.ART

In the contemporary art landscape, independent curatorial initiatives play an increasingly vital role in expanding critical discourse. .ART spoke with Azad Asifovich, a Paris-based curator and art lecturer with a background in political science and curatorial studies, regarding two of his ongoing projects—Private Institution and LA MUSÉE—both of which operate within the .ART domain zone. These initiatives not only bring more diverse artistic voices into the conversation but also challenge and reshape how institutions represent artists and their work.

Private Institution (PrivateInstitution.art), co-founded by Azad Asifovich and Hannah Kreile, is an independent Paris-based platform dedicated to promoting contemporary art with a curatorial focus on Global Asias, the Caucasus, MENA, their diasporas, and liminal spaces. Through a program emphasis on exhibitions, research, and critical engagement, the initiative focuses on dialogue among artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners. Situated at 18, rue de Montmorency in the Marais district, Private Institution curates conceptualized duo exhibitions, which juxtapose established and emerging artists. Each project ensures that at least one participating artist originates from the aforementioned regions or their diasporas, thereby reinforcing a commitment to both geopolitical specificity and transnational artistic networks. 

Parallel to this initiative, LA MUSÉE (LaMusee.art), co-founded by Azad Asifovich and Asli Samadova, operates as a curatorial agency dedicated to challenging gender dynamics within institutional collections and advocating for the equitable representation of women and non-binary artists. The very name of the initiative—LA MUSÉE—constitutes a deliberate linguistic intervention, wherein the feminine article “LA” is juxtaposed with the traditionally masculine noun “MUSÉE.” This strategic subversion highlights the initiative’s critical interrogation of the patriarchal structures embedded within the museological canon, positioning LA MUSÉE as an interventionist framework rather than a conventional institutional model. The agency develops exhibitions that synthesize museological methodologies with critical analysis. 

.ART sat down with Azad Asifovich to discuss the vision behind the Private Institution, a newly founded independent art space in Paris. The conversation delved into the curatorial focus on artists from Asia and its diasporas, the importance of small-scale institutions with a human dimension, and the long-term ambition of connecting underrepresented voices to European collectors and institutions. Azad Asifovich also shared insights into a curatorial agency LA MUSÉE, and why positioning these initiatives within the .ART domain strengthens their identity and reach.

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DK: What’s the meaning behind the name of the Private Institution? What does it signify for you? 

AA: When we were brainstorming the title, we were wondering, how to call an institution? Is it a private institution or a public one? What is it? And this was the reason, I would say, we named it the Private Institution. It’s a private initiative, independent one, but also it’s some kind of a general title, which can trigger the space, which is a rather small space of 24 square meters in Paris. We think that there is a necessity for small institutions, which have a human dimension. 

DK: The programming of the Private Institution started with the duo show. Are you going to focus on shows, which establish dialogues? What will be its dynamics and the reasoning behind it?

AA: We co-founded the Private Institution with Hannah Kreile. We were thinking about programming that will be based on the idea of dual shows. It will be only duo shows, which is an important notion for each of us. We think that the dialogue could be the main methodology for our space. The first exhibition, “Language without Alphabet”, presents the works by Babi Badalov, Azerbaijani-born poet and artist, and London-based Aziza Shadenova, who is originally from Central Asia. It’s about visual language. It’s about writing. It’s about thinking in a non-linear, non-westernian way of communication, based on universal messages.

DK: Why did you decide to focus on the art from Asia region and diasporas? Which kind of gaps are you trying to address?

AA: We saw the necessity to create an institution which will relate to this kind of interaction and expressions in Parisian context. Hannah was working with this theme, contributing to the Asia Now art fair. I was born in Azerbaijan, and was always interested in the Central Asian scene. So there were some natural consequences for our dialogue. We chose this direction as we have expertise that we would like to share and we have an ability to create a horizontal space for other specialists. 

DK: Talking about long term goals: you will be showcasing artists, unknown to the local context, are you planning to focus on connecting them to European collectors and art institutions? Are you also going to work on building the career of the artists you’re working with, beyond the walls of the Private Institution?

AA: It’s an interesting question. As I mentioned earlier, we both have our own practices, Hannah as an art advisor and me – as a curator. We will be launching collaborations with the other institutions, with partners, museums, foundations, private collections. Our goal is to introduce the artists we’re working with, to the museum discourse, to the professional discourse in France and in other Francophone countries, like Switzerland, Belgium or Canada, and the other parts of the world. We are really interested in collaborating with Asian societies from Korea, United States, France, and Belgium. 

DK: Let’s also talk about another initiative you were mentioning, LA MUSÉE. 

AA: Commenting on the naming, the word “museum” in French is “musée”. If you’re following linguistic logic, a museum should be feminine in French, but it is masculine. It started as a reflection on the language, on provenance of the word “museum”, which is coming from the Greek “mουσεῖον” (mouseion), which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the muses. All the muses are female, but the word is masculine. Also I was thinking about this dichotomy in French language between the gallery, which is feminine, and the museum, which is masculine. 

From the end of 2024 my colleague Asli Samadova and I are thinking about LA MUSÉE as a curatorial agency. We did a project with Sofie Muller, a Belgian artist from Flanders culture, with whom we won the Maltese Falcon award in the Best Pavilion category at the first inaugural Malta Biennial. The project took place at the National Archeological museum and it was a huge success. We received a lot of support from the local community, from the female artists from Malta. 

DK: Why did you choose .ART domains for your projects? 

AA: Private Institution might sound like a general title. But what is it related to? It could be a research-based institution, governmental institution. For us it was important to use privateinstitution.art, which gave legitimacy to the title. It helps people to understand that it is related to art. It fully reflects our identity and mission. It establishes an immediate connection to our field and audience. It allows us to highlight our projects: exhibitions, writing, curation, while enhancing their accessibility and visibility.  

And I do believe in the .ART community. I like the idea of being a part of it. I feel that it is a safe space. 

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