Spotlight

01/02/24

In the fall of last year, we had the pleasure of speaking with curator and emerging gallerist Kenji Swanson. Our conversation explored his early beginnings in the art world and his recent exhibition, A Life Worth Living. The show wove a captivating narrative celebrating the beauty of life and the power of community, featuring standout works by Dominique "Paperbag" Silva and Darnell Kirkwood.

Currently pursuing a degree in Art History at Stanford University, Kenji has already made impressive strides as both a curator and art dealer. As the Associate Director at Strike-Slip Gallery in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District, he is dedicated to enriching the local art scene. Through his thoughtfully curated exhibitions, Kenji champions underrepresented artists, bringing their work to the forefront and fostering a more inclusive and dynamic artistic community. 

What stemmed this show was actually a young Black child who was bullied, teased, and unfortunately ended up committing suicide at a very young age. I believe he was eight years old. Dom made a piece of this boy, and he referenced it from a picture of him. That piece was actually on top of a wooden panel for the campus. That’s what inspired the name A Life Worth Living and the whole show. We wanted to express not only the importance of life but also the joys that come with it—joys that are only possible if we, as a community, are there for one another. You know, the golden rule—treat people how you want to be treated—and respect every human being. That’s what stemmed A Life Worth Living. The title of the show actually helped me pick Darnell as our second artist because, in his work, he expresses life’s journeys, the importance of living, and the power of positive energy and what that can do for you in this life. But again, none of that is achievable without a community around you to elevate one another. 

Darnell is a super-talented artist I met in LA at an art event, and we’ve been connected ever since. We’ve kept in contact, and he’s turned into a mentor of mine in a way. I actually reached out to him last minute—about two or three weeks before the show—and asked if he could come through. I told him his art would go perfectly with Dom’s, and it would be a great experience. I promised we’d get his work sold and take care of him. Darnell really believes in me, which is a blessing. He packed about ten artworks into a rental car, just in the trunk, and drove up to SF the day before the show. Once the art arrived, we were like, "Alright, the art’s here. Let’s get it done." We quickly started curating: "This goes here, that goes there." It was all so exciting but also last-minute and nerve-wracking. But yeah, that’s how A Life Worth Living came about/

Dom, or Paperbag, uses multiple mediums for his art. It's mostly acrylic on canvas, but some of the artworks that shined most in this show include that piece of a young Black boy. The piece is made entirely from charcoal—just black and white charcoal—and it looks beautiful. Then there’s another piece where he used spray paint to get a certain texture, which was really cool. Darnell primarily works with acrylic on canvas. What’s special about Darnell is that he makes his own frames. In a way, I consider the frames themselves art because they look beautiful and really elevate his pieces. Darnell is someone who’s very focused on the experience of life, enjoying the journey while elevating everyone around you and attracting positive energy. He’s really big on that. Same with Dom—Dom’s artwork aims to connect you with his work. He wants to bring the community together and also tell stories from his past through his art that helped him, whatever that may be in his life. So, I thought both of their stories and journeys aligned well and worked together.

Could you describe a piece from the exhibition that holds a particular significance to you?

One of the pieces that meant the most to me from my recent exhibition was Dom’s artwork “Responsibility.”It was easily the star of the show, a powerful image of a young, shirtless Black boy. The intensity in his gaze and the raw emotion he carried seemed to leap off the canvas. What made it even more special was that Dom created the entire piece using only charcoal, which gave the work a depth and weight that made its message hit even harder.  

I connected with this piece so much that I ended up dedicating one of my final presentations at Stanford to it, along with writing an essay about the work for my Art History class. Getting to share Dom’s story and talent with my classmates and professors was an incredible experience that reminded me why I love showcasing meaningful art. Being able to connect meaningful and impactful art to those close to me and the broader audience of the world is my main goal in my career.  

In my practice, I’ve come to know my clients and understand my collectors. I get to know their tastes and what they look for in certain artworks. Truthfully, there are collectors and clients to whom I didn’t present certain pieces. As much as it stunned me as the curator, I wish I could send everything to everyone I know. However, strategically, as an art dealer, I didn’t send every piece to every collector. I chose to send pieces to those who aligned with Darnell and Dom’s vision, collectors who shared the same appreciation for life and understood its qualities. Long story short, I understand what my collectors look for in art. I knew which collectors would align with Dom and Darnell’s vision for the show. On a more market-driven level, I also took pricing into account when presenting the artwork. For example, if a piece was priced at $10,000, I’d try to sell it to collectors who’ve spent between $6,000 and $30,000 with me. I wouldn’t present these pieces to collectors who typically spend six figures or more, as they might not see these works as a viable investment, even though they are of high quality. Ultimately, it’s about understanding your collectors, but more importantly, understanding the artists you’re working with and their vision and motivation for their art.

Photos: Works by Paperbag

It’s really heartbreaking, honestly. The part that affects me most is that I have a deep love and passion for art, and as much as I approach this space from a business perspective, I’m still a fan of art at heart. What breaks my heart is when art is reduced to just a price tag. People start asking, “How much can I make off this artist? How much can I make off this work? What’s its value in 10 years?” There are so many talented artists who either haven’t had their work shown yet or don’t sell their art for exorbitant prices, but their art is still powerful and beautiful. Yet, some people overlook these artists because they’re not immediately profitable, and that’s the sad part of the art market.

I've been asked about this a lot recently, especially over the summer, and my answer evolves as I gain new insights through my work at the gallery. But one thing is clear: my main goal is to support emerging artists, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, and to help accelerate their careers. Ideally, one day I hope to have my own gallery space where artists don’t have to worry about the business side of things. I want to create a space where artists can simply focus on their art. I believe in their vision and love their work, and I want to handle everything else—marketing, connecting with collectors, and getting their work shown in other galleries worldwide. My goal is to take on the business side so the artists can focus on what they do best. 

What has your experience been studying Art History at Stanford and engaging with the academic art culture there?

The Art History department here is one of the lower-funded departments on campus, as Stanford tends to focus more on fields like technology, computer science, medicine, and business. As a result, the art department doesn't receive as much funding, and I would love to help change that by raising awareness about the importance of art on campus. That being said, many of the classes and professors have been instrumental in helping me understand the foundations of art. When it comes to contemporary, emerging, and future artists, I believe it's important to look back and understand where it all began. The way my mind works is let's take time to understand where it all stems from.  For instance, today we’re learning about Caravaggio, and even though it's the first day of class, I already know this course will provide me with a  great introduction. Overall, Stanford offers a great learning environment with a lot of supportive people who genuinely want to help you succeed. As for my favourite course so far, it's probably "Art in the Art Market," which I took early last year. It was one of the few art history courses that combined the study of art history with the current art market, making it a perfect fit for me given my career goals. I learned a lot from that class, and it directly relates to the work I’m doing now. It's a thing of beauty because I'll go to class and I'll have fun. Like, it doesn't feel like learning. Doesn't feel taxing. I you're excited to be there because you have this passion and love for it.

I’ve actually been working on my next art exhibition titled Soul. This show will be in celebration of Black History Month and feature six highly talented Black artists from LA, the Bay Area, and Houston Texas. Over the past couple months I have essentially been recruiting artists I want to work with whose works will complement my curatorial vision for this particular exhibition. After selecting all the artists is what I think is the fun part, selecting which artworks of theirs I want to display and putting together a powerful show. Opening night of Soul will be February 1st at Strike Slip Gallery in San Francisco. Along with showing beautiful Black artistry, this exhibition is meant to highlight Black owned business and community as well. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, I will be inviting Black owned brands to take over the gallery space for their own events, pop up shops, etc hopefully leading these brands to more exposure and sales to keep boosting and supporting their business. Additionally, I will be partnering with a local Bay Area charity hosting fundraising events, raising funds to invest back into the strong community and youth of SF. 

What do you aim to accomplish during your remaining years at Stanford? 

Currently I am a 3rd year student at Stanford and I intend to make an impact during my remaining time there. Recently I have joined the panel of San Francisco Art Commissions (SFAC) where I will be able to provide emerging artists with funding for the current and future art projects. On campus, I am striving to improve and elevate the art scene and department on campus by connecting with student artists to potentially help promote and jumpstart their art careers in anyway I can. I have goals of curating student artist exhibitions, facilitating artists workshops, and bringing live artists talks and Q&A sessions to our student body. On a larger scale, I envision curating a major art fair on campus. Like Art Basil, Frieze Art Fair, and LA Art Fair, I believe Stanford University can and should host an annual art fair that features not only world renowned galleries, but more importantly, local Bay Area galleries and talents of emerging artists all over the West Coast. With Stanford’s rich historic art involvement, the University has the potential to partake and evolve the art industry and market in major ways and I intend to be at the forefront of this impact.

A piece of advice I would give to someone starting out in the art industry is that there's no set path. This is something I was told early on, and I've been applying it to my own journey. I have many friends in finance who tell me, "To get here, you have to do this, intern here, then build from there." But with art, the industry, like art itself, is subjective. There's no script for how to navigate it. There are certainly rules, norms, and principles, but there's no step-by-step guide to get to where you want to be.

This is bittersweet. It’s been great for me because, through my mentors, my boss, and the artists I work with, I’ve had a chance to observe different paths. I can take that information and decide how I want to approach things. But without that exposure, when I first started, I would have felt completely lost and unsure of where to begin. Not knowing where to start can be a scary feeling.

However, being told that the art industry is subjective, just like art itself, really helped me. It's something that stuck with me and shaped my perspective. Also, believe in yourself and trust your instincts. Whether it's choosing an artist you want to showcase or deciding what works to add to your personal collection, trust your judgment. If someone doesn’t like the artist or artwork you’ve chosen, that's perfectly fine. It’s art, and it’s subjective. If you like it, then it’s good art.

I tell people who come into the gallery, "What do you think?" and they might say, "No offense, I didn’t really like this one, but I love that one." And I respond, "No offense taken; that’s great!" Because you’re experiencing something different through this piece of art than I did, and you're drawn to different things. That’s the beauty of it—art is for everyone. So, trust yourself, trust your instincts, and remember, it’s all subjective.

Photos: Kenji Swanson