O P E N Y O U R E Y E S A N D S E E
toof | contemporary is a unique project, which provides access to thought provoking contemporary art and creativity from around the world.
toof | contemporary aims to open cultural horizons, inspire collaborations, and forge relationships by acting as a bridge between artists, collectors, and art lovers, all while prodding a broader audience to
‘ OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE ‘.
Exploring beyond the purely visible
stepping out of that comfort zone and the limiting spectrum of our senses,
truly seeing, leaving behind the world of the known,
opening up to a deeper level of engagement
by
illuminating the scene behind the curtains
inviting the audience to take a step towards the magic
engaging with the art itself and the artist
Exploring the notion of
C R E A T I V I T Y and I N S P I R A T I O N
C R E A T I O N
and therefore
A R T and E X P R E S S I O N.
toof | contemporary was founded by Birgit Vagani as a collaborative platform out of a desire to showcase art from around the world and in June 2013 opened it’s doors as a contemporary art gallery in the South Island Cultural District (SICD), exhibiting artists from Europe and Latin America in Hong Jong. In mid 2017 toof | contemporary moved to an online presence – while assuming location – independence – started to explore new cultural landscapes and broadening the field of art and audience to an International arena.
We hope to instil in our viewers and readers our belief that art is everywhere – in everything and for everyone.
BIRGIT VAGANI, has been following art from art fair to art fair, from museum to museum, from exhibition to exhibition from an early age, driven by an obsession for engaging with creative expression. Growing up in Italy, in a historically cultural rich setting, surrounded by classic masters and Italian craftsmanship and design, imposing backdrops for art, such as the biennale in Venice, the Museum Rivoli d’arte contemporanea in Torino, the Hanger Bicocca in Milano, or the Park in Villa Ada in Rome, allowed her to lay a foundation for a tingling visual sensitivity.
Moving to Hong Kong and traveling and working in four different continents, has given her a cultural perceptiveness and a broad understanding of artistic genius with a particular interest for the visual.
Her understanding of art has evolved from being a mere spectator to a full-blown curatorial practice, engaging with the artworks in uncommon ways, juxtaposing works from different fields and cultural backgrounds and of different materials, while shining the light on the artist him|herself.
She studied photography at the Istituto Italiano di Fotografia (IIF) in Milano and while traveling in Brazil and Mexico, Morocco and Turkey with renowned photographers including Anders Petersen, Jason Eskenazi, and Ernesto Bazan and has exhibited her own works in exhibition in Hong Kong and Morocco.