The Opera Gallery opened the exciting exhibition of artists Zoobs and Marco Lodola this week in the London Branch of the Gallery. It was an impressive opening with guests including Meredith Ostrom, Sophie Anderton, Anastasia, and of course the artists themselves. Whitewall got a chance to speak to the director of the gallery Jean David Malat on the exhibition, the gallery, and what he is doing in the art world right now.
WHITEWALL: What lead you to the gallery scene and made you excited to find emerging artists from all over?
JENA-DAVID MALAT: I think the most exciting aspect of the business is to discover unknown and talented artists and to put them forward in the art scene.
We are a big structure yet we never stop looking for new emerging artists from all over the world.
WW: There are 11 locations of the opera gallery. Does the work correspond with each city as in, are their works more fitted to be sold in lets say, New York, instead of London, or Miami. Do you ever find work that you think is better suited for a different location of the gallery?
JDM: We are trying to have the same artists in all of our galleries. Regular meetings take place with other directors, art curators and art critics to decide on which artists we are going to show in our galleries. Sometimes, what we show in for example, Dubai or Seoul will not necessarily work in New York or London. It is a matter of weighing the cultural tendencies and being able to reflect them in the arts that we have in our relevant galleries.
WW: Something interesting about the Opera Gallery is the accessibility. Opera is located in Mayfair in London near Sotheby’s and has works from Picasso, Matisse, etc., yet it is open to the public in a warm, simple manner. Can you discuss what role the gallery is meant to play to the public, with this juxtaposition between exclusive and inclusive?
JDM: The Opera Gallery is showing contemporary and old master pieces from all over the world and the accessibility of the gallery is very important. We have around 200 visits per day in our New Bond Street gallery (London) so it is crucial for us to be as embracing of people from different walks of life, as we can be. From
accommodating students in the midst of researching for their projects, informing acute art-admiring tourists about our artists, to selling works to the likes of Gordon Ramsay for his restaurant or some of our finest master pieces to Bernard Arnault for his shops all over the world.
WW: The job to find these new artists seems very hands on and difficult. How do you go about finding these artists and declaring them as talented enough to represent Opera Gallery? What kinds of relationships do you end up making with these artists?
JDM: The relationship with the artist is also very important - the feeling, the trust and of course the talent! I have discovered a few artists in my career and one of my biggest discovery is having a big show in Seoul next week – Oli G. Johannsson, who was a fisherman in Iceland before and who is now exhibited in museums and art foundations.
WW: Regarding this upcoming show with Zoobs and Marco Lodola, two different artist’s in medium and age, what made you choose to bring these two artists together?
JDM: When we started to put the catalogue together, and looking into the curating side of the show, it made sense to bring these two artists together. The bright colours are mesmerizing of this show. To get posters for this show reminiscent of Tony Shafrazy’s image for the famous 1985 Warhold and Basquiat exhibition, wasn’t done coincidentally. I wanted to create a sort of a fight (boxing match) between the two artists – Zoobs may very well be the next Warhol!
WW: They both have very performance/theatrically centered pieces, is that something that fit them with one another?
JDM: Exactly, there are recurring themes of cars ,girls and colours in the works of both of the artists. It makes complete sense to have this show in the summer as well with its elevating mood. Only yesterday, I have shown this exhibition to Louis Walsh (X factor) and he was fascinated by the combination of the 2 artists and by the Lady Gaga paintings by Zoobs
WW: Marco Lodola is also very well known all over the world, is it exciting to have got him in the Opera Gallery?
JDM: Yes , it is very exciting, a lot of collectors are waiting for this show. Lodola is a very well known artist and we are very honoured to be the first to exhibit his pieces in London, which are almost sold out from the catalogue!
WW: Is there anything that’s going to be particularly special about the Zoobs vs. Lodola show?
JDM: The show is going to be mad! Zoobidou [Zoobs] has just signed a contract for creating next album covers for Lionel Richie and Shakira...so you can imagine the surprises in store for us!
Sophie Anderton, Zoobs, Anastasia.
Meredith Ostram and Jean David Malat.
Zoobs and Lodola.
[caption id="attachment_7118" align="alignnone" width="999" caption="Opera Gallery Outside."][/caption]
Aleph by Zoobs.
