Here Are All the A-List Participants in the Upcoming Virtual Summit From Creative Minds Talks, From Rashid Johnson to Tommy Hilfiger

The summit will be held from October 27-28.

Creative Minds Talks "One on One" participants. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Many of the world’s most compelling creative summits are held in far-flung locations around the world, or sell out before you can snag a seat. But a virtual summit from Creative Minds Talks, “One on One, allows attendees to stream in from home, anywhere they may be.

This year, a wide range of influential leaders from fields including art, fashion, architecture, music, film, sports, and philanthropy have teamed up to discuss digital art, the pandemic’s effect on creative industries, sustainability in fashion and art, and much more. 

The jam-packed two-day summit takes place on October 27 and 28, and 20 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the health charity (RED). Plus, for each ticket sold, Creative Minds Talks will provide a free ticket to a student.

Read on to meet this year’s virtual panelists, and purchase your tickets here. (Be sure to use the code ART25 for an exclusive 25-percent discount.)

Rashid Johnson in conversation with Franklin Sirmans

Rashid Johnson and Franklin Sirmans. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Contemporary conceptual artist Rashid Johnson’s work investigates themes of racial and cultural identity using a wide range of media, including culturally loaded materials such as shea butter, funk albums, and space rocks. Johnson will engage in conversation with Franklin Sirmans, the director of Miami’s Perez Art Museum. Sirmans is a critic, curator, and leading voice in contemporary art, who previously served as the department head and curator of contemporary art at LACMA. 

 

Tommy Hilfiger in conversation with Steve Hash

Tommy Hilfiger and Steve Hash. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

American fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger is a pioneer of classic-cool style. The designer, whose namesake brand has become synonymous with youthful spirit and Americana heritage, will join in conversation with his son-in-law, artist Steve Hash. Hash, who was formerly creative director for Warner Music Group, is best known for his sculptures, which often use concrete to immortalize everyday objects like water jugs, beer cans, cigarette packs, and more. 

 

Simon DePury in conversation with Spencer Bailey

Simon DePury and Spencer Bailey. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Simon DePury is an art-industry veteran (and author of the Artnet News column “The Hammer!”). The Swiss auctioneer, art dealer, curator, and photographer will join in conversation with writer, editor, and journalist Spencer Bailey. Bailey has written for the New York Times Magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune, and Newsweek about art, architecture, design, and technology. He also served as editor-in-chief of Surface magazine from 2013 through 2018. 

 

Danny Dunson in conversation with Rachel Cargle

Danny Dunson and Rachel Cargle. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Danny Dunson is an art historian, advisor, curator, writer, and the founder of Legacy Brothers, an artist development consultancy that supports emerging and underrepresented artists as they grow within the contemporary art market. In 2020, Legacy Brothers began a global arts residency to mentor and grant financial endowment to emerging artists. Dunson will sit down with Rachel Cargle, an author, speaker, and activist who founded Loveland Foundation, an organization that breaks down financial barriers for Black women and girls to access therapy.

 

Yvonne Force Villareal in conversation with Leo Villareal

Yvonne Force Villareal and Leo Villareal. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Art maven and co-founder of the Art Production Fund and Culture Corps Yvonne Force Villareal, will engage in a discussion with her partner, LED light artist Leo Villareal. The artist works with pixels and binary code to create compositions in light that are firmly rooted in abstraction and his ongoing fascination with technology. 

 

Victoria Siddall in conversation with Thomas Girst

Victoria Siddall and Thomas Girst. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Victoria Siddall, the board director of Frieze, will have a one-on-one conversation with Thomas Girst, the BMW Group’s head of cultural engagement. Sidall previously held the position of global director at Frieze, overseeing all aspects of the London fair, Frieze Masters, Frieze New York, and Frieze Los Angeles. She is also a founding member of the Gallery Climate Coalition, working to reduce the environmental impact of the art world. Girst oversees the partnership between BMW and Art Basel. Through his leadership, BMW has connected artists to the brand’s history, vision, and values.

 

Jennifer Lotito in conversation with Laolu

Jennifer Lotito and Laolu. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Jennifer Lotito is the president and COO of (RED), an organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise funds and awareness to fight the AIDS pandemic. Nowadays, (RED) partners with brands across the world to generate products and experiences that raise money for the Global Fund for global health, to combat the coronavirus crisis. For Creative Minds Talks, Lotito will chat with Laolu Senbanjo, a Nigerian Brooklyn-based performance and visual artist, singer, songwriter, musician, human rights lawyer, and activist. He has collaborated with Lupita Nyongo, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beats, and his Sacred Art of the Ori ritual, inspired by his Yoruba culture, was featured on Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning album Lemonade.

 

Paula Crown in conversation with Jeanne Gang

Paula Crown and Jeanne Gang. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Paula Crown, a multimedia artist whose practice incorporates technology, social activism, collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability will have a one-on-one conversation with architect Jeanne Gang. Gang is the founding principal of Studio Gang, an international architecture and design practice in Chicago. Celebrated for her forward-looking approach, Gang’s ongoing projects include an expansion to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, a new United States Embassy in Brasília, and a new global terminal at O’Hare International Airport. 

 

Isabel Martínez in conversation with Pari Ehsan

Isabel Martínez and Pari Ehsan. Courtesy of Creative Minds Talks.

Isabel Martínez is a Paris-based advertising creative director and the face behind Isabelita Virtual. She began her Instagram account @IsabeliltaVirtual in 2011, and has since amassed more than 629,000 followers. Martínez has worked on projects with Dior, Hermès, Kenzo, Sony, Louis Vuitton Foundation, and The Moscow Ballet. She will sit down with Pari Ehsan, the creator of Pari Dust, a digital platform for art and fashion. Ehsan engages in frequent conversations with influential minds in the worlds of art and fashion.