Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr C G Barlow. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Dr C G , thanks for joining us today. We believe kindness is contagious and so we’d love for you to share with us and our audience about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me didn’t feel like kindness at the time—it felt like a harsh lesson. I was 24, starting my first proper job, one of two I had to support myself through my doctorate since my scholarship didn’t cover everything. It was a challenging time, and this job wasn’t glamorous. I was tasked with looking after 250,000 glass slides stored in hundreds of drawers for an art history department. Back then, everything was still physical—no digital systems in place yet. Art history departments were slow to change.

On my first day, I sat at my desk, looked around the room, and, with youthful enthusiasm and a touch of naivety, thought, “This place needs reorganizing.” So, I took it upon myself to move everything around, making it more streamlined and efficient, or so I thought. I was proud of my initiative.

Then my manager walked in. She came in to retrieve something but froze when she couldn’t find the drawer she needed—it had been moved. She looked at me and asked, “Did you move everything around?” Smiling smugly, I replied, “Yes.” I expected her to be impressed, maybe even grateful for my efforts. But instead, she pointed at me and said, “You change it all back now, this minute.” I was taken aback, but I did as she instructed.

That moment taught me a valuable lesson in humility and manageability. My manager was kind enough to challenge me at a young age, and I’ve never forgotten it. She taught me the importance of respecting procedures and listening before acting. It wasn’t just about organizing a room; it was about understanding that sometimes, especially in certain contexts like legal or compliance areas, following established guidelines is essential. Creativity and innovation have their place, but so does knowing when to follow the rules. This lesson has stood me in good stead throughout my career, and I always share this story as a reminder of the balance between forging new ideas and respecting the systems that are already in place.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a British art historian and the founder of Parallax, the first “entretive” art fair, which was specifically designed for independent artists and designers. The word “entretive” stands for creative entrepreneurship, and Parallax is not like any other art fair you’ve seen. It grew out of a research exhibition I held in London back in 2010. I had the opportunity to collaborate with Donald Preziosi, who was at the University of California at the time, and with historian Alun Munslow. Parallax was the first entretive fair in the capital, and what makes it so special is its philosophical foundation. The original exhibition examined how viewers often approach art with preconceived notions and biases, many of which they are unaware of. This idea remains central to Parallax today, making the fair often challenging, confusing, and sometimes even strange to those unfamiliar with its conceptual underpinnings. Many people miss the fact that in Parallax, they themselves are the subject.

Over the years, Parallax has attracted a fascinating array of artists from all corners of the world. We’ve had the honor of showcasing works from individuals such as Setsuko Ono, Yoko Ono’s sister, and Paul Michael Glaser, the famous movie star and film director. We’ve also featured Tim Bentinck, and even Peter Luisi’s art film The Last Screenwriter, which was notably the first movie ever written entirely by ChatGPT. Interestingly, this film was banned by the Prince Charles Cinema in London, which only added to its intrigue. We’ve welcomed Kelly Ali from the 1990s band Sneaker Pimps and Thota Tharani, a renowned South Indian movie director, along with several Bollywood stars. The diverse range of talent we’ve had the pleasure of showcasing is truly what makes Parallax unique.

What sets Parallax apart from other fairs is its conceptual approach. Unlike fairs that brand themselves as ‘radical’ but still maintain traditional thinking about art objects, Parallax is both a conceptual work of art and a fair. It challenges outmoded prejudices and beliefs about what constitutes “good” or “bad” art. At Parallax, we don’t subscribe to the idea that qualities like these reside somewhere inherent in the object itself. Instead, we focus on the idea that all objects and their creators are equal, and this is reflected in the way the fair is presented. This presentation often incorporates random events and is sometimes misunderstood by those expecting a more conventional experience.

Parallax mainly exhibits independent artists and designers, and we operate differently from dealer or part-dealer fairs. We don’t push particular artists in private deals; all artists are treated with equal respect. We’re also transparent about the struggles artists face, especially when it comes to selling their work on speculation, which is what they often try to do. Many fairs charge exorbitant fees for exhibition space, marking up costs by thousands of percent, fully aware that the artists will struggle to sell. In contrast, Parallax focuses on keeping break-even points low. This approach gives artists more opportunities to sell their work or to develop a market for themselves over time. This commitment to fairness and accessibility is one reason why 60-70% of our exhibitors return to Parallax—many of them exhibit three or four times a year with us.

Since its inception, we’ve held 38 editions of Parallax in Kensington and Chelsea in London, just near Kensington Palace, and we’ve expanded with numerous shows in the United States, including a recent event in Los Angeles. I’m quite fond of LA. In many ways, it has a similar vibe to London—the people are broad-minded and down-to-earth. Another unique aspect of Parallax is that all our events are free to visitors because we strongly believe in making art accessible to everyone. I’m a firm believer in the transformative power of art, and I hope that through Parallax, we can continue to foster that positive change in people’s lives.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Two resources have profoundly influenced my management and entrepreneurial thinking. The first is the book of Ecclesiastes from the Bible. I’ve been reading scripture, philosophy, and theology for two hours every morning before breakfast for over 20 years, and Ecclesiastes remains a foundational text for me. It helps me keep perspective, reminding me of the bigger picture in life and work.

The second is a classic from the 1920s by Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Despite having been printed under hundreds of titles, it’s fundamentally a management book. It focuses on managing teams and people, with an emphasis on temperament, politeness, and courtesy. I think we’ve lost touch with these values in modern times, but they are key to effective leadership. These texts continue to shape how I approach both life and work.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Near-death moments for a business often start early, but when you’re just beginning, you don’t always see them coming. My own close call happened about 15 years ago, when I was just starting out. At the time, my London business was doing well, and I decided to expand into the U.S. I made the mistake of putting very young people in charge of key responsibilities that they simply weren’t ready for. While I was focused on launching a show in the U.S., things in London were unraveling. By the time I checked back in, it was pretty bad.

Around the same time, another young staff member I was counting on to handle a show in Miami had a family tragedy—her father passed away. I handled the situation poorly, something I’ve always regretted. She had to return home, and we scrambled to replace her last minute. On top of that, we got cheated by two companies in the U.S., which added to the chaos. By December, I found myself in terrible debt—a complete turnaround from just 12 months earlier. I genuinely thought the business might be lost.

But I didn’t give up. I stuck with it and managed to pull the business out of debt. The experience taught me never to give too much responsibility to young people too soon, and to ensure they’re better supported in their roles. Today, I’ve taken that lesson to heart. I wrote a career book for my staff and now give a special talk before every event to help guide them. It’s all about providing the right support and learning from those tough moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.parallaxaf.com
• Instagram: parallax222
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064646023340
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSYcByiQaO-7voCp5jA06gA

Image Credits
PAF