Portrait of a Gallerist – How Is a Gallery Built and Developed Today?

Name: Portrait of a Gallerist – How Is a Gallery Built and Developed Today?
Start: 2026-09-12
End: 2026-09-12
Location: Galerija „Drifts”

Today's contemporary art gallery takes on many roles – it is not only a space for experiencing and selling art, but also a platform for conversation and ideas, a mediator between artists and different audiences, actively engaging in contemporary art discourse. Although galleries operate in different geographic and cultural contexts, each builds its own operating model, shaped not only by economic circumstances but also by the personalities, values and long-term curatorial or personal vision of the gallerists. Inseparable from their galleries, gallerists create space and connections, taking on risks and growing the value of cultural capital. In this discussion we will consider how gallerists build gallery networks today, how they contribute to shaping a broader art discourse, and what responsibility they take on in nurturing a vibrant art market environment and engaging with the international contemporary art ecosystem. Panellists: Olga Temnikova – co-founder and owner of the gallery „Temnikova & Kasela“ in Tallinn, art collector, and, together with Margot Samel, co-founder of the art fair „Esther“ in New York. Founded in 2010, the art gallery „Temnikova & Kasela“ is one of the most active galleries in the Baltic states. The gallery represents artists whose works have been shown at the Venice Biennale and are held in international museum collections. Berta Zubrickaitė – curator with more than a decade of experience in the field of contemporary art. She has gained experience in both the commercial and public art sectors of the United Kingdom. Berta Zubrickaitė currently serves as director of the London gallery „Edel Assanti“, responsible for artist development strategy, exhibition programming and institutional partnerships. She previously worked at „Somerset House“ and „Frieze“. She holds a master's degree in curating from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a bachelor's degree in art criticism and curating from Central Saint Martins. Berta also regularly writes the „Art Diary“ column for the magazine „Lamų slėnis“. Agnieszka Fąferek – gallerist based in Milan, founder and director of the gallery eastcontemporary. Her professional experience spans theatre, music and visual art. In 2020 she founded eastcontemporary in Milan – initially as a non-profit project space, expanding it in 2021 into a contemporary art gallery. Fąferek sees the gallery as a dynamic platform for young international artists and cross-cultural dialogue, with a particular focus on artists from Central and Eastern Europe. The gallery's programme presents experimental, research-based practices spanning sculpture, installation, textiles, new technologies, video art and performance. The gallerist combines exhibitions with public programmes, institutional partnerships and long-term artist support. Through the gallery's programme, Fąferek has introduced numerous international artists to Italian audiences, staging their first solo exhibitions. Among them – Anastasia Sosunova, Pakui Hardware, Barbara Wesołowska, Eliška Konečná, Aziza Kadyri, Slavs and Tatars and others. Moderated by: Justė Kostikovaitė – curator based in Vilnius, whose work explores permeable formats between institutions, artist residencies and initiatives of empowerment and collective curating. Together with Laima Kreivytė and Eileen Myles she created the performance „Gimbutas Street Band“, presented at „Performance Art Biennial VB23“ in Vilnius. In 2022 Justė curated the events programme for the exhibition „Goddesses and Warriors: 100 Years to Marija Gimbutas“ at the National Museum of Lithuania. Together with Merilin Talumaa she curated an exhibition and a programme of performances and screenings in Marseille, „Dryads of Cosquer“ (2024), presented at Art-O-Rama, La Traverse and FRAC Sud. In 2025, together with Egla Mikalajūnė, she curated the international exhibition „Rave Nation: Dancing to the Sounds of Freedom 1992–2004“ at the National Museum of Lithuania. Justė is co-founder of the art marketplace „Art&Potatoes“, and curator of the 2026 exhibitions „Noise Portals“ and Viltė Fuller's „Mouths“.

Adresas: Galerija „Drifts”

Kaina: Nemokamai

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Portrait of a Gallerist – How Is a Gallery Built and Developed Today?

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Panellists:

Olga Temnikova – co-founder and owner of the gallery „Temnikova & Kasela“ in Tallinn, art collector, and, together with Margot Samel, co-founder of the art fair „Esther“ in New York. Founded in 2010, the art gallery „Temnikova & Kasela“ is one of the most active galleries in the Baltic states. The gallery represents artists whose works have been shown at the Venice Biennale and are held in international museum collections.

Berta Zubrickaitė – curator with more than a decade of experience in the field of contemporary art. She has gained experience in both the commercial and public art sectors of the United Kingdom. Berta Zubrickaitė currently serves as director of the London gallery „Edel Assanti“, responsible for artist development strategy, exhibition programming and institutional partnerships. She previously worked at „Somerset House“ and „Frieze“. She holds a master's degree in curating from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a bachelor's degree in art criticism and curating from Central Saint Martins. Berta also regularly writes the „Art Diary“ column for the magazine „Lamų slėnis“.

Agnieszka Fąferek – gallerist based in Milan, founder and director of the gallery eastcontemporary. Her professional experience spans theatre, music and visual art. In 2020 she founded eastcontemporary in Milan – initially as a non-profit project space, expanding it in 2021 into a contemporary art gallery. Fąferek sees the gallery as a dynamic platform for young international artists and cross-cultural dialogue, with a particular focus on artists from Central and Eastern Europe. The gallery's programme presents experimental, research-based practices spanning sculpture, installation, textiles, new technologies, video art and performance. The gallerist combines exhibitions with public programmes, institutional partnerships and long-term artist support. Through the gallery's programme, Fąferek has introduced numerous international artists to Italian audiences, staging their first solo exhibitions. Among them – Anastasia Sosunova, Pakui Hardware, Barbara Wesołowska, Eliška Konečná, Aziza Kadyri, Slavs and Tatars and others.

Moderated by:

Justė Kostikovaitė – curator based in Vilnius, whose work explores permeable formats between institutions, artist residencies and initiatives of empowerment and collective curating.

Together with Laima Kreivytė and Eileen Myles she created the performance „Gimbutas Street Band“, presented at „Performance Art Biennial VB23“ in Vilnius. In 2022 Justė curated the events programme for the exhibition „Goddesses and Warriors: 100 Years to Marija Gimbutas“ at the National Museum of Lithuania. Together with Merilin Talumaa she curated an exhibition and a programme of performances and screenings in Marseille, „Dryads of Cosquer“ (2024), presented at Art-O-Rama, La Traverse and FRAC Sud. In 2025, together with Egla Mikalajūnė, she curated the international exhibition „Rave Nation: Dancing to the Sounds of Freedom 1992–2004“ at the National Museum of Lithuania. Justė is co-founder of the art marketplace „Art&Potatoes“, and curator of the 2026 exhibitions „Noise Portals“ and Viltė Fuller's „Mouths“.

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Date

September 12, 2026

Location

Galerija „Drifts”

Price

Nemokamai

Panellists:

Moderated by:

Justė Kostikovaitė – curator based in Vilnius, whose work explores permeable formats between institutions, artist residencies and initiatives of empowerment and collective curating.