HI THOM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT OUR CURRENT PROJECT. FIRSTLY, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE JOURNEY THAT LED YOU TO BECOME AN ART CURATOR? WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE THIS PATH, AND WHAT WERE SOME KEY MOMENTS OR EXPERIENCES THAT HELPED SHAPE YOUR CAREER IN THE ARTS?

I think in terms of a key moment, it would have to be my first exhibition. At the time, I had, I think, a couple of hundred followers, maybe, on Instagram. We were starting to share some works that I liked. And I started reaching out to artists that I would love to work with. I think I definitely punched above my weight and for whatever reason those artists resonated with the idea and agreed to take part in my first ever exhibition and that exhibition just really fanned the flames in terms of what I'm doing today.

The scene here is great, you know, we've got some incredible contemporary galleries as well as, you know, established museums, but I wanted to see more. I was lucky enough to travel to the likes of Paris, London, Brussels, Antwerp, etc. Cities that are not too far away geographically from Amsterdam, and there's just more and more to see. There's more energy, there's more galleries, there's more artists, so I wanted to do my bit to contribute to the local scene.

AS A CURATOR, HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE PROCESS OF SELECTING AND PRESENTING WORKS THAT CREATE A COHESIVE NARRATIVE OR DIALOGUE WITHIN AN EXHIBITION OR COLLECTION?

As a curator, narrative is the most central and important contribution that I can make to a project, to an exhibition. My process is quite simple. Once I've defined that narrative, I've given some text to it, I've started to look at visually how it'll come together, what the cohesion is like, not only between the artist but between the concept and the artworks themselves. Then the exhibition starts to come to life, then the conversations start to develop with the artist, with the gallery and what I find is over time, the narrative remains the same, but the visual representation starts to expand in ways that I couldn't have foreseen, I couldn't have imagined, and that are so much richer than my initial idea.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND WORKING WITH 4BYSIX? DID YOU NATURALLY FIND COMMONALITIES BETWEEN OUR ETHOS AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF PORTRAYING NARRATIVES WITH ART?

Working with Alex and the 4BYSIX team has been a breeze. I think the central narrative of what 4BYSIX stands for, the projects that they are involved in, the initiatives that they preach and really foster, made it so seamless to kind of integrate into what they're doing; help expand on some of the narratives, add a little bit of my flavour, and at the end of the day come up with a really great project that, you know, titled Art4Good. I mean, if that's not a kind of ethos to work with and for, then I really don't know what is.

FRAMED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF 4BYSIX'S INITIATIVES, HOW DO YOU SEE THE CURATOR’S ROLE IN ADVOCATING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THE ARTS?

Sustainability in the arts from the curatorial perspective… that's a fascinating question. I think on reflection, the key kind of takeaway for me is by placing emphasis on narrative by reminding people or bringing importance to ideas to conversations within the arts people return to what art is all about you know getting a bit caught up in the industry and sales and the commercials that of course make the art world go around just finding more time and space for narrative for the essence of creation why artists are doing it in the first place why galleries are doing it in the first place that for me is uh where a sustainable environment thrives.

FOLLOWING MY PREVIOUS QUESTION, IN BOTH TERMS OF ARTISTIC CONTENT AND CURATORIAL PRACTICE, HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE ARTS?

In terms of the future of sustainability in the arts, I think it's fair to say that there is room within the existing models for amendments for new ways of looking at things I think the big one for me is collaboration I think when galleries fairs artists work in isolation there are pros and there are cons there are challenges. What I want to see more of or what I want to get involved with is projects where artists work side by side galleries working side by side on a shared initiative, on a shared vision, mission that's where I think the environment becomes more welcoming, more cohesive, and ultimately more sustainable.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE OUR SELECTED ARTISTS WILL GAIN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IN THIS PROJECT?

I think the big one is recognising collaboration and also recognising the power the impact of social good I think getting behind some of the initiatives that the 4BYSIX team champion is rewarding not only personally but collectively and then I think as an artist and as myself as a curator being reminded of the value of that has to be the most important takeaway.

FINALLY, WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON AND WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

So as we move into 26, one of my most exciting projects earlier in the year is the opening of the major hotel project that I've been working on in Berlin. It's a great project that I've had the pleasure of curating the entire hotel. It includes the facade, the rooms, the lobbies, the exterior. It's been a real real treat so that's coming up in February. In March I head down to Hong Kong for a project during Art Basel. In April we're back to Taiwan for another project with Le Monde Art Space. So a lot of focus in that kind of Asian region which is super exciting having only done one project earlier this year. Then kind of pre-summer it's back to Europe for projects in Rome, Istanbul and the like so enough to keep me busy for the first half of the year, I'm now starting to look at what the second half of 26 looks like - lots of exciting things on the cards really trying to think about how I can get involved with projects that challenge me, challenge my practice and provide a real platform for the next generation of artists.