Melle Smets (1975) studied OK5/art and public space at ArtEZ (NL). As an “archaeologist of the present” Smets explores and interprets society by organising expeditions to contemporary landscapes. The expeditions find their reflection in visual art projects, lectures, publications and workshops. Smets is the founder of Stichting Aardschap and is currently affiliated to the Sandberg Institute, where he heads the temporary Master’s programme, The System D Academy.

May 23rd, 2016

Miguel Ayesa Usechi, Artist, holds a degree in Applied Arts of Sculpture from the University of Arts, Pamplona and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona, Postgraduate in Contemporary Creation by Idep Barcelona School and Master in Production and artistic Research from the University of Barcelona. His work nourishes from a diversity of materials and mediums to be concreted in installations or publications reflecting about the absurd, the dysfunctional and the futility as a critic of a excessively productive society. His projects have been exhibited by Huarte Contemporary Art Centre (Navarra), the Convent de Sant Agusti (Barcelona), the Center for Tabacalera Art (Madrid), the Brooklyn Art House Coop (New York) and the Centre d ‘ Art Lo Pati (Amposta).

Last update May 18, 2016

Dr. Ziba Ardalan is the Founder, Director and Curator of Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art, an educational charity and a not-for-profit exhibition space in London. A graduate in the History of Arts from Columbia University, New York, Ardalan worked as Guest-Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and went on to become the first Director/Curator of the city’s Swiss Institute. Before moving to London and founding Parasol unit, Ardalan was based in Zurich, Switzerland, where she lectured on art and worked as Art Advisor. Ardalan has curated numerous contemporary art exhibitions, more than thirty of which have been at Parasol unit. Prior to a career in art, Ardalan obtained a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry.

May 18th, 2016

Art Historian, art critic (writer for the French art magazine art press), member of AICA France and, since 1995, AICA International (International Art Critics Association), Paul Ardenne is a curator in contemporary art : Micropolitiques, La Force de l’art, Économie humaine, biennale La Littorale#6 Anglet, etc. He is a member of the committee “Art in the City” of the City of Paris and he has published numerous studies about contemporary art (Art, le présent), art in public space (Un Art contextuel) and cultural politics (L’Art dans son moment politique). Master in History. PhD in History of Art. University teacher (Amiens, FR): history of art, contemporary art, aesthetics, art philosophy, architecture, art and politics.

May 18th, 2016

Andrés Vial, visual artist and curator born in Chile, works and lives in Barcelona. He studied agriculture, advertising and fine arts and holds a Master in Artistic Production and Research at the University of Barcelona. After a first time period devoted to teaching in a University in Chile and participating in of several solo and group exhibitions, he now spends his working time with the co-direction of the space “Espai Colona Barcelona” (independent exhibition space of contemporary art) and the production of his art works, which form part of several public and private collections.

Last update May 18th, 2016

Myriam Rubio studied Visual Arts at the University of Barcelona and the Winchester School of Arts, Southampton University, as well as the Theory of Art at the Institute of Aesthetics in Madrid. Since 2000, she has worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) in the Department of Public Programs in the programming, production, and dissemination of projects related to public programs, exhibitions, cinema, and education. From 2011/2018 she has been the Academic Coordinator of four editions of the Independent Studies Program (PEI), under the direction of Xavier Antich, Paul B. Preciado and Marcelo Expósito, and Pablo Martínez. And since 2019, she is the curatorial coordinator of the Department Exhibitions and Collection, researching about the politics of Performance in the museum. She is also interested in the research in collaborative artistic processes in the underground Spanish art from 1988 to the early 90s.

Last update: November 11th, 2019