We recently connected with Meaghan Kent and have shared our conversation below.

Meaghan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

It is meaningful to me to be able to work with artists. I love helping artists realize new work and to be able to provide a platform to share their ideas. I learn so much in the process and get to share that information to our visitors.

When I curate a group exhibition, it can be very personal. For example, I was dealing with loss at one point in my life and I curated an exhibition entitled “Tactile Hallucinations” which dealt with memories and the loss of loved ones. In many ways, the project helped me connect with others and consider how we can empathize, share grief, and connect in these moments visually.

Meaghan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a curator, I make exhibitions with emerging and established artists. I studied art history through graduate school, interned at several institutions, and found my way into gallery work in New York. After 15 years of managing artists’ careers, I decided to start my own non-profit, Site95, that holds exhibitions in available spaces. The organization gave me great freedom in putting together projects in various places in New York, Miami, and Washington DC, from outdoor lots to artist-run spaces, including a 1933 steamship. Doing these kinds of projects gave me the confidence to make my mark in the art world. I believe I now have a unique skill set to make exhibitions that are courageous and meaningful. I am excited by the work I do.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There are some resources that were lightbulb moments for me in understanding art. I research into every project I do so that there is always a background with source material. A few books have been critical to some of my recent projects. “The Swamp” by Michael Grunwald goes into the social and political history of the Everglades. It’s fascinating and makes you realize how fragile and precious our environment really is. Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste” is also significant in shifting my perception of the world. I can’t recommend that book enough.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I like to say yes to new opportunities. I believe they come for a reason. I ran a gallery for three years in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was a beautiful space, and I had an incredible opportunity to work with local artists and travel through South America. I wouldn’t change that experience for anything!

Contact Info:

• Website: artandculturecenter.org
• Instagram: lineofsite

Image Credits
Meaghan with the book – is photo credit: Khami Auerbach