California based Caro Buermann is artist manager to Hikari Shimoda and curator at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, where she is involved with the gallery's program of artists. She generously answered a lot of our readers questions, ranging from day to day life as a curator to inquiring about submissions. We hope you enjoy learning more about her background and advice for artists as much as we did!
Many thanks to Caro for her time and insights!
Pretty Girls Making Cool Shit: Thanks for much for your time and willingness to be interviewed! Would you like to introduce yourself?
Caro Buermann: Thank you for the
opportunity. My name is Caro and I am a Los Angeles based art curator. I’m also
the manager of Japanese New Contemporary portrait painter Hikari Shimoda. As a curator of Corey Helford Gallery
in Los Angeles, a big part of my job is to help define the gallery’s growing
program of artists. I’m coming up on my fifth year with the gallery and ten years
with Hikari.
PGMCS: Can you tell us a bit about your professional and
academic background? How did you become involved in curation and artist
management? What did you do before?
CB: I studied animation but I’m
really a student of opportunity. I was developing a project for a major studio
that opened the door for me to visit Japan. When I got there, I never looked
back. Hikari
and I met through mutual friends at an art opening. She was so sweet and very
bold and told me she wanted to show her work in Los Angeles, so I agreed to
help her. I came to know the gallery first as Hikari’s manager, working behind
the scenes on her 2014 solo show, “Fantastic Planet, Goodbye Man”. I came on as
a curator when the owners decided to expand into their new Downtown Los Angeles
space. It's a beautiful building with three galleries in one.
PGMCS: What does your day to day look like?
CB: There is never a typical day. I
was travelling constantly so the pandemic has grounded me and that’s new. I’m
spending more time engaging with artists virtually and trying to make the best
of the situation. I’ve enjoyed having more time to have in-depth conversations
with our artists about their work and sharing those conversations with our
followers. Galleries are learning how to interact digitally when you can’t in
person. Live tours, like digital tours of shows, downloading talk shows with artists,
it’s all kind of like reinventing the wheel. I think everyone needs to prepare for
the uncertainty. The people who come out on the other end of this are going to
be the ones that were adaptable and the most flexible.
PGMCS: What are you most proud of in your career?
CB: I’ve always stayed true to
myself and what I love and I am very proud of that. If you absolutely love what
you are doing, you will be successful. Sounds very romantic, I know. It’s an
incredible feeling to execute something you are proud of and my favorite
project is always the one I’m working on. Just this morning, Hikari announced
her first collaboration with the Walt Disney company, a beautiful edition of
Mickey Mouse in her unique style. One of Hikari’s inspirations is animation,
and that’s what led me to working with artists, so it’s very special for both
of us. I’m thrilled for her.
PGMCS: How have your goals or expectations in your role
changed due to COVID19?
CB: My role hasn’t really changed –
but I think something important that has come out of this is more interaction
with our community online. I’m thinking a lot about art galleries roles in the
larger cultural conversation and what our social responsibilities are, and how
can I constantly improve as a curator myself. I have a desire to engage more.
One of the ways that I want to do that is by organizing a public art project
that injects some happiness back into people’s lives and gives to my community
outside of four walls. It’s a new goal of mine.
PGMCS: What is the most bizarre thing you have ever come
across in your career?
CB: Probably walking in on Hello
Kitty getting undressed. There’s always crazy situations.
PGMCS: Lots of our followers had
questions regarding what kind of work a curator is looking for/how you choose
artist to work with, where should artists invest their time, are you able to
share any insights?
CB: My advice is simple. Be kind, be
professional and be educated about the galleries you are hitting up. Politely
ask galleries what their submission policies are, if they have any, and set up
an appointment. Spamming me with your art is the worst way to get my attention.
Also, don’t hit on me or try to butter me up with flattery because I’m a woman
because that won’t work either. I have this saying, “Don’t follow your dreams,
follow your effort.” Dreams don’t work unless you do. I think those are good words
to live by.
PGMCS: What is the best part of your job?
CB: With any show that I curate, I
always want to engage the audience and open their mind to new ideas and enjoy
what they’re looking at. Art audiences have so many options when it comes to
their entertainment and it is up to us to make sure our shows are evolving. Today’s
curators can be informed and have expertise, but we’re a bit like educators and
entertainers. Sure, it takes a special set of skills to put together an
exhibition but it also has to be something that people want to attend. I want
to curate an experience. What I love and what I find challenging
is always the same.
PGMCS: What is the worst part of your job?
CB: Curating is a lot of fun but
it’s also really hard work, and if there’s a “worst part”, then that’s on me. I
have to know when to take a time out for myself. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay
to shut down and do nothing.
PGMCS: Do you have any advice for aspiring curators?
CB: I came into curating
entirely by chance and five years in, I’m still always learning. I think the
first step is leaving your ego at the door, ask a lot of questions and surround
yourself with people who have done similar things that you want to do. I’ve
always had an amazing support system of people who wanted to contribute to
projects I was doing and saw a fire in me and were kind enough to give me good
advice. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, and upgrade your conviction.
PGMCS: Is there anything you would like our readers to know
that we have not asked?
CB: We’re doing this interview on
the final day of Hikari Shimoda’s latest solo show, “Silence and Affirmation”,
so I’d just like to plug the show and let you know that it is available for
everyone to see online virtually at CoreyHelfordGallery.com. I’m
really excited to be working on something positive right now that has taken me
back to my roots, and I hope to be able to announce it soon. I would also
really love to design a carousel one day.
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