As a former Gagosian associate director and founder of Siren, an art advisory and curatorial consultancy, I love art world people and their stories. I pinch myself every day when I think of how I grew up surrounded by this incredible world, when I find myself in rooms with inspiring artists and philanthropists, and when I speak to my clients who contribute to the arts in meaningful ways.
Now, I’m bringing the voices of my personal art world to a new CULTURED column, “In the Know,” in my capacity as Arts Editor-at-Large. I've been a part of the CULTURED family for a while, starting with the honor of being included in the magazine’s 2021 Young Collectors list. Now, I'm lucky to call Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson and her team friends, and I can’t wait to contribute to this incredible publication. Let’s hope I don’t mess this up! Without further ado, my first interview.
I met Tolga Albayrak the same way most people in the art world do: by getting an invite to one of his legendary parties.
Since 2013, Tolga—who is referred to mononymously, like Madonna—has thrown 80 strobe-lit, sweaty extravaganzas in Basel, Miami, Mexico City, Dallas, Hong Kong, and almost every other place where the art world’s traveling circus regularly touches down.
Over the past decade, I've had the pleasure of attending my fair share of Tolga parties. The Turkish-born, France-based social butterfly got his start in the art world as a promoter who organized pop-ups of the legendary Paris club Le Baron around the world during key cultural moments, like the Venice Biennale and Art Basel. After he helped open a short-lived Le Baron location in Chinatown, he decided to take the fun into his own hands and began organizing parties at rotating venues around the globe. And here’s some breaking news for you: Tolga and I will be co-hosting a party during this year’s Miami Art Week.
What makes a Tolga party? For one, it’s by the art world, for the art world. You're likely to see a gallery assistant who has spent the week processing invoices in a back closet dancing alongside one of Europe’s biggest collectors. Also, the music is key. While his previous parties have featured famous DJs, you won’t find out who’s playing until you’re inside.
As I considered who I wanted to speak to for my first CULTURED column, I immediately thought of Tolga, from whom I’ve learned so much about cultivating community ahead of the art world’s craziest week. Below, dear readers, find unfiltered insider tips from the ultimate art party maven.
Sophia Cohen: I want to start by asking why you choose to do these events around art fairs.
Tolga Albayrak: You're going to start with the hard ones, huh?
Cohen: It's only going to be hard.
Albayrak: I guess this is the environment where I felt the most comfortable. I was thinking there was not as much going on [in the art world] as I would have liked, at least in the style that I liked. The first significant one was with my friend [German sculptor] Tobias Rehberger in May 2013 during the second Frieze New York. It was a pop-up club, so it didn’t have a physical location. It coincides nicely with art fairs—why? It's very simple. They are a concentration of all these people from around the world in one place.
Cohen: If someone hasn't been to a Tolga party, how would you describe it?
Albayrak: Well, I rarely put it into words because there's no preconception of what will happen. One should expect a collegial environment where he or she's going to see something happening that they didn't expect but which they're going to like immediately.
Cohen: A lot of what you're doing is community-based. Every city has different types of communities, and your parties are just a forum for those communities to express themselves.
Albayrak: That's beautifully put. I still meet people at these parties.
Cohen: Does each city have a completely different vibe?
Albayrak: Of course, there's a different vibe from Miami to Hong Kong, Seoul to Paris. That's inevitable. However, the preparation, the aim, and the offering are always the same.
Cohen: How do you see these events evolving over the next couple of years? Do you think that you'll go to different sectors of culture? Or do you think that art fairs are your sweet spot?
Albayrak: In the beginning, it was solely me. But now, it's evolved into a performative action. For example, the last thing we did, an artist friend of mine [Mario García Torres] was like, "I want to do a party with you in Mexico City." Every participant did a performance piece. I performed. He did something from his own practice. Another guy played vinyls. I have this feeling of, like you would say in French, connivence—a complicity. Other things come out of it. In other sectors, I don't see it. I've done things in the film industry, during Fashion Weeks or whatnot, but that's like 10 years ago now.
Cohen: A lot of people are optimistic about the art world [right now]. How do you think that will be reflected in the Miami party?
Albayrak: There is a very exciting collaborator this time, but I don't know if I'm allowed to disclose the information.
Cohen: You can share. It's fine.
Albayrak: Okay, so you, Sophia, are going to participate in the party. I'm excited to expand the guest list with your participation. Miami is all about making a really, really fun party, and there are a few ingredients for that. The venue is key, the participants are key, and the audience. The funny thing in Miami is these clubs are nice to do parties, but our community doesn’t often find themselves in these clubs.
Cohen: We get to participate in a rich history of what already exists in Miami and we try to make it more interesting. Let’s talk about your invitations. I remember the first time I got a text from you—it was just a photo of the party. You have a crazy network of people that you're able to tap into and just send a photo and have them show up.
Albayrak: Some could find that insolent, but yeah, it's just a picture. I want to keep the exclusivity so I don't reveal much. Everything is choreographed and orchestrated. But I leave it to everyone [else] to live it.
Cohen: I think that people are so sick of getting emails for events and just getting spammed with all this verbiage on what the event is. Yours is like, "Come, it's going to be a great group of people. Don't come; doesn't affect me one way or the other." And that energy is translated into the event because you end up getting people that I think are more interested in the connectivity of the actual humans at Art Basel versus the transaction-based events. This is an opportunity to let go and enjoy.
I've been a part of the planning process with you this year. You're teaching me a lot. And one of the things that we spoke about was what day to do it. You have historically held the party on Sunday, so that people who have worked at the fair all week can kick back and let loose. This time, we landed on Thursday.
Albayrak: In the past, my formula was like, "Okay, let's do it. The fair is happening, it's opened, let's get it done, and it's wrapped." But now, we have the luxury of choosing how we optimize the thing.
Cohen: A lot of people who come early for Art Basel leave early. So the Monday [crew] leaves Friday, and then the next group of people will arrive Friday and leave Sunday. So giving those early people, which is the real art-world community versus the spectators of the art world, that opportunity to have one last night to celebrate is quite fun. I have a good feeling that this year, everyone's going to be itching for a party.
Albayrak: Every year, there's a surprise. You can't know exactly how this will turn out, but I have that itch myself, and I'm excited about it.
