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Woman of the Year Winner: Marine Tanguy, Founder of MTArt Agency
Meet Marine Tanguy, a woman who certainly marches to the beat of her own drum. The 32-year old, who was born on the French island of Île de Ré, is transforming the art world one step at a time.
At just 21, Marine managed an art gallery under Steve Lazarides, the man who discovered Banksy and JR, before opening her first art gallery in Los Angeles at the age of 23. However, Marine didn’t always like what she saw, finding the art world exclusive and restrictive.
Frustrated by the difficulties of building meaningful relationships with artists, Marine had her lightbulb moment: She would build her own agency for artists that would allow her to grow, pay, and support artists better.
And so, in 2015, MTArt Agency – the first artist agency promoting influential visual artists and specialising in talent management – was born with a mission to put art not just in galleries and homes, but in public spheres.
Artists on MTArt Agency’s books include landscape artist Saype, who famously produced a 600m biodegradable art piece at the base of the Eiffel Tower to highlight the plight of refugees.
Meanwhile, Marine’s agency has also worked with the Mayors of both Paris and London to bring more art to the two cities.
These days Marine juggles her work as CEO of MTArt Agency with being a wife and a mother, an act she makes look effortless thanks to her own personal mantra: “We have this thing that, even if we have multiple excuses to miss lunch together, we make a point of having lunch. [...] Sense of humour matters, little treats matters, doing all these things matter and even if things feel stressful, it's in your power to diffuse that.”