How did the idea for Ncontemporary come about, and what were you hoping to achieve in those early days?

Ncontemporary started in London in 2014, founded by Emanuele Norsa as a hybrid space for experimentation and exchange, with a focus on emerging and mid-career international artists. After those first years in London, the project moved to Italy, where it found its footing — both curatorially and professionally — when Federica Barletta came on board as director and partner. Since 2017 we’ve been based in Milan, with a busy program of exhibitions, site-specific installations, and special projects involving artists, institutions, and collectors.

In 2024 we opened a second space in Venice, on the Giudecca, which broadened what we do and created a constant dialogue between the two.

From London to Milan and on to Venice: what has that international DNA given you, in terms of mindset and how you approach the market?

London was where it all began, and it shaped everything that followed. The gallery was founded to give a platform to international artists who’d trained and started out in the city. Moving the main operation to Italy a few years later felt like a natural next step. It let us build a clear, recognizable presence in the Italian market while holding onto a strongly international outlook through the artists we represent. Then in 2024, on our tenth anniversary, opening the Venice space carried forward what we’d set out to do back in 2014: putting down new roots somewhere with a real identity of its own, while still keeping our eyes on the wider world.

What does being in Italy — between Milan and Venice — give you today that you couldn’t have found anywhere else? 

Italy has a deep, long-standing collecting culture — informed, and genuinely engaged. We’ve always cared about building an honest relationship with the places we work in. Milan, over the past few years, has become a city that offers artists more and more, while taking on a bigger role in the international art market. Venice was a touchstone for us from the very start — for us, for our artists, and for our collectors. We couldn’t have pictured anywhere else that gives us the same energy, or captures with the same force that sense of being international and deeply local at once — which is exactly what the Lagoon is.

Something important you’ve learned from an artist? 

Over the years we’ve had to admit, more than once, that for all the differences in personality, artists are (almost!) always right. They have a way of seeing details, nuances, and possibilities that we gallerists often miss.

Looking ahead, what’s next for Ncontemporary, and how do you hope to grow?

We’ve always chosen to grow organically, leaning on teamwork and on good relationships with others in the field. What started in 2014 as an experimental project is now a gallery running two spaces with a team of six who share the load. In the near future, we want to keep strengthening what we’re doing in Milan and Venice, while staying open to new opportunities internationally.