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About a week ago I wrote an article about Willow Art Space, an exciting new art enterprise dedicated to discovering and championing for young, emerging, and underrepresented artists. Willow is currently showing “Homo Viator“, in collaboration with London based Noiascape, an organization who creates Modern Urban Living, for a network of global creatives. Working at the interface between design, development, and space curation, hosting exhibitions, talks and events, Noiascape connect creatives with their communities, enriching everyday cultural experiences.
I sat down with Zhimin Zhang, aka Gem, to hear more about her vision for Willow, and plans for the future.
Hi Gem! It’s a pleasure to sit down with you! First question that I always ask, how does a regular day look like for you in London?
Hi Rubén, thanks for your interest and time as well! I am actually an early bird. I get up at 6 or 7 am (depending on the season), stretch, and have breakfast before I jump into work. Sometimes I’ll also add a bit of reading and writing before starting work; these help set my day right. I work very flexibly (that’s one of the things I enjoy most about being an entrepreneur), and whenever I feel stuck, I can just go to the gym, jog in the park, or cycle around the city. My work varies a lot, but what I enjoy most is talking to artists and having studio visits.
My day revolves around exercise, food (I cook a lot), work (whether on Willow or freelance jobs), studying (languages, neuroscience, and whatever I’m interested in at the time), and having conversations with people (my MBTI is ENFJ).
Tell me a little bit about yourself, what’s your background and what brought you to the UK?
My background is in marketing and entrepreneurship. I have studied, volunteered, and worked in other countries before, including China, Norway, Kenya, and the UK. A lot of things interest me, wellbeing, fitness, food, culture, music, history, technology, etc. My friends and connections are also from quite different backgrounds, including retail, entertainment, finance, design, fintech, and food. I came to the UK in 2017 as a student.
So when did you start showing an interest in art?
I have always been interested in different mediums of art, literature, film, and photography. When I was young, I read a lot (and still do) and always brought my camera with me wherever I went. I just never thought I would pursue art as a career.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into it! Back in 2022, you start Willow Art Space (WAS). What inspired that idea?
In 2022, I met my best friend, Tang Shuo, an amazing artist. Through him, I have met more artists and realized that many of them are extremely talented but lack opportunities to be showcased or promoted. I love working with them so much that I decided to shift my career to art, applying what I’ve learned from my marketing background to this industry, and most importantly, helping my artist friends gain visibility.
Can you walk us through that process, from initial idea, to end result?
I started on Instagram, sharing artworks and artists I personally love. In 2023, I began curating online shows. This year, I had one offline show in Beijing and another in London.
Can you also tell me about your curatorial process? What do you look for?
My curatorial process is deeply connected to what I read and experience. For example, my recent show in London, Homo Viator (The Eternal Traveller), was initially inspired by my hiking trip on the Camino de Santiago. The journey simplified my life to just eating, walking, and sleeping—repeating the same cycle each day. During this time, I realized there were many thoughts and memories stored away in my mind, and as I walked, they began to surface.
Homo Viator reflects this state of being; we are constantly traveling through time and space, moving forward, getting older. Through the show, I wanted to explore how artists make sense of this journey, where they trace it from, and their reflections on the continuous flow of change.
Once I have the concept, I then reach out to artists I think will be a goos fit. In curating exhibitions, I look for diversity and harmony—genuine works that communicate both with each other and with the audience.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in running an art space with such a socially conscious mission?
I do not come from an art background; none of my family works in art. But I believe that’s an opportunity too, to see art from a different perspective. It’s the same as in any other industry—we all need to build it up gradually.
What are your long-term goals for Willow Art Space, and how do you plan to expand its influence in the art world and beyond?
At Willow Art Space, we are dedicated to showcasing emerging talents who deserve greater visibility. My goal is to create meaningful connections between art and other industries, such as architecture, hospitality, startups etc., integrating art into everyday life. There’s no grand blueprint—just a commitment to approach each exhibition with care, taking it one show at a time and ensuring every one is executed with excellence.
So how do you define success in terms of your social impact and community engagement?
Art can be an inspiration, a remedy, a companion—it can be so many different things. If my practice if I can get one person to start appreciating art, or one child to pick up a brush, then that’s a success.
What kind of mentorship and guidance do you offer to artists, and how does it help them grow both artistically and professionally?
I wouldn’t call it mentorship—it’s more like the artists and I exploring everything together. We share our thoughts honestly and transparently, and we go from there. I see myself simply as someone who supports them in continuing to create their original works and staying focused, free from distractions.
How do you balance showcasing artistic expression with the commercial side of selling art?
Art needs to be both created and appreciated. I work with art that I love, so I don’t see many conflicts. I’m a big advocate for the artists’ work from the start, so it’s natural for me to want to promote it and share it with a much wider audience.
What strategies have you found effective for helping artists reach buyers or collectors?
As curators and gallerists, we need to know the artists and their practices well, so that we can share their stories authentically.
So How did you hook up with the guys from Noiascape?
It was through my entrepreneur friend, the founder of Hey! Food is Ready, that we were connected. I knew we were on the same page the first time I met Tom and James at Noisacape, as they are genuine people dedicated to making art more accessible to a wider audience.
Now to something totally different… How would you describe a perfect day?
I live my perfect day every day: exercising, cooking my own food, reading, having good conversations, working.
What’s next? Any future projects coming up?
I am originally from Wuhan. I am talking to some spaces in China and Wuhan to explore collaborations.
Talking to the expert I gotta know. Any designers / creatives we should keep a look out for?
Two artists I love: Lily Hargreaves and Louise Janet
Alright Gem, I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. The first is. What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
I love the Japanese movie Little Forest: Summer/Autumn & Winter/Spring. I like it because it calms me down.
The second is. What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?
I love Re-TROS’ music, Pigs in the River.