Video Gallery – Penang Institute

[Talk] Charting Alternative Paths: How Far Would You Go for Art?”

Curator and creative producer Vanini Belarmino reflects on her journey of charting alternative paths within the field of contemporary art and performance. Framing the question ’How Far Would You Go ...for Art?’ as both personal challenge and professional philosophy, she shares how navigating between independent work and institutional roles across Asia, Europe and the Middle East has shaped her curatorial practice.

From presenting artistic interventions in mountains, seascapes and urban landmarks to transforming public spaces into stages for encounter, Vanini’s work interrogates where and how art can be experienced. She discusses the necessity – and difficulty – of forging one’s path: operating outside conventional structures, negotiating between cultures, and embracing risk as an inherent part of curating live experiences.

This talk offers insights from over thirty years of practice, including the development of cross-disciplinary collaborations, building international networks, and working within and beyond established institutions. Using her curatorial projects as case studies, Vanini will reflect on the importance of adaptability, resourcefulness and intuition in navigating the complexities of contemporary art-making today.

Ultimately, ‘Charting Alternative Paths’ serves as both a provocation and an invitation: to reconsider definitions of success, to question existing frameworks and to examine – alongside artists, curators and cultural workers – how far we are willing to go for art.Show More