Voices On Art - The Van Horn Gallery Podcast | hosted by Daniela Steinfeld – Details, episodes & analysis

Darren Flook on art, sobriety, and amplifying other voices

In this very personal and wide-ranging conversation Daniela speaks with gallerist, curator and writer, Darren Flook about art, identity, sobriety, and the changing realities of the contemporary art world. They discuss Darren's journey in the art world, from hisworking-class background in England to co-founding the gallery Hotel in London in 2003, which later closed in 2012. Darren expands on his decision to stop making art himself, preferring to focus on curating and supporting other artists. The conversation also turns deeply personal as Darren shares his personal struggles with alcohol, ultimately achieving sobriety. He describes how alcohol shaped his confidenceand relationships, and how becoming sober transformed both his life and his perspective on art and community. The conversation explores how the art world has evolved over the decades, with both participants reflecting on the changes in art fairs, commercial pressures, and the challenges of maintaining authenticity in the contemporary art market. They also discuss the importance of art as a form of expression and community building, beyond commercial transactions and highlight the enduring impact of art, particularly focusing on art's ability to create an emotional response beyond its physical materials.

At its core, this episode explores what art can offer: meaning,emotional resonance, human connection, experiences that resist easy explanation and a way to live ones life with purpose.

Topics include:

• ​Growing up working class and entering the art world
• ​Founding and closing Hotel Gallery
• ​The evolution of art fairs and collecting culture
• ​Curating versus making art
• ​Alcohol, recovery, and rebuilding a life
• ​Why art matters in a commercial world
• ​Emotional responses to art beyond meaning or material
• ​Community, artists, and sustaining creative ecosystems

Book pick: Hermann Hesse, Siddharta, a novel about growth, transformation and becoming yourself.

Links:

Instagram @darren_flook

https://fadmagazine.com/2025/10/25/happy-now/

https://van-horn.net/podcast/

From Global Hustle to Local Soul: A Return to Meaning & Connection

In this episode, Anna and Daniela take us deep into therealities of working in the contemporary art world—sharing personal stories, professional turning points, and honest reflections on how the industry has evolved over the past decades.

Anna recounts her early entry into the art scene, from her firstencounters with major figures like Yoko Ono to building her owngallery career across Europe and Los Angeles. Together, they explore the contrasts between museum and gallery work, the rise of the LA art scene in the early 2000s, and the pressures of running a gallery in a globalized market.

The conversation also dives into the changing role of art fairs,the increasing business demands placed on artists, and the importance of maintaining a sustainable work-life balance—especially for women navigating both family and career.

As the episode unfolds, Anna reflects on closing her gallery toprioritize family, her experience with large-scale galleryoperations, and her decision to return to a more intimate, locallygrounded gallery model in Zurich.

The discussion closes with thoughts on collaboration, shifts inthe art market, and a shared vision for a more human-centered future in the art world.

Topics include:

• Entering the art world & early influences

• Gallery vs. museum careers

• The LA art scene in the 2000s

• Art fairs and global market dynamics

• Work-life balance in a demanding industry

• Cultural differences in professional life

• Supporting mid-career and female artists

• Future collaborations and evolving gallery models

https://www.annahelwing.com/

https://www.drawrecruitment.com/featured/bitesize-daily-anna-helwing-artbasel/

https://van-horn.net/podcast/

This episode is created in cooperation with the Independent 20th Century. It will be part of the fairs OVR.

Thiago Gomide is a founding partner of Gomide&Co, a gallery based in São Paulo, Brazil.

Artists Julia Isídrez, Paraguay and Maria Lira Marques, Brazil, will feature jointly in a presentation by Gomide&Co at Independent 20th Century this September.

Interested in art since his childhood, Thiago first followed another passion by studying architecture. Having to make a living in Brazil this seemed to cover basic needs and interests. His career in the art world started at the age of 20 with founding a small gallery for modern Brazilian furniture in his hometown Belo Horizonte, following an agreement with his mother. Out of sheer curiosity he contacted collector Bernardo Paz, started working for him and was deeply involved in the creation and construction of the Inhotim, a world famous collection of contemporary art. After 7 years he felt it was time to move on, so he moved to São Paulo, where he created the contemporary art and photography department at the renowned auction house Bolsa de Arte. In 2013, Thiago co-founded his own gallery. Thiago talks his diverse stations of working and learning, the special situation in Brazil, his personal relations with the art community and the influence of the big international art fairs.

He talks in depth about the two artists Julia and Maria Lira, whose works Gomide&Co. will show for the first time at the Independent 20th Century. Thiago follows his own insights, his need to grow and develop and his passionate interest for art, design and architecture. In this he paved his own path from Brazil into the international markets and vice versa. He never forgets his community, the people that follow and support the gallery, and always invents new ideas and approaches to accommodate artists and collectors and to enhance and extend these profound relations into the future.

41 min., Recorded August 13, 2024, language english

https://www.independenthq.com/ https://gomide.co/

Your host:

https://van-horn.net

Instagram: @independent_hq @gomide.co @thiagogomide @voicesonart @van_horn_duesseldorf

#VoicesOnArt #Independent20thCentury #IndependentHQ #artfair #Podcast #Talk #storytelling #DanielaSteinfeld #VoicesOnArt #VanHornGallery #ThiagoGomide #GomideCo #Gallery #SaoPaulo #Brazil

Book recommendation:

Brazilian Modern Design | Móvel Moderno Brasileiro

by Alberto Vicente, Marcelo Vasconcellos, Maria Cecilia Loschiavo Dos Santos

ISBN-13 978-8562114755

A conversation with the internationally acclaimed pianist, composer and experimental musician Volker Bertelmann aka Hauschka. He speaks about his different artistic identities, his recent and upcoming projects, his connection with the artworld and his ecological engagement. June 2020, 45 min., Language: English

A conversation with Dr. Nahlah Saimeh, acclaimed forensic psychiatrist and art afficionado. Dr. Saimeh speaks about her research on radicalisation from the point of view of a forensic psychiatrist, her passion for art, the spiritual roots of religion - and art - and about the invaluable meaning art and artists have for a civilized society. June 2020, 41 min., Language: German Ein Gespräch mit Dr. Nahlah Saimeh,  anerkannte forensische Psychiaterin und Kunstafficionado. Dr. Saimeh spricht über ihre Forschung zur Radikalisierung aus der Sicht einer forensischen Psychiaterin, über ihre Leidenschaft für die Kunst, über die spirituellen Wurzeln der Religion - und der Kunst - und über die unschätzbare Bedeutung, die Kunst und Künstler für eine zivilisierte Gesellschaft haben.  Juni 2020, 41 Min., Sprache: Deutsch

A conversation with Carolin Scharpff-Striebich, collector of contemporary art and Director of The Scharpff Collection and the Scharpff Family Foundation. Carolin talks about her upbringing with collecting parents,  her personal connection with art, her ideas for developing the collection and many more things. She gives us an insightful glimpse into her thoughts and reflections as a collector. May 2020, 37 min., Language: english

New York City based artist Wendy White tells us her story how she became an artist, what her inspirations and aspirations are and what she is engaged with right now. She shares some personal and insightful observations into making and reflecting about art and the processes that are just starting to be instigated in this special time. May 2020, 38 min. Language: english

A conversation with Andrew Jensen, the founder and co-owner of the galleries Fox Jensen McCrory in Auckland, NZ and Fox Jensen in Sydney, AUS. Andrew tells us about the history of the gallery and how he developed into being a gallerist as a young man. He continues with narrating about how his visions and ideas for the gallery evolved in the past 32 years and reveals very personal and emotional insights into his life with art. He reflects the challenges, but also the new possibilities for the artworld in our current situation and gives us a glimpse into the future.  Episode 2, recorded May 2020, 41 min., language english

For this first VAN HORN Podcast I welcome the artist Henrike Naumann, whose work "Das Reich" is on view in the exhibition "Deutschland" at VAN HORN in Düsseldorf through end of June 2020 and Bettina Steinbrügge, the director of Kunstverein Hamburg. Henrike Naumann tells us about the way she researches for her art, what makes her think and inspires her and how she realizes her installations in real space. Bettina Steinbrügge shares her experience of Naumann's art and reveals her thoughts and her wish to create new ideas and vision for an (art)world facing major changes. May 2020, 41 min. Language: German

Talking about art, life and being human. This bi-weekly/monthly Podcast is about my personal and also a lot of other people's enthusiasm for art. What these people have in common is their love for art and their life with art. Art will be at the center of all our talks and as art touches on all parts of life - we talk about all parts of life. May it be society, politics, feminism, identity, personal growth, inspiration, spirituality and much more. This Podcast wants to open up a space for inspiration and also to tell you interesting stories you might enjoy listening to. We’re recording via the internet, please excuse any glitches in sound quality. For more information on „Voices On Art - The VAN HORN Gallery Podcast“ follow us on instagram @voicesonart and @van_horn_duesseldorf, there you can also leave a comment. Or visit our website van-horn.net and subscribe to „Voices On Art“ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or the platform of your choice. If you want to, leave us a rating. Stay tuned and connect.