This article features a dialogue between Salome Asega, Deputy Director of Strategy and Innovation at the New Museum, and artist Ajay Kurian, founder of the mentorship platform NewCrits. Moderated by Samaira Wilson for Elephant, the conversation explores the organic origins of their professional relationship and their shared commitment to reshaping creative infrastructure. Asega’s dual role as an artist and institutional leader highlights a shift toward incubator-led thinking and risk-taking within major U.S. museums.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of community and shared values over traditional institutional placement. Both Asega and Kurian reflect on how their friendship was built on intellectual curiosity and a mutual vision for the future of the arts rather than portfolio reviews. They argue that the evolution of the contemporary art ecosystem relies on mentorship, cross-disciplinary experimentation, and the prioritization of 'finding people' to build sustainable creative networks.