Spotlight artist Alejandra Aristizabal
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Aristizábal’s champions for The Wick are Georgia Powell and Liza Shapiro, Director and Co-Founders of CURA Art and The Residency. “We got to know Alejandra’s practice through our initiative, The Residency, thanks to one of our patrons for the project, Stephanie Manasseh who had chosen to fund and support Alejandra through a month-long residency. We then had the opportunity to spend a month with her and the other artists in residence at Villa Lena in June 2023. We were immediately drawn to her innovative use of material and her community-focused approach. Alejandra is a joy to know and to work with. We were thrilled to showcase her work recently at our exhibition for The Residency at Christie’s London, and even more delighted that the work was placed in a caring home. Care is a sentiment close to our hearts, having started CURA Art to support ‘Collecting with Care’, and The Residency to encourage meaningful patronage. We look forward to more people discovering Alejandra’s elegant works through this feature.”
For the artist’s recent exhibition at Christie’s London, “I tried to extract the soul of Tuscany into one vibrant piece.” The works were made during the artist’s residency at Villa Lena, and reflect “the gentle embrace of Tuscany’s colors, the golden sunlight, the lush greens of its vineyards, the earthy browns of rustic farms, the azure skies brushed with the light of a setting sun. By capturing Tuscany’s colors, I hope to share with viewers the serenity and inspiration it given upon me—reminding us all of the profound beauty we can find in the world.”
This week, Aristizábal is heading to Miami, where she will present pieces at Scope. Next year, she is looking forward to Bogotá, New York, London, Hong Kong, Basel, Miami and Los Angeles – her works ambassadors for Colombia throughout the world, “playing a part in reshaping and enriching the global dialogue about Colombia. This journey of storytelling through art is my purpose.”
About the champion
Georgia Powell specialises in the professional management, research and display of collections. Her passion lies in promoting the potential of the private collector in the art eco-system. Georgia studied Art History in Italy and the UK, earning a BA and MA in the subject. Georgia gained experience at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and with an exhibition designer, working with prominent private collections including The Myers Collection at Eton College and the Portland Collection at Welbeck Abbey. She then managed The Redfern Gallery on London’s Cork Street. As Assistant Curator of the private collection owned by The Goldsmiths’ Company in London, Georgia was responsible for managing, exhibiting and expanding a collection of more than 9,000 objects. Georgia is a lecturer at Christie’s Education and speaks regularly on the subject of the role of the Collector today. Georgia is Curator to the Estate of Jane McAdam Freud and advisor to the Estate of Feliks Topolski. She is a Trustee of Plain Sight Archive, a member of the international Catalogue Raisonné Association and a mentor for I Like Networking, helping artists and those working in the arts.
Liza Shapiro specializes in preservation and collections management, with expertise in creating bespoke databases. Liza’s interest for caring for works of art began while studying art restoration in Florence, Italy. She earned a BA in Art Conservation from Camberwell College of Arts, London, and an MA in Museum Studies from University College London (UCL). Liza worked at several museums, galleries and conservation studios, including Tate Modern, the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Redfern Gallery, and Janie Lightfoot Textiles. At the oldest hat shop in the world, Lock & Co. Hatters, Liza preserved and catalogued more than 400 ledgers and historical material in order to curate a new, permanent exhibition space. Liza returned home to California in 2015, and has established a strong LA presence, working with varied private collections and industry specialists. Liza is a mentor for Upward & Associates, a platform that offers guidance and concrete tools to help artists meet their professional goals. She is also on the board of the ArtTable National Programs Committee.
“We were immediately drawn to her innovative use of material and her community-focused approach.”
Georgia Powell & Liza Shapiro
