Arts & leisure with
Isolde Brielmaier
Deputy director of the New Museum
From leading the team at one of NYC’s most dynamic museums to curating shows that highlight BIPOC artists, Isolde is always finding ways to lift up her creative community. We met up downtown near the New Museum to learn more about her path through the art world and her polished yet playful approach to style…
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Style for me is about expressing who I am. There’s a part of me that wants to be playful and experimental, and there’s a part of me that just wants to be classic.
WELL SUITED
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When I can’t make up my mind in the morning, I throw on a suit. Usually there’s some kind of twist that throws it off-center, like a bunch of bangles or a funky pair of shoes. It adds a bit of zest and question into the mix.
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Q&A with ISOLDE
Q&A
with Isolde
How did you carve out your path in the art world?
IB: The creativity bug has always been deep within me. I was a dancer for many years, and I started volunteering at museums in my 20s. I’ve been working in the art world for the last three decades as a professor, as a curator and now in a leadership position as the deputy director of the New Museum. I feel really lucky to be on this road—it’s had a lot of detours but it’s always come back to culture. It took me a while to learn that I could lean into the nonlinear, and I’m still leaning.
Tell us about the idea of “art for all.” Why is it important to create access for as many people as possible?
IB: Artists make work to be seen, appreciated and debated. They don’t make work to just shove in the back of a closet. They want it to be out in the world and to have an impact on people. Our job is to find a platform that honors their vision but also opens up different points of entry for different types of people.
What advice do you have for people who want to learn more about art, and maybe even buy their first piece?
IB: When people are interested in art, I say you have it all around you. Join a museum, support a cultural institution, visit a gallery. Gather with like-minded people and have discussions about what you see and how it makes you feel. From there, you begin to get a sense of what moves you and what your taste is, and you can start to think about, “Wow, I would love to have a piece of art on my wall. What might that look like?”
How do you find ways to support your creative community in NYC?
IB: We’re not born knowing it all. Somewhere along the way, somebody held my hand and introduced me to someone, offered me an opportunity or gave me an idea, and I feel a really strong desire at this point in my life to pay that forward. With privilege comes opportunity. I look at projects like this one with J.Crew as an opportunity to support BIPOC photographers, stylists, make-up artists…there are so many creatives out there who have been historically excluded or overlooked. When I am able to, I always suggest young creatives that maybe don’t have the same access.
What’s inspiring you right now?
IB: People inspire me. At the end of the day, we’re all doing the best we can. We’re all given gifts that we’re either trying to discover or put into play. I’m inspired by people that I don’t know and then meet, by people that I work with, by my friends and the things they juggle, by my daughter. When you take a step back, inspiration can come from the smallest things. I think being humble, flexible and open is a wonderful way for me to live in this moment.
BOLD STROKES
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The world that I live in with art: the colors, the textures, the lines, the angles—those are things that catch your eye and draw you in. That’s something I think about when I put clothing on. It can be an energy source for yourself and for others.
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For New York summers, cool, flowing dresses are the way to go. They allow you to go from daytime to evening, indoors and out.
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ISOLDE’S DOWNTOWN NYC GALLERY GUIDE
1
The New Museum
235 BOWERY, NEW YORK, NY
“Of course I had to include this one! ‘New art, new ideas’ is the core mission of the museum. Come visit us this summer—our new shows open on June 29th.”
2
International Center of Photography (ICP)
79 ESSEX ST, NEW YORK, NY
“A wonderful museum dedicated to ‘concerned photography.’ There’s always a dynamic exhibition on view, plus great public programs on images and image-making.”
3
Hannah Traore Gallery
150 ORCHARD ST, NEW YORK, NY
“A gallery that takes risks, does not do ‘business as usual’ and showcases work by BIPOC and other historically excluded but highly talented artists.”
4
Rachel Uffner Gallery
170 SUFFOLK ST, NEW YORK, NY
“A great gallery with a great roster of artists who make great work. I always feel like I discover something new here.”
5
Galerie Perrotin
130 ORCHARD ST, NEW YORK, NY
“A big-time gallery that features established names and lesser-known artists, who are all doing strong work while engaging with culture more broadly.”
