Francesco Bonami’s Case Against Trend-Chasing in the Museum Business

Late last year, I had the privilege of visiting Hangzhou, China, as the guest of By Art Matters, a remarkable museum that opened in 2021. The museum is situated in a sprawling complex designed by Renzo Piano, and across several floors and two buildings, it takes an innovative approach to curation, both in the subjects it tackles and in the way exhibitions are organized. Located just an hour by train from Shanghai, it is truly a must-visit for anyone traveling in the region. At least part of its success can be attributed to the work of curator Francesco Bonami, who serves as its director. I caught up with Bonami in Shanghai to learn more about how this one-of-a-kind institution came to be.

In person, you told me a little bit about how you came to know By Art Matters through your friend Renzo Piano, who designed the complex it occupies in Hangzhou. I’d love to hear more about these early stages. How did the institution’s curatorial ethos evolve?

My friendship with Renzo Piano began through a book, Dopo tutto non è brutto (After All, It’s Not Ugly), which included a chapter on one of his buildings. That text amused him enough to get in touch, and a genuine connection followed. When Lilin later asked Renzo to design the Ooeli campus, she also asked whether he knew anyone who could help with the art space that would become By Art Matters.

The name was proposed as a contraction of the phrase “by the way, art matters.” Even without a literal meaning, it conveyed the essential message: a place where art always matters more than the strategies built around it. That principle reflects Lilin’s philosophy, one shared fully from the outset.

During an early visit to Hangzhou, the site was little more than a tent with chickens wandering around. Renzo immediately grasped the location’s orientation and potential and, over lunch, sketched the concept with his signature green Pentel marker. That was around 2014, and the core idea of that drawing remains visible today in how millions of visitors move through the campus each year. Credit belongs to Renzo for a vision that extends far beyond architectural “hardware” into long-term spatial experience.

When I had the pleasure of visiting Hangzhou, By Art Matters had just opened an innovative retrospective showcasing the work of Inga Svala Thorsdottir & Wu Shanzhuan. I also took in the previously opened exhibition featuring outfits from every collection by Martin Margiela. How do these diverse shows reflect the vision of By Art Matters?

By Art Matters maintains a deliberately flexible approach to programming. There is a conscious avoidance of following the usual strategies of the art world—partly out of conviction, partly out of a desire for a more direct, fresh and even naïve attitude. Projects are considered individually, and choices are made based on what resonates most strongly at a given moment rather than on external expectations or positioning.

What are some of your favorite shows that you’ve done with By Art Matters, and why?

The first exhibition, “A Show About Nothing,” was especially successful. Other highlights include “Mind the Gap,” a long-distance conversation between Li Ming and Darren Bader, as well as “360 Degrees Painting.”

You’ve programmed high-profile shows across the globe. How do you try to balance geographic specificity with making an exhibition that will resonate with someone in the international art world? How has that been demonstrated at By Art Matters?

Finding that balance remains a challenge, since audiences differ significantly across contexts. Assumptions that feel natural to a Western curator can be far from obvious to younger curators or local teams. Working through those gaps—often by questioning what is taken for granted—has been an ongoing and instructive process at By Art Matters.

You’re known for dispensing insights about the broader art world on your Instagram. Could you speak about some trends you’ve noticed in recent years, ones you either endorse or do not care for?

Following or responding to trends is risky, since by the time they are acted upon, it is often already too late. Instinct—one’s own or that of trusted collaborators—matters more, along with a willingness to risk mistakes rather than chase relevance.

If you had to offer advice to a young artist starting out today, what would it be?

Work toward success, but remain a servant to personal ideas rather than to the ideas of others.

What have you learned about Chinese audiences in your time working with By Art Matters?

The most striking quality is the openness and flexibility of mindset. Growing up in a Western context often meant being asked “why?” repeatedly, with long delays before a project could be realized, if at all. In China, the response is more often “why not?” followed by rapid realization—sometimes almost too rapid!

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