Founded in 2021 by Riana Raouna, RIANA RAOUNA Gallery is an online-first contemporary art gallery dedicated to presenting and supporting emerging and mid-career artists from around the world. Through a carefully curated selection of contemporary painting and mixed-media practices, the gallery connects artists with collectors seeking distinctive and meaningful works.
1. Can you tell us a little about your professional journey and how you became involved in the contemporary art world as a gallerist, curator, and art consultant?
My professional journey has been somewhat unconventional. Before entering the art world, I spent more than twenty years in senior marketing and communication roles, where I developed a deep understanding of storytelling, audience engagement, and the way ideas and identities are communicated.
Although art had always been a personal passion, I decided to pursue it professionally by completing an MA in Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, graduating with distinction.
Founding RIANA RAOUNA Gallery in 2021 marked a significant turning point. The gallery was created from a desire to support artists whose work I genuinely believe in and to build meaningful connections between artists, artworks, and collectors. Today, my practice brings together curating, artist representation, and art advisory, allowing me to approach contemporary art from multiple perspectives.
2. What originally inspired you to open your online gallery, and what artistic vision did you want to create through it?
The online gallery was born from my belief that access to art has fundamentally changed. A new generation of collectors is discovering, researching, and engaging with art digitally, creating opportunities for artists and collectors to connect beyond geographical boundaries.
From the beginning, my vision was to create an international platform that would not be limited by location but instead, allow exceptional artists to reach a wider audience.
I focus on supporting a select group of emerging and mid-career artists whose work demonstrates a clear artistic voice, strong conceptual foundations, and an evolving and dynamic career trajectory, with work that is already gaining attention and has strong potential for further appreciation. I am drawn to artists who combine technical ability with meaningful research, compelling narratives, and a distinctive approach to contemporary painting.
3. You work simultaneously as a curator, advisor, and gallery founder. How do these different roles influence one another?
Each role strengthens the others. Curating allows me to explore the ideas, contexts, and conversations behind an artist’s work. Advising collectors requires understanding not only the artwork itself, but also the personal connection and meaning it can create over time. As the founder of an online gallery, my role is to identify artists with strong work, present it thoughtfully, and create meaningful connections between artists and international collectors.
This combination allows me to approach artworks from a broader perspective, considering their artistic integrity, emotional impact, cultural relevance, and the way they may resonate with audiences in the long term.
4. You present artists from different cultural and artistic backgrounds. What qualities do you look for when identifying artists with the potential to make a lasting impact?
Artistic skill is important, but it is not enough on its own. What truly draws me to an artist is the presence of an authentic and distinctive visual language and a sense that the work comes from a genuine place of inquiry rather than simply responding to trends.
I look for artists who demonstrate research and depth of thought, consistency, and commitment to their practice. The artists I support are those whose work combines conceptual strength with emotional resonance and whose ideas continue to develop over time.
5. As a curator, how do you create meaningful connections between artists, artworks, and audiences?
For me, curation is about creating a dialogue not only between artworks themselves, but also between the artist’s ideas and the viewer’s own experiences.
A strong presentation should provide context while still allowing space for personal interpretation. The most engaging artworks are often those that do not offer a single answer, but instead invite curiosity, reflection, and conversation.
Whether through physical exhibitions, online viewing rooms, or collector consultations, my aim is always to reveal the depth behind the artwork and create a meaningful encounter between the viewer and the artist’s vision.
6. Many of the artists you work with explore themes such as memory, identity, displacement, nature, and emotional experience. What draws you to these subjects?
I think I am naturally drawn to artists who explore aspects of the human experience. These themes are deeply relevant to our contemporary world, where questions of identity, belonging, memory, and our relationship with nature continue to evolve.
What interests me most is the ability of an artist to transform personal experiences into something universal. The most powerful works are often those that begin with an intimate story or emotion yet create a connection with people from very different backgrounds.
7. How has the relationship between collectors and contemporary art changed, and how do you help collectors build meaningful relationships with artworks?
Today’s collectors are often more informed, globally connected, and deeply interested in understanding the stories, ideas, and contexts behind the artworks they acquire. They are not simply looking for an object to place in a space; they are seeking a meaningful connection with the artist, the creative process, and the work itself.
As an art advisor, I begin by understanding each collector’s personal interests, experiences, values, aesthetic sensibility, and long-term aspirations. My role is not simply to recommend artworks, but to identify works that are genuinely relevant to the collector — works that resonate emotionally and intellectually, reflect their identity and taste, and support their personal collecting objectives.
The most successful acquisitions are those in which the artwork continues to reveal new layers of meaning over time, creating a lasting relationship between the collector and the work that evolves through continued appreciation and engagement.
8. What responsibilities do galleries and curators have today in shaping cultural conversations?
Galleries and curators have an important role in creating spaces where artists can explore complex ideas and where audiences can engage with different perspectives.
This responsibility goes beyond promoting artworks; it involves providing context, encouraging dialogue, and supporting artistic freedom. Some of the most significant works in contemporary art are not necessarily the easiest or most immediately commercial, but they contribute to broader cultural conversations.
A gallery should have the curiosity and courage to support artists whose voices bring new perspectives and challenge the way we understand the world around us.
9. Have conversations with collectors or audiences ever changed the way you personally understood an artwork or exhibition?
Absolutely. One of the most rewarding aspects of working with art is recognising that an artwork continues to evolve through the experiences of others.
There have been moments when collectors or viewers have identified emotions, connections, or interpretations that I had not consciously considered. These conversations do not change the original intention of the artist, but they expand our understanding of the work.
For me, this is one of the most beautiful aspects of contemporary art: a powerful artwork does not end when it leaves the studio. It continues to live through the people who encounter it.
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