Arina Novak
Arina holding “The Alternative States” front page on her laptop. Photo by Robert Oliver.
Arina Novak is a Russia-born emerging contemporary art curator based in New York City. She is expecting to receive her Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts with a concentration in Art History and two minors in Global Studies and Photography in the Fall of 2021 from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She currently works as an independent curator with a focus on emerging and mid-career artists based in the United States and Eastern Europe. Arina aspires to promote Eastern European arts and culture abroad and establish a market base for contemporary Russian artists. Her curatorial projects explore the topics outside of the conventional scope of ideas by addressing original themes and presenting undervalued artists.
Can you talk about your interest in curating and inevitably what led you to create The Alternative States exhibition?
I have always wanted to be an independent curator. However, I only realized that this was my true passion last year. Pandemic made me rethink the direction of my art practice. Initially, I explored art writing as my creative outlet. I remember thinking how much I loved writing about artists and their work. In the fall of 2020, I met Nina Mdivani, a Georgian curator based in New York City. I was fascinated with her curatorial work and an incredibly diverse portfolio of artists. Until recently, I worked as Nina’s assistant but she really became my mentor. I’m forever thankful to her for introducing me to the ins and outs of curatorial work. This is when I decided to start independent curatorial work of my own. So “The Alternative States” became my first online curatorial project. I must say that it’s been pretty successful.
“The Alternative States” poster created by Sydney Kysar
You're currently enrolled in Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, for your BFA in Art History, and you have already have an impressive work history in the art world. Can you talk about what experiences are helpful for an up-and-coming curator?
I think that my advice would be to do as many studio visits as one possibly can. Over the course of six months or so, I counted over twenty five virtual and in-person studio visits. Meeting artists is crucial in order to define one’s taste and direction of curatorial practice.
How does being a student of art history influence your curation? What areas of history interest you the most right now?
As an art history student, I learned to appreciate all areas of history. However, I must say, my favorite period is the 20th century and beyond. I’m heavily interested in studying Eastern European art, especially the differences between career experiences of artists who left the Soviet Union versus the ones who stayed.
Kazimir Malevich,
Black Square, 1915
oil on linen
79.5 x 79.5 cm
As a curator, how do you find artists? Can you share what typically attracts you to an artist, like easy-to-find info, a link to Instagram on their website?
I think that Instagram is my main business tool. I use it to connect with artists. I treat it as an online portfolio and a communication device. I think accessibility is the most important factor. I believe that artists should be easy to approach.
Where are some of your favorite spaces that support contemporary art or design? Now that the art has an online presence, has that changed?
To me, online galleries are definitely essential. If not for online spaces, international artists wouldn’t be able to connect and exhibit their works together in the most sufficient and affordable way. I’m very excited to see what the online world has to offer. However, working with physical spaces is something what I truly aspire to do. I’m not talking about galleries, just spaces in general. I’m particularly attracted to curating projects in spaces like independent artistic collectives, clubs, abandoned buildings, warehouses, garages, etc. I think it‘s somethings magical and synergetic about fostering a connection between art and non-commercial spaces.
Anything else you would like to share?
Poster for the upcoming exhibition at Surface Lab Art in Moscow, Russia. Designed by Amira Lin
This summer, I’m co-curating video art exhibition project as a part of Everart Weekend festival in Moscow, Russia. I’m also guest curating two group exhibitions at two galleries in Moscow.
Arina Novak curated our current exhibition, The Alternative States, running May 3 - June 30, 2021. Visit her Instagram (ari.self) to see more of her work.