Who We Are
Writing about art with
honesty and care
Kontemporary was founded by a group of critics, curators, and artists who felt that art writing had drifted too far from its purpose — too deferential to galleries, too enamoured with the market, too reluctant to say what it actually thinks.
We publish criticism that takes the work seriously — its materials, its context, its place in art history, and its relationship to the world outside the gallery walls. We are independent of commercial galleries, auction houses, and collector interests.
- Editorially independent — no gallery advertising, no sponsored content, ever.
- Critically honest — we publish negative reviews when the work warrants it.
- Globally minded — covering practices beyond the usual Western art-world centres.
Our Critics
Editor & Lead Critic
Amara Osei
Specialises in contemporary African and diasporic art. Former curator at the Serpentine and contributing critic at Artforum.
Photography & New Media Critic
Daniel Rourke
Writes on lens-based practice, post-internet art, and digital materiality. Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths.
Sculpture & Installation Critic
Lena Vasquez
Trained sculptor turned critic. Covers large-scale installation and public art with a rigorous material focus. Based in Mexico City.
Painting & Drawing Critic
James Harlow
Art historian and critic specialising in postwar and contemporary painting. Author of two monographs and a forthcoming study on colour.