudence Flint

Betty Tompkins

Erin Lawlor

Lucy Kemp

Maja Ruznic

Emily Marie Miller

….and so so many more. I could go on for hours.

What's next for you & She Curates in 2021 and beyond?

I love this question thank you so much. It’s is another big question! I have so many projects coming up with She Curates, which is such a lovely thing to be able to say. Lots of them haven’t been announced yet… I’ll say what I can. I have recently announced part of my upcoming work with the phenomenal Art Girl Rising (with plenty more to come!!).

I also have some super exciting collaborations coming up with Mirabeau Wine, UNIT Drops, Daniel Raphael Gallery, Wilder Gallery, CURA Art, Jennifer Smith, Nettle Grellier, Nicole Coson, WING Art Gallery, and more! I could not be more excited.