As more of life moves onto screens, the experience of standing in front of a work of art becomes increasingly rare. No photograph, digital archive, or social media post can replicate scale, presence, texture, or the feeling of encountering a work in person.

For Melissa Chiu, offers ...something many people are losing: the opportunity to slow down, look closely, and engage with something beyond the endless cycle of notifications and content.

Perhaps the future of museums is not simply preserving the past, but protecting our capacity to pay attention.

Discover more from Melissa Chiu’s conversation, only on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

#PearlLam #MelissaChiu #ContemporaryArt #Museums #ArtAppreciation

From the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (Lucas Museum of Narrative Art) and a Bronx-based Hip Hop Museum (The Hip Hop Museum) to even an A.I.-centric museum called Dataland (DATALAND.ART), it looks like 2026 is shaping up to be the year of niche museums. And by niche, I’m referring to facets of ...culture that are frequently ignored or seen as a ‘lesser’ art form by society.

Located in the beating heart of Los Angeles, the Lucas Museum – yes, co-founded by the legendary George Lucas himself – will present the works of illustrators and comic book artists, prompting us to reconsider what storytelling can look like across numerous visual mediums.

The City of Angels will also be playing home to Dataland, founded by prominent digital artist Refik Anadol. Serving as the world’s first museum dedicated to data visualisation and algorithmic creative works, the premises will also house an in-house AI-powered platform that “transforms vast nature-based datasets into immersive, multi-sensory experiences.” While it’s hard to imagine what exactly this might look like, it’ll definitely be on my itinerary for my next trip to the city.

Over in the Big Apple, the Hip Hop museum will celebrate the iconic subculture’s impact on music, dance, art, and society at large, and I’m sure its institutional framing will expand our understanding of culture beyond traditional mediums like painting or sculpture.

Overall, I look forward to how these museums might challenge, and even subvert, our perspectives and unconscious biases towards certain art forms, and allow us to develop a broader understanding of culture.

Image:Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Bronx-based Hip Hop Museum and Dataland.

#PearlLam #ArtsandCulture #Museums

Visibility should never be taken for granted.

Speaking with Le Fil, we discuss the importance of representation and why being seen matters. Reflecting on their experience in the public eye, Le Fil explains how representation goes beyond simply occupying a space. It is about having a voice,... a perspective, and the opportunity to be recognised as an equal.

For communities that have historically been overlooked or underrepresented, visibility can challenge assumptions and create a broader sense of possibility for those watching.

The conversation also touches on the role of media, culture, and performance in shaping how different identities are understood and valued.

Find out more from the full exchange with Le Fil, only on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

#PearlLam #LeFil #RepresentationMatters #Identity #ThePearlLamPodcast

Drag has never been more visible.

On the episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, I’m joined by Le Fil, together we discuss how drag has moved from the margins into mainstream culture, largely through the global success of RuPaul’s Drag Race. What was once unfamiliar to many audiences has ...become part of popular culture, introducing drag to millions of people around the world.

For Le Fil, that visibility has been transformative. Creating opportunities for LGBTQ+ communities to be seen, heard, and represented in ways that were previously unimaginable.

At the same time, it raises an interesting question: as drag becomes more mainstream, how does it maintain the qualities that made it so powerful in the first place?

Hear the full exchange, only on The Pearl Lam Podcast. Now available on YouTube and Spotify

#PearlLam #LeFil #DragQueen #LGBTQ #RuPaul

With Art Basel Hong Kong (Art Basel) behind us, I’ve had a moment to reflect on one of the most experimental art formats I’ve ever encountered.

I caught wind of Botto (Botto), an algorithm-backed AI artist created by German artist Mario Klingemann (Mario Klingemann). Whether or not ...you’re pro-AI, Botto possesses several unique qualities that make me wonder about the future of art.

Firstly, its system is run by thousands of human participants, with over 28,000 members from its dedicated open online community piloting Botto’s artistic merits and preferences. Botto generates digital work with its AI engine based on a weekly theme, and these members come together to debate the works and vote on their favourite. The end result is then auctioned off as an NFT online; Botto even made its debut at auctions held by Sotheby’s in 2024.

At the fair, this manifested as a mysterious physical presence. Two cameras attached to the AI agent observed passersby, and turned its perception of their facial expressions into a virtual character. Observers could then watch the watch develop in real time, and the videos of the two-hour process could then be sold to collectors.

While some might view this as sheer spectacle, optimists might view this as a new genre of art, and even spark meaningful discussion on what it might mean to co-create artwork with both other people and AI-engines.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Image credit: Period 14 | 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 via https://x.com/bottoproject

#PearlLam #ArtWorld #ArtFair #ArtBasel #DigitalArt

In this episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, I’m joined by Le Fil for a conversation about identity, self-expression, and the construction of an artistic persona.

Through Le Fil reflects, we talk about drag as a way of expressing and expanding the self, bringing together different sides of ...your identity, and navigating the space between artistic intention and audience expectations.

Thank you, Le Fil, for such an open and engaging conversation!

Watch or listen now on YouTube and Spotify.

Feeling important can change everything.

Speaking with Harry Lee, we discuss the importance of paying attention to the students who struggle the most. Rather than focusing only on high performers, his belief is that every child needs to feel seen, valued, and important.

What ...emerges is something much larger than musical education. It is about confidence, self-belief, and helping young people recognise their own potential.

Hear the full exchange on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Hope is not built through grand gestures.

Speaking with Harry Lee, we reflect on what it means to be a contributing member of society. Not everyone will do something extraordinary, but that does not diminish their value. Sometimes contribution begins with something much simpler: ...participating, supporting others, and carrying a sense of responsibility towards the wider community.

What stands out most is his belief that every young person represents possibility. Not just for themselves, but for the future they will help shape.

Hear the full exchange on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

There are very few places where contemporary art and history coexist as beautifully as they do in Venice. During Biennale season, the entire city becomes part of the exhibition experience.

Over the past few days, I visited exhibitions housed inside remarkable Venetian palazzos and historic... spaces, each one offering a completely different atmosphere. I was particularly drawn to works that explored texture, scale, and materiality, from large immersive installations to deeply expressive paintings and intricate handcrafted pieces.

What makes the Biennale so compelling is not only the work itself, but the setting in which it is encountered. Seeing contemporary pieces framed by centuries of architecture creates moments that feel unexpectedly emotional and unforgettable.

It was also lovely to spend time with friends and colleagues from across the international art community, all brought together through a shared appreciation for culture and creative dialogue.

A truly inspiring few days in one of the world’s most extraordinary cities.

#VeniceBiennale #ContemporaryArt #Venice #ArtCollector #ArtsAndCulture Biennale2026

Rome has always had a certain energy to it. Elegant, cinematic and endlessly inspiring. One experience stood out in particular during my most recent trip this May: visiting VENUS at PM23, the exhibition space founded by Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti.

Presented by the ...Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti and curated by Pamela Golbin, the exhibition places monumental installations featuring 33 archival Valentino garments. The result is a fascinating conversation between couture and contemporary art, where craftsmanship, scale and emotion all intertwine.

What remains most inspiring was learning how many different communities contributed to the making of the exhibition, from students and artisans to refugees, patients and women supported by social initiatives across Italy – beneath the grandeur was a true sense of humanity.

Considering Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti first met in Rome back in July 1960, it felt particularly fitting to experience an exhibition so deeply connected to the cultural and creative spirit of the city itself.

#Valentino #Rome #ArtsAndCulture #FashionExhibition #PM23

Between ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, AI was undoubtedly one of the biggest buzz words of 2025.

While certainly groundbreaking in its own way, it’s given rise to a host of unusual implications for culture. Let’s take AI-generated art, for example. AI being trained on existing artworks ...has perpetuated an art style which tends to favour a highly rendered, photorealistic style. Ethics aside, I’ve been thinking quite deeply about how this, essentially, creates a repetitive aesthetic – ones that might fail to consider any further creative innovation.

Pair this with what American writer W. David Marx @wdavidmarx calls the “blank space” of culture in our today’s society. In his 2025 book, he notes today’s society as one consumed by what he calls ‘retromania’ – which promotes a constant recycling of existing ideas to avoid financial risk – and contrasts this against the inventive nature of the early internet, which gave way to the possibility of fun, imaginative content going viral.

While I’m exposed to so much thought-provoking art in my day-to-day life, these contemporary trends do make me wonder if certain aspects of today’s culture have gone stagnant.

What do you think – are we stuck in an endless loop of boring ideas, or are we on the verge of a new age of creative innovation?

#PearlLam #ArtsandCulture #AI #ArtificalIntelligence

Passion has a way of opening unexpected doors.

Speaking with Harry Lee, we reflect on his 31-year association with the Metropolitan Opera, serving in various capacities on its board. What began as a deep personal commitment to music became something much broader, creating relationships, ...opportunities, and connections across the world.

Watch the full conversation, only on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Presented as an official collateral event of the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, Alchemical Universe brings together a significant selection of works by Su Xiaobai at Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel.

Organised by @pearllamprojects in collaboration with the Su Xiaobai... Foundation and LACMA, the exhibition spans key moments across the artist’s practice, tracing his continued exploration of lacquer, texture and surface. Installed throughout the palazzo, the works engage closely with the architecture and shifting Venetian light, revealing subtle tonal and material variations across each space.
The exhibition remains on view in Venice throughout the Biennale period, until November 22nd.

There are different ways of thinking about impact.

For the likes of Harry Lee, the choice to not have children, doesn’t mean he can’t support them. In fact, through his work, Harry Lee has chosen to focus on creating a system that can support and influence them over time.

Hear... the full exchange on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

There is still a very narrow expectation of what “African art” should look like.

A few months ago in Lagos, I had the opportunity to speak with artist Alimi Adewale and visit his studio following our conversation on The Pearl Lam Podcast. We spoke about how certain visual languages ...continue to be stereotyped or culturally assigned, even when they speak to something far more universal.

His work moves beyond those expectations, drawing from forms and symbols that cut across geography, race, and culture. It is this tension between categorisation and universality that makes the work so compelling.

Hear the full discussion on The Pearl Lam Podcast now.

#PearlLam #AlimiAdewale #ContemporaryArt #AfricanArt #Sculpture