With a background in advertising, branding, and new business development, and having recently completed her postgraduate studies in art history, Agoston Cleary understands how art enriches lives. She believes it’s about communication beyond words. Earlier this year, Agoston co-founded Artfull with John Barnett, to bridge the gap between artists and collectors. She tells Verve more.
What’s the concept of Artfull?
It’s about bringing art to everyone, expanding the reach of Kiwi artists and sharing their stories. It’s about accessibility. When we first contemplated what Artfull could be, we were consious that most haven’t grown up going to art galleries, that art galleries can be intimidating places. We’re here to break down those barriers and help people discover the joy of art.
Where does the inspiration for collections come from?
From every day encounters and experiences. Many tap into pure emotion or a mood. We’re keenly aware of visual design and contemporary pop culture – not that our collections are simply ‘on trend’. They’re a starting point to help people discover artworks in a way that’s relatable.
Why should our readers keep an eye on Artfull?
We’re growing fast with more than 50 exciting artists, many of whom are just emerging. Unlike traditional galleries, we update our home page with new artists, works and collections almost every week. As we’ve grown, we’ve also presented groundbreaking in person shows in unexpected places, which is an expression of our ethos of reimagining where art belongs.
What’s the role of an artist in today’s society?
It’s always been the role of an artist to reflect and interpret the world. This has become even more critical. There’s so much unprecedented stuff going on, so much change, it’s almost impossible to keep up. But today’s contemporary artist needn’t always grapple with big, dense topics, it’s equally important to experiment with colour, materials or abstraction to express collective experiences. There’s something to be said for a painting that’s simply beautiful.
How has the NZ art market changed in the past few years?
It has matured in step with our unique cultural identity. The high prices of the secondary market for works by iconic artsits like Colin McCahon are proof. More female artists are being recognised, too. More people are beginning to discover – thanks to digital platforms like Instagram and now Artfull – that owning original artwork is not just for the few.
How has the NZ art market changed in the past few years?
It has matured in step with our unique cultural identity. The high prices of the secondary market for works by iconic artsits like Colin McCahon are proof. More female artists are being recognised, too. More people are beginning to discover – thanks to digital platforms like Instagram and now Artfull – that owning original artwork is not just for the few.
What does curation, connection, cultivation mean to your team?
Curation is about being considerd and thoughtful. Connection is about bringing people together – collectors with artists and their work, artists with other artists. Cultivation is about fostering dialogue and a space for artistst to share their work and stories.
How has the digital world influenced various forms of art?
It has has added a new way to reach people. The fundamentals of creating art haven’t changed, what has changed, for the better, is that digital platforms and technology make all of this wonderful creativitiy, the world of art, more accessible on every level.
Instagram: @artfull.online
