Interview Loughran Gallery Founder Juliette Loughran
THE WICK:
You’re an avid collector of art and cars. Where does your interest in both stem from?
Juliette Loughran:
I first saw the relationship between cars and art in a literal sense years ago with the BMW art cars, which I still love today. We recently went to the Villa d’Este Concorso where they launched Julie Mehretu’s art car that went on to race at Le Mans this year. They also had many of the original art cars exhibited, which was great to see.
There are obvious similarities between collecting cars and art – not only in terms of their investment potential but more so the deep personal meaning that’s attached to them. I think we’ll continue to see more crossover in the future too.
We recently exhibited at Kiklo Spaces in Hampshire, which is a spectacular multi-dimensional space for cars and art – it was really interesting to see how people came for the art, but really wanted to see the cars too.
TW: Loughran Gallery has been putting on ‘roaming’ exhibitions since 2012. Which exhibition are you most proud of?
JL:
I’ve really loved all our exhibitions but I think my favourite is our most recent, LOVE /lʌv/. We teamed up with Dynamisk founder Angeliki Kim Perfetti to create a feel-good group show exploring the theme of love. The last few years have been tough for so many, so I wanted to start 2024 on a more hopeful note. The result was a celebration of love in all its forms across painting, sculpture, photography and light installation, by an exciting group of emerging contemporary artists and established names. I’m very proud to say, it had the desired effect – there were smiles all around.
TW:
How has your approach to curating exhibitions evolved over the years?
JL: I decided at the very start that I wanted to work with a relatively small roster of artists and really believe in each one. This has remained a constant throughout. Just as I tell my clients: if you love something, I don’t think you can go too wrong. I love the fact we move around and keep it interesting rather than stay in one place too. Each new space offers exciting opportunities and challenges. Nowadays, I enjoy having the shows run a little longer so we can really engage and bring different experiences throughout.
TW:
What role do you think technology will play in the future of both the automotive and art industries?
JL:
I am quite traditional in my technology ways, a phone and laptop is really all I need in that regard. However, I love how Jonathan Yeo has embraced technology, using virtual reality to create sculptures and 3D printing as well as traditional methods. I can’t quite get my head around a self-driving car but this is where we seem to be headed.
“If you love something, I don’t think you can go too wrong.”
