Visionary Projects, a global contemporary art platform, was founded in 2018 by Haylee Barsky. Five years—and an entrepreneurial other half, in the form of artist and creative consultant Blayne Planit—later, the creative hub has expanded its objective. The duo have curated various shows in co-working spaces, partnered with local initiatives to give back to the community, and brought together creatives for mindful communal experiences like painting workshops and sound baths. Then, they launched their accessible art membership—Tableau, to gather all of these experiences into one place.
With their latest endeavor, a salon-style show titled “The Collective,” the pair are bringing together artists from across the globe to share their intimate stories and inner worlds. The exhibition is intentionally curated to explore the essence of individuality and a dynamic representation of the human experience. Opening Dec. 13 at the High Line Nine Galleries, the project illustrates the featured artists' nuances and variations of expression in an effort to inspire an alternative wave of cultural connections, all while creating a more equitable and accessible space.
To reflect on their growth, and what’s to come, Barsky and Planit caught up with CULTURED. Here, they talk about their new show, inviting people into their world, and manifesting a brick-and-mortar space.
CULTURED: Haylee, what inspired you to found Visionary Projects in 2018?
Haylee Barsky: I was inspired to start Visionary Projects out of the desire to activate the gallery space I had back when I lived in Rome. As an American living in Italy, I was always trying to find ways to connect creatively with my environment, and the artists I worked with at the time introduced the idea of hosting workshops out of the space.
It was exciting to see people come together from around the world for the sake of creativity. There was clearly a need for it at the time. Simultaneously, I was growing the platform online as a community parallel to what I was doing in-person. Every day I was posting content, artists, and projects that inspired me; and I was very consistent with it. Over the last few years, the platform has accumulated a following and interest, therefore the curatorial direction of Visionary Projects has changed immensely (in a good way!) as it has evolved further into highlighting creatives from a global perspective.
CULTURED: How has Visionary Projects’s ethos and community grown over the years?
Barsky: Visionary Projects represents a world where creative connection, exploration, and equity in the arts is possible. The platform is in the midst of a big era of collaboration, which definitely places influence on the community we are attracting. In the beginning, I undeniably did not know what to expect to get out of building a community on social media—but when you stay consistent to your vision, even when you think nobody is watching, there is authenticity and curiosity; and it’s not something you can buy. As a curator you hope to constantly evolve and keep discovering.
CULTURED: Blayne, what compelled you to join Visionary Projects last year? What expertise do you bring to the job?
Blayne Planit: There was so much synchronicity and alignment, with both my discovery of Visionary Projects and Haylee, that our partnership seemed inevitable. I had moved back to New York semi-recently at the time, and was seeking both a creative community and an artist network. As an artist myself, I feel it’s important to have a strong community as we move through our individual journeys.
I saw a huge opportunity to solidify and build upon the existing global community that Visionary Projects had already fostered. When we met, I had been working at a wellness start-up focused on building a membership-driven community and felt I had a solid grip on the process. I was seeking to return to working in the arts, and felt passionate and clear that this was the space where we could collaborate and experiment with creative concepts and community.
I have a unique and dynamic background that lends itself to our various projects and endeavors—with global experience in the arts, branding, education, and start-ups. Each day I am pulling from my diverse experiences and have full-circle moments of pause and appreciation.
CULTURED: A portion of the proceeds will benefit Free Arts NYC. How do you invest in local communities with each project?
Planit: We always want to make what we do feel purposeful and impactful, and it’s a small part of what creates a more equitable space. To keep it simple, when someone buys a piece of art from one of our shows, not only are they supporting the artist but also giving back to a community in need.
Haylee is currently a mentor working with Free Arts NYC, so we also felt it would be a great opportunity to include her mentee’s artwork in our current exhibition and support their local initiatives. Moving forward we want to continue to partner with various organizations that support causes we align with.
CULTURED: The exhibitions you curate take place in non-traditional spaces. Can you tell us about one of the unique places you’ve staged a show in? How was that experience, and what did you learn from it?
Barsky: While creating opportunities for artists, the main focus is on the experience—the non-traditional concept and events rather than an emphasis on the space. We craft programming that complements the exhibition and invites people into our world. This month, we are hosting experiences ranging from artist AMA’s to immersive sound baths, movie screenings, bottle painting workshops, and art walks.
We value the privilege and opportunity that we have to create these spaces for all kinds of artists to share their work and build both their networks and CVs. We’ve curated group shows in co-working spaces in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, bringing art into places that might otherwise be blank.
More recently, in August we partnered with New Collectors Gallery and co-curated a large exhibition with 80-plus artists at a PR/Magazine office space in Soho: “The Art of Access.” It was a benefit exhibition, with proceeds going to The Brigid Alliance foundation. It was unique because it was predominantly an empty space when we installed and curated the show and we brought it to life with incredible sponsors, vendors, and over 500 people showed up. We had a long line down Broadway in Soho and an incredibly successful event.
CULTURED: Your new exhibition, "The Collective," opens Dec. 13 and features 100 artists from around the world. How did the idea for this show come about and what is the throughline you’re weaving in it?
Barsky: We are so proud to share this upcoming exhibition and are also excited to be putting on such a unique experience in the heart of Chelsea. We knew that we wanted to curate large-scale group shows after the success of the Art of Access benefit. When this new opportunity presented itself, it was shortly after Blayne had spent some time in Mexico City and felt inspired by an exhibition she came across: a room covered floor to ceiling in emerging artists’ artwork.
We aligned on the concept and discussed a vision of having 100 artists with small works and affordable pricing displayed salon-style in a more traditional gallery setting. This isn’t something you come across often and we are aiming to ignite a new wave of access and connection for emerging artists. With so many people involved, it was a moment to shed light on the dynamic representation of the human experience through small personal works of art in varying mediums: “The Collective.”
CULTURED: You launched Tableau, your accessible art membership and platform, earlier this year. What’s the reception been like, and what do you want to do more of in the coming months to grow the platform?
Planit: Tableau is our global community of artists, creatives, and art appreciators. It has been an incredible avenue to demonstrate how the platform has evolved over the years and we’re constantly discovering new ways to intentionally expand it.
Prior to launching, we invited anyone who had participated one way or another in the community, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. At the moment, we’ve been finding personal recommendations and word of mouth to be the most powerful means of how new people have discovered us. In the coming months our goal is to foster Tableau as a main outlet for Visionary Projects—connecting people to each other and opportunities around the world.
CULTURED: What’s next for Visionary Projects? What are you most excited about for 2024?
Barsky: We are looking forward to our Tableau community continuing to expand and evolve. We’ve been manifesting a foundational brick-and-mortar space; and at the same time we definitely plan to curate more unique shows and creative happenings. We’re excited to expand our reach of what we are building beyond New York, and hope to bring our concepts to life in other cities. We are looking forward to all of the new connections, opportunities, and collaborations that 2024 will bring.
"The Collective" will be on view through Dec. 31 at the High Line Nine Galleries in New York.
