Aujourd’hui is pleasured to announce Domenico de Chirico as our brand new interview. With a very interesting combination of skills and activities, Domenico is a Milan based curator, teacher, editor and contributing writer. Collaborating with international galleries, artists and magazines, Domenico still finds time to teach Visual Culture and Trend Research in IED – Istituto Europeo di Design. Read our interview to find out how his process behind the concept and execution of a show, what are his triggers as a curator and how he manages to be a curator in such iconic galleries, without losing focus from all of his activities.

How do you see the changes of the art world and its structures, from the rise of social media, online sales, online distribution of work and documentation, expanding art fair circuit and multi-venue mega galleries vs. single venue small gallery?
Consumerism is always becoming faster. About that, in his 1967 essay "The Society of the Spectacle" the french philosopher and writer Guy Debord was already talking about "goods as a show".

You are now a teacher, a curator, editor and a contributing writer. How do you balance all these activities? 
I think it’s possible, at least in my case, due to my passion and voracious need for daily news.

What is your process behind the concept and execution of an exhibition? 
The process, in any of its various stages, can’t be separated in any way. Everything depends on the initial focus because it constitutes the motive. I’m always willing to open dialogue with the artists, so they can consider together, among other options, the most efficient and satisfactory choices for both sides. Everything is done in complete clarity.

What triggers your choice when curating, especially with such emphasis on emerging artists? 
I strongly believe in the ability of association of the human mind and in the process of concept and cognitive development in relation to the host culture as a mediating element.
The stimuli are capable of eliciting a physiological reflex. Therefore, through the association of more stimuli in sequence it is possible to construct long chains of conditionings.

Do you collect? 
Not much, for the moment. 

Are you more focused on the several aspects of an artist's pratice or do you focus on the finished piece for a show? 
Both are important. 

How is the curatorial pratice changing? What do you predict for the future?
It is not a prediction, just a perversion: escape and return to the past.

All images courtesy of Domenico de Chirico, Brand New Gallery, Bid Project, Galerie Jeanroch Dard, monCHÉRI, Galerie Vantentin, Fondazione Rivoli2, EXO EXO, Nicodim Gallery and the artists.

Exclusive interview by Aujourd'hui.