Latest news with #Artsy
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Kolkata's co-working spaces are the new offices in town
Kolkata's coworking spaces and work-friendly cafes are witnessing a summer surge, driven by the city's shifting work culture, seasonal discomforts, and the growing tribe of freelancers and hybrid workers. Rising temperatures, frequent power cuts, and a demand for flexible schedules are drawing remote workers into air-conditioned havens that offer more than just coffee. Dedicated work desks are the most sought-after From coffee to collaboration The fusion of café culture and remote work is reshaping how Kolkata works. 'Artsy is designed to be inviting for both solo workers and meeting-goers,' says Arshdeep Singh, partner, Artsy – Cafe | Coffee | Culture. 'We have six high seats built for work, free WiFi, and an all-day dining menu.' Natasha Suri, co-founder, CoLAB, adds, 'Traditional work boundaries have blurred. People want inspiring spaces with comfort, community, and privacy — freelancers, creators, teams — everyone's working together under one roof. ' Special sip & snack The new wave of co-working cafes isn't just about plug points and fast WiFi — it's about creating an environment. 'We're introducing happy-hour-style windows with cooling beverages and light bites, especially for our co-working guests,' says Natasha Suri. 'There's high-speed internet, a wireless colour printer, and a conference room with a whiteboard.' At The Red Bari, the experience is equally curated. 'We offer iced coffees, teas, and kombuchas for our co-work users. The first drink of the day from our core menu is on us,' says Disha Das, adding, 'The co-work floor is tucked away to minimise interruptions.' Beating the heat with cool indoor work spaces 'We've seen an uptick in usage compared to the same period last year,' says Natasha Suri, co-founder, CoLAB. 'With soaring temperatures and power cuts, people are gravitating toward comfortable, air-conditioned spaces.' Vinay Manglani, Cō co-founder, adds, 'Our café offers not just relief from the heat, but also a sense of community.' These hybrid spaces suit varied work styles, from morning meetings to twilight sessions. Grant Walsh, founder, 8th Day Café says that major reasons are humidity & outages are definitely factors. 'Evenings are busy too, thanks to discounted drinks and a vibrant vibe,' says Prateek Kayan, co-founder of Motherland Cafe & Studios. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Forbes Talks: How Everette Taylor's Unconventional Rise Shaped His Leadership—And Kickstarter's Comeback
When Everette Taylor was named CEO of Kickstarter in 2022, it marked a historic milestone—not just for the pioneering crowdfunding platform, but for the tech industry, where Black leadership at the highest levels remains rare. At the time of his appointment, Taylor became one of only a handful of Black CEOs leading a global tech company—breaking barriers in a space that has long struggled with representation. Taylor wasn't just making noise. He was making impact. In a candid video conversation with Forbes, Taylor spoke about that journey—from the margins to the main stage—and how his unconventional rise continues to shape his leadership and Kickstarter's comeback. Raised by a single mother on the South Side of Richmond, Virginia, he dropped out of college—twice. He slept in his car, cold-called his way into rooms where no one expected to see him, and launched his first startup at 19. That early boldness set the tone for a career defined by risk-taking, reinvention, and relentless drive. Without pedigree or privilege, Taylor forged his own leadership style—one that blends creative vision, market instinct, and a deep understanding of culture. His big break came when tech veteran Mike Steib took a chance on him at Artsy, naming Taylor CMO at 29. 'Mike taught me what it meant to be a CEO,' Taylor says. 'Everything is your responsibility. No excuses.' By the time he took the helm, Kickstarter's shine was starting to dim. Though still the leader in its space, 'revenue was declining, competitors were gaining ground, and the company's cultural relevance had started to fade. We weren't operating at the level we needed to be,' Taylor recalls. To reignite Kickstarter's influence as a vital player in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, Taylor made a bold bet on the creator economy. 'I didn't just want to be a leader in crowdfunding,' he says. 'I wanted Kickstarter to be a leader in the creator economy.' Since Taylor joined as CEO, creator education has become a central focus at Kickstarter, and over the past year alone, Kickstarter has rolled out dozens of new product features designed to support creators not just at launch, but to help them sustain, scale, and thrive throughout the full lifecycle of their projects. It's a vision that's already showing results, as the company returned to consistent year-over-year revenue growth. 'Project success rates on the platform have climbed from around 50% to 65%,' he says. 'That matters more to me than revenue or any other metric because our mission is to help bring creative projects to life—and that starts with giving creators the tools, support, and education they need to succeed.' But the transformation hasn't stopped at product innovation. Taylor also reimagined the company's internal culture to reflect the diversity of the global creative community it serves. 'Inclusivity was mission-critical,' he says. 'It started internally—with our team. My CMO is a Black woman. My head of content is a man of color. Our head of social is a woman of color. We built a team that looks like the world we serve.' With that diverse leadership team in place, together they revamped outreach and education, expanded funding initiatives, and positioned Kickstarter not just as a launchpad, but as infrastructure for creators of all kinds. 'From first-time indie artists to billion-dollar brands like L'Oréal, Kickstarter is now a platform built to meet creators where they are.' 'For me, this work is personal,' Taylor says. 'I know what it's like to fight for an opportunity. I know what it means to have someone believe in you. That's what we're building at Kickstarter—a place where creators don't just launch projects, they build movements.' Two years since Taylor first stepped into the top role at Kickstarter, now 35, he remains an anomaly in the tech C-suite. But he's determined not to be the last. 'There are so many incredible Black men and women who deserve these seats,' he says. 'I carry the responsibility of paving the way for them.'
The Guardian
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Finally we are being seen as contenders': delight in India as demand for south Asian art booms
For over seven decades, the masterpiece had gathered dust as it hung in the corridors of a Norwegian hospital. But last month, the monumental 13-panel 1954 painting Untitled (Gram Yatra) – one of the most significant pieces of modern south Asian art – sold for a record-breaking $13.7m in New York. The auction of the painting sent ripples through the art world. It was not only the highest price ever paid for a painting by Maqbool Fida Husain, one of India's most celebrated modern artists, but it was the highest ever paid for any piece of modern Indian art at auction – going for four times the estimated price. It also happened to be the most expensive artwork auctioned so far in 2025. Indian, and more broadly south Asian artists, have long failed to receive the same recognition as their western counterparts. Few were displayed in the world's great galleries and collections, international exhibitions celebrating their work have been scarce and their presence at the world's biggest art fairs – the powerful drivers of today's art market – has been minimal. Yet recently there are signs that things are changing and Indian art – both modern and contemporary – is having what many in the field described as a 'major moment'. Auction prices for prominent 20th century Indian artists have consistently broken records over the past few years, while according to international online art broker Artsy, the demand for Indian artists increased more than for any other nationality in 2024. For Nishad Avari, head of South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art at Christie's in New York, the record-breaking sale of the Husain painting in March – which took him over a decade to orchestrate – was reflective of a wider shift in the recognition and momentum around Indian artists, that he credited with originating from within India. 'Over the past couple of years, we've seen the ecosystem for the arts in India really expanding,' said Avari. 'There are lots of new participants and a newfound confidence that's driving demand and many new conversations are taking place, both in India and internationally. It's all long overdue to be honest.' India experienced an art boom once before, in the early to late 2000s, when works by Modernist artists such as Husain and Amrita Sher-Gil began to fetch prices at auction never before seen by artists from the subcontinent. Yet many viewed it as a bubble driven by a few wealthy figures distorting prices, and it all came crashing down after the 2008 global financial crisis. Artists, curators and gallerists were all in agreement that the current environment was markedly different, in part due to the country's newfound enthusiasm for homegrown contemporary art and the growing institutional backing for Indian artists. For decades, arts in the India have suffered by a severe lack of state funding, ensuring that museums and galleries are often uninspiring, celebrating just a select few modern artists. But as wealth in India has grown, so too has the number of arts patrons. There has been a recent surge in privately run galleries and museums opening across the country, championing both India's 20th century modern masters but also the next generation of contemporary artists. India also has its own flourishing art fair held annually in Delhi and a younger generation of Indian art collectors have emerged with a newfound interest in contemporary art. A new Museum of Art and Photography opened in Bengaluru in 2023 and Kiran Nadar, India's biggest private patron and collector of modern and contemporary art, will open a major museum in Delhi next year. Some of the country's biggest billionaire industrialists have recently bankrolled cultural centres in Mumbai and Hampi and the Jaipur royal family has just opened a centre for the arts in the City Palace. Contemporary Indian artists described it as one of the most exciting moments for the country's art scene. 'Up until three or four years ago, the art market in India, the people in power, the institutions, the galleries and the collectors just didn't take Indian artists as seriously as they did international artists – and that meant the world never took us seriously,' said Tarini Sethi, a multi-disciplinary artist who works out of Delhi. 'But that's changed so much. Now there is a huge push to invest in and highlight our own artists, whether that's with gallery shows in India or abroad. For the first time, collectors and galleries want to take a chance on newer voices.' Sethi's own sculptures and paintings take what she described as a 'maximalist, in-your-face approach' to depictions of sex, unity and women's bodies, directly addressing their continued taboo in India. However, she recalled when studying art in the US that professors would routinely critique her work for not being 'Indian enough'. But as more contemporary Indian artists have been championed by patrons and showcased by domestic galleries, and as a result increasingly seen at international galleries and art fairs, Sethi said it was challenging cliched perceptions that all the country had to offer was 'folk art and paintings of cows and Gandhi'. Sethi acknowledged there was 'still a long way to go' – she recently showed her work at an art fair around Art Basel in Miami, one of the art world's most prominent fairs, and was shocked to realise only two Indian galleries were present. 'But at least finally we are being seen as contenders,' she added. This momentum has also been reflected internationally. In the past year, the Barbican Centre and the Serpentine Gallery in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Pompidou in Paris have all held prominent exhibitions of Indian artists, with many featuring works seen outside India for the first time. At the 2023 Frieze Art Fair, Experimenter, a contemporary gallery that began in the Indian city of Kolkata, won the prestigious best stand award for its presentation of seven intergenerational female artists. In the US, it was a frustration at 'seeing all this incredible work coming out of India that was not being celebrated in the west as I felt it should be' that led gallerist Rajiv Menon to open a space in Los Angeles almost primarily dedicated to south Asian artists. Menon's focus has been on giving western viewers and collectors an opportunity to see South Asian artists in a wider context; his current show is by a Pakistani artist Noormah Jamal whose works reflect on her childhood growing up in Peshawar. He described the response to his other exhibitions, which have included works by Sethi, as 'phenomenal', with six pieces acquired by museums in a matter of months. 'So many of the themes that the works in the shows have dealt with – climate, migration, political precariousness – are very specific to the South Asia but they also speak deeply to the human condition everywhere,' says Menon. 'It's really affirmed my hypothesis that as soon as these artists are given an opportunity to show in the west, they will immediately find an audience. This is just the beginning.'
Los Angeles Times
07-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
How new global tariffs could affect the art market: L.A. arts and culture this week
Art is a global business. While it might make sense to urge consumers to buy local when it comes to eggs and lettuce, buying exclusively local is not typically a thing when it comes to art institutions. Neither is buying only American-made art. Museums, galleries, art fairs and even individual collectors revel in holding and displaying international collections. Which is why President Trump's recent 'Liberation Day' tariffs could create the kind of friction for the art market that ultimately slows the buying and selling of art. The sweeping nature of the global tariffs is also poised to affect supplies such a lumber for art crates and canvas stretcher bars; aluminum and steel for shelving; and tools for art-making of all kinds. That's not to mention the items needed for events, openings, trade shows and art fairs, as well as art-related gift shop ephemera such as socks, shirts, tote bags, jewelry and other relatively inexpensive products often made overseas. All told, Trump's new tariffs are estimated to cost U.S. importers an additional $714 billion annually (up from $78 billion). Most of those costs are passed on to consumers. No corner of the economy is likely to remain untouched, and the already fickle art market is no exception. Trade publications have been diligently tracking the Trump tariff effect since Inauguration Day, and have reported on a variety of pressing issues confronting the industry. These issues are likely to get worse now that a 10% tariff has been imposed on all imports, with additional tariffs of 20% for the European Union and 34% on China. A week before the new tariffs took effect, the New York-based online art brokerage Artsy published a primer titled 'What art collectors need to know about Trump's tariffs,' outlining the potential ramifications in no uncertain terms. 'Some international galleries are reconsidering their plans to attend U.S. art fairs due to increased costs. Meanwhile, galleries based in the U.S. are weighing up the difficulties of showing and selling work by artists whose practices are based in those affected countries,' the article reads. 'The impact of these tariffs amid the cross-border flow and exchange of artworks — such a crucial facet of the modern, international art world — is creating confusion among both galleries and collectors. Many are unsure of whether their usual practices of shipping and sales will incur extra costs.' In early March, when Trump slapped additional tariffs on Mexico and Canada, ArtNews reported that the new taxes would 'make the cost and process of selling, transporting, and exhibiting art significantly more complicated, expensive, and uncertain, especially after galleries spend months planning their participation in art fairs like Art Basel Hong Kong, Independent, and Frieze New York.' Frieze New York is gearing up for a May 7 opening with a robust slate of international galleries and artists, some hailing from countries where the tariffs are particularly steep, such as South Korea. Frieze did not respond to a request for comment from The Times about how the new tariffs could affect the fair, but it is possible that potential buyers will think twice before procuring art that could cost quite a bit more than its sticker price. A $500,000 painting from the EU would have a post-tariff price tag of $600,000, for example. Another ARTNews article featured interviews with a group of experts who offered 'a bleak picture of the year to come, saying that the tariffs will increase confusion and operating expenses, shift buying behavior among collectors, as well as hurt small and mid-size galleries the most due to limited resources.' 'If you're spending 10 million on a work of art and you're paying $1 million or $2 million, or even $2.5 million in tariffs because it was imported, you'd say, 'No way. Forget it. It's a write-off of $2.5 million. I can't do that. I'll go for real estate, or I'll go for stocks and shares,'' Philip Hoffman, founder and chief executive of the Fine Art Group, told ARTnews. 'It'll be the kiss of death.' An Art Newspaper article from early March explored how rising material costs affect artists, noting: 'Every decision or indecision regarding raw materials has consequences for U.S. artists, especially those whose practices rely on being able to source specific materials.' I'm arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt here to tell you that the only current certainty when it comes to tariffs is uncertainty. Ashley Lee and I are here with your weekly arts rundown. 'Will Rawls: [siccer]'Times art critic Christopher Knight picked the performance artist and choreographer's exhibition as one of his most anticipated offerings for the spring season: 'Rawls projects stop-motion videos of still images of Black dancers onto chroma green screens suspended from the ceiling. The mix of animation, photography, projection and motion tangles up an array of lens-based media to dissect representations of the human body.' The immersive installation is on view at the Institute of Contemporary Art L.A. through Aug. 31, 1717 E. 7th St., downtown L.A. the presentation also includes three live performances (Thursday-Saturday) at the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater that experiment with stop-motion, the filmmaking technique in which still photographs are strung together to produce a moving image. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. 'Curse of the Ring: Das Rheingold'For the first time, the Pacific Symphony is performing the first of the four operas in Richard Wagner's iconic 'Ring' cycle, the story of which influenced J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' books. Conducted by Carl St. Clair, the shows will be sung in German with English supertitles, and presented in a semi-staged format with the orchestra, singers, video elements, costumes and props. Performances are Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday, April 15; all three events include access to a pre-show talk with KUSC midday host Alan Chapman. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 'Just Like Us'Latino Theater Co. kicks off its 40th anniversary season with the West Coast premiere of Karen Zacarías' nonfiction play, inspired by Helen Thorpe's book about four close-knit Latina teenagers who are challenged by their varied immigration statuses. Fidel Gomez directs the Denver-set production, which stars Noelle Franco, Valerie Vega, Newt Arlandiz and Blanca Isabella. Performances begin Thursday and continue through May 18. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown L.A. — Ashley Lee TUESDAY🎞️ High Art Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell star in Lisa Cholodenko's 1998 indie lesbian romance, with the writer/director in person.7:30 p.m. Vidiots, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd. WEDNESDAY🎞️ The Day of the Locust A 4K presentation of writer Waldo Salt and director John Schlesinger's 1975 adaptation of Nathanael West's dystopic Hollywood novel, starring Donald Sutherland, Karen Black, Burgess Meredith and William Atherton, with Atherton and photographer Michael Childress in person.⏰ 7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. 📺 This Is Not a Fiction The American Cinematheque's celebration of the documentary and nonfiction art forms features the world premiere of the second season of 'Conan O'Brien Must Go,' Bill Hader and Fred Armisen for the 10th anniversary of 'Documentary Now!,' Charles Burnett's 'Killer of Sheep,' Errol Morris' 'Chaos: The Manson Murders' and more.⏰ Through April 17. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.; Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. THURSDAY🎼 🎭 Curse of the Ring: Das Rheingold The Pacific Symphony performs a semi-staged version of Wagner's opera in German with English supertitles.⏰ 8 p.m. Thursday; 2 p.m., April 13; and 8 p.m. April 15. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Times theatre critic Charles McNulty left the Majestic Theater feeling 'reborn' after watching six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald in the current Broadway revival of 'Gypsy,' directed by George C. Wolfe. But that is not the way he felt at intermission as he was second-guessing one of his favorite performer's choices when it came to her portrayal of Rose in the 1959 musical by Jule Styne (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Arthur Laurents (book). Arriving at that moment came during the show's denoument when, 'the path McDonald had been forging as Rose all along suddenly became transcendently clear,' McNulty writes in his review. In a review about why the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Handel Festival was 'revelatory,' Times' classical music critic Mark Swed explores the continuing relevance of George Frideric Handel and Pierre Boulez. Although the composers were working 240 years apart, they shared an iconoclastic aesthetic that is particularly striking today, Swed writes, noting, 'There is little equal in music to 22-year-old disruptors on the level of Handel and Boulez.' Last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to create a Grand Avenue Cultural District to boost the visibility of the arts scene in a corridor of downtown that includes the Broad museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Center Theatre Group, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, REDCAT and the Colburn School. The initiative was championed by the Music Center and found early support from L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis. An L.A. arts leader is going into politics. Esther Kim Varet, the founder of Various Small Fires gallery announced that she's running for Congress in an effort to, 'flip California's 40th District from red to blue.' In an email to supporters, Varet wrote, 'I've put my neck out there because right now — we need to fight and take action against this administration. I'm a full-time working mom, and it's not easy. But our art community has a moral obligation to stand up and DO SOMETHING. … I'm determined to win, because regaining control of the House is the best thing we can do to actually put [the] brakes on the Trump train wreck.' Bruce Lurie Gallery, which burned down in January's Palisades fire, and was the only fine arts gallery in the Pacific Palisades, has reopened in Santa Monica. The opening reception for the new space took place late last month after an outpouring of support from the community. 'Living and working in the Pacific Palisades for the past 14 years has been an honor,' said gallery owner Bruce Lurie in a news release. 'This community is a rare gem, and it's a privilege to begin this new chapter in Santa Monica and present 'Renascence,' which speaks to the rebirth of the gallery, but also the Palisades.' The gallery's inaugural show includes work by 21 artists, including Malibu-based Jon Krawczyk, whose three polished stainless-steel sculptures were the only art pieces to survive the fire in the original gallery. — Jessica Gelt Because your wallet needs a break from life, I present you with this handy Times' guide to lunch spots where you can score a meal for $15 or less. My fave? The quarter rotisserie meal at Saucy Chick Goat Mafia in Pasadena.
