Raised between Belgium, Kenya, Switzerland and New York City, Nahema Mehta is no stranger to traveling the world–and she's made discovering emerging artists her top priority while doing so. Here, the art entrepreneur and CEO of Absolut Art took us on a tour of England's capital in honor of #BritWeek.
For museums and galleries...
London is spoiled for choice with a chorus of fresh voices sharing their creations and curatorial perspectives. Turbine Hall at Tate Modern consistently delivers and you will never tire of rediscovering masterpieces at the Courthauld. For gallery hopping, weave between Victoria Miro,White Cube Bermondsey, the Serpentine Galleries, and Blain|Southern. To refuel, stay at The Connaught, take meetings at The Arts Club, and dine at Dean Street Townhouse which is peppered with art co-curated by editor/curator Francesca Gavin and artist Jonathan Yeo.
To look for up-and-coming talent...
Seeking out emerging talent is wonderful detective work and revolves around deepening relationships with artists, curators, and collectors. Art fairs are full of promise if you have the patience to weed out the darlings from the duds. Frieze Week in October is a must–the whole city chimes in with programming, private viewings, and parties. While Frieze Masters and Frieze London boast big-ticket items, surrounding fairs like 1:54 and Multiplied are great for scouting international up-and-comers, as is Art16, which takes place earlier in the year. Outside of fairs, it's worth a visit to alternative spaces that nurture talent and experimentation like Chinsenhale, Studio Voltaire, and Bold Tendencies. Ultimately, however, I find the most joy in visiting artist studios and spending time getting to know them and their work–that's really where the story begins for the artworks offered on Absolut Art.
Under the radar spots...
Two types of destinations that are often overlooked in London are the private collections and auction houses. Private collections twinkle with the eclectic tastes and eccentricities of the patrons who amassed them. Stepping into David Robert's experimental DRAFT, Frank Cohen's laid-back Dairy, or Charles Saatchi's era-defining namesake gallery, is a chance to explore the minds (and vaults) of some of today's most influential collectors. By the same token, auction houses like Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips offer sales previews ranging from contemporary blockbusters to emerging market art to unusual collections like the private collection of David Bowie currently on view at Sotheby's.
Inspiring locations...
I was recently charmed by Somerset. In the unassuming 3,000-person town of Burton, mega-gallery Hauser & Wirth has transformed a derelict 17th century Durslade Farm into Hauser & Wirth Somerset, a serene gallery and sculpture garden. Louise Bourgeois' spiders roam the grounds, Subodh Gupta's 17-foot steel pots sprout from rolling hills, and Martin Creed's neon signs puncture the open air. While there are cottages onsite, I recommend staying at Babbington House, a lush countryside lullaby that is an inspiration unto itself.
Not to be missed...
Visit Windsor Castle's Royal Collection Trust to indulge nostalgic British pomp, Bristol, to see where Banksy cut his teeth and Yorkshire's Sculpture Park to lose hours among breathtaking woodlands, lakes and hills where artists Henry Moore, Antony Gormley, and KAWS have left their marks. On the journey over, watch BBC's Forest, Field, and Sky, a documentary exploring site-specific sculpture throughout various British landscapes.
Carrie Goldberg is HarpersBAZAAR.com’s Weddings & Travel Director. She oversees the site’s BAZAAR Bride channel, travel & dining content, and styles fashion and bridal editorials for BAZAAR.com. When she’s not traveling, she spends her free time in her hometown–New York City–where there is no shortage of new places to shop, eat, drink, see and explore.
