A new season of the AICA Podcast promises fresh insights and engaging discussions. Tune in for the new episodes featuring expert interviews, industry updates, and thought-provoking topics, moderated by Mihaela Ion.
In her exploration of AICA’s global network, Mihaela Ion identifies key areas of interaction by selecting curators and cultural professionals whose expertise and interests reflect current trends and challenges in the art world. Her thoughtful approach fosters meaningful exchanges, encouraging collaborations that advance curatorial practices, promote cultural dialogue, and address themes such as multidisciplinary integration, digital innovation, and social engagement.
This season will also spotlight the AICA International Congress, underscoring its role as a pivotal event for professionals. The congress offers vital opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking, and the presentation of the latest research and developments in the field.
The first episode of the new series features an engaging conversation with Ana Lúcia Beck, who explores the often solitary role of curators and cultural workers. The discussion emphasizes the value of independence and reflection in their practices and highlights the importance of freedom of cultural expression in fostering diverse and authentic artistic dialogues.
AICA Podcast with Ana Lucia Beck
ABOUT THE MODERATOR: MIHAELA ION
Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been a member of AICA and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as a member of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 18 years, she has presented papers on Communist art, cultural wars, and contemporary artwork at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of Communist-era artworks.
Mihaela has also worked as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space, and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform that fosters intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public. Her recent cultural expertise in project evaluation was demonstrated through her work with Apexart in New York.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: ANA LÚCIA BECK
Ana Lúcia Beck is a Brazilian visual artist by education, comparatist researcher by destiny, teacher and critic by heart, traveler, and wondering wanderer. She holds a PhD in Literary Studies, a Master’s in Art History, Theory and Criticism, and major in Drawing, all from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil.
Since 2020, Ana Lúcia has been a lecturer in Art History at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in Art, following extensive experience at institutions such as USAC Florianópolis, UDESC Florianópolis, and ULBRA Canoas. She is a member of AICA International and the Brazilian Association of Art Critics (ABCA), where she currently serves as Vice-President for the Midwest region. She is also affiliated with the European Society of Comparative Literature (ESCL), the Brazilian Committee of Art History (CBHA), and the Brazilian National Association of Art Researchers (ANPAP).
Ana Lúcia’s teaching and research primarily focus on Contemporary Art. Her main interest lies in the relationship between art and literature and the creative process, which has led to investigations of artists such as the Brazilian José Leonilson and the French-American Louise Bourgeois. Notably, she contributed the essay “Voilà mon Cœur: it’s been to hell and back! José Leonilson’s and Louise Bourgeois’ poetic images on longing and belonging” to (Re)Writing Without Borders – Contemporary Intermedial Perspectives on Literature and the Visual Arts, edited by Nina Schiel and Brigitte Le Juez, published by Common Ground in 2018.
She has also published articles in both Brazilian and international journals, as well as book chapters on Brazilian art, and occasionally engages in small curatorial projects. Many of her publications can be accessed via her edu.com page.