Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
Welcome to 15 Questions With…, a new interview series in which art writer Gary Grimes picks the brains of artists, curators and other creatives to understand what makes them tick through a series of quick-fire questions. This series aims to showcase the varying approaches creatives take to making art and how their relationships to the so-called art world differ, but also reveal what unites those responsible for the art we love.
Gigi Surel was born in 1994 in Istanbul. Now London-based, she works as a curator and the founder of Teaspoon Projects. She holds an LLM from Northwestern University in Intellectual Property Law and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Her experience spans international galleries, where she specialised in artist relations and art fairs. A dedicated collector and patron, Gigi Surel actively supports emerging artists and interdisciplinary practices.
Teaspoon Projects is a curatorial initiative dedicated to exploring the intricate layers of contemporary storytelling. Through ephemeral pop-ups and multifaceted programming, Teaspoon Projects delves into the interplay between art and life, amplifying the subtle threads and undercurrents that shape our shared and individual experiences.
In September 2025, Surel curated a group exhibition under the Teaspoon Projects initiative, entitled ‘Look at the Lights, My Love’, at Filet in London. The show, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, featured the work of artists including Aarony Bailey, Malcolm Bradley, Katrina Cowling, Anna Curzon Price and Kelly Wu, among others.
1. What is your earliest memory of a work of art?
My parents didn’t have art at home, but we had playing cards that worked almost like memory cards. I vividly remember one with a Mondrian on it. The first ‘real’ work I encountered was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at the Reina Sofia in Madrid when I was 15. It made me realise how much there is in the world, and that I needed to do whatever I could to see as much of it as possible.
2. Where do you turn to when you’re in need of inspiration?
Books, always. They’re what made me want to be a curator in the first place. Right now, I’m working on a show about contemporary love with my friend Naz Balkaya, who runs the curatorial project Display Fever. We’re reading a lot for it, from bell hooks to Byung-Chul Han.
3. What do you like to do when you need to take a break from your practice?
I watch series inspired by real-life events and get obsessed with their lore. At the moment, I’m deep into the Amanda Knox story.
4. Who is your favourite artist?
Ana Mendieta.
5. What’s the biggest crime an artist can commit?
Leading you on about a show, then disappearing – that ‘situationship’ vibe.
6. Which gallery or museum should everyone try to visit at least once in their life?
Personally, Gropius Bau. But objectively, The Met.
7. What is the worst thing about the art world?
That it’s a bubble.
8. Whose opinions on art do you actually care about?
Artists’.
9. What trend in art makes you roll your eyes?
Group shows that have absolutely no research behind them.
10. Who are the last three musical artists you listened to?
Tarkan, Dua Lipa, and Massive Attack - a weird mix, I know.
11. What’s your favourite colour and why?
Purple – because, to me, it sits right between pink and black.
12. What three items would you grab if your house was burning down?
My cat, Mú; a Polaroid of my parents that I love; and my passport.
13. What can you tell us about your show, Look at the Lights, My Love at Filet?
It’s about memory, inspired by the writing of Annie Ernaux. It explores the ways we capture the passage of time, with a focus on the body and materiality, and hints of consumerism, family, sex, and the digital age. As with most Teaspoon Project shows, the programming extends beyond the hang itself. For instance, there’s a scent-based dating event by The Scent of Connection, a writing workshop with Kollektiv Collective (who also contributed a text for the show), and a reading night curated by Ella Fleck.
14. Which piece in the show is your personal favourite and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” – they’re all my babies. But Aarony Bailey’s film ‘Everything I Thought I Knew About Sex’ was the first work confirmed for the show. That always feels like an anchor point and makes the show suddenly feel real. The work itself is also so relatable.
15. What impression do you hope people get after seeing your show?
I hope it makes them want to read Annie Ernaux, and maybe start keeping diaries if they don’t already. More than that, I want them to feel encouraged to take chances in life – especially in love – and make a new memory.
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