Paul Hill Is The Youngest Gallerist In NYC, But Don’t Call Him A Gallerist

It’s two days before the show opens, and Paul Hill has all the reason to feel the pressure. It’s only the second exhibition at Strada World’s permanent gallery space, and all eyes are on this self-taught 24-year-old curator. But Hill is as calm as ever.

Surrounded by shipping crates, paint cans and a scissor lift, he steps over large-scale works with his 6’ 5” stature as he makes his way to unlock the door to the gallery. “We’re a little busy today!” He laughs as he looks around at the mess and invites us inside. In 48 hours, this space will transform into a show featuring seven artists from around the world for Embodied Spaces: The Body as Architecture (Part II), an exhibition aiming to dissect our conventional notions of form and function.

Hill is unphased by the pre-show scramble, and remains laser-focused on the Strada World mission – “I started Strada as a response to problems I saw in the art world preventing artists from being able to grow their careers and expand their community,” he explains. He is striving to build infrastructure for the art world to amplify the reach and impact of artists, galleries, and art fairs on a global scale. This show, a sequel to Embodied Spaces: The Body as Architecture, is another bold step in that direction.

Hill is unphased by the pre-show scramble, and remains laser-focused on the Strada World mission – “I started Strada as a response to problems I saw in the art world preventing artists from being able to grow their careers and expand their community,” he explains. He is striving to build infrastructure for the art world to amplify the reach and impact of artists, galleries, and art fairs on a global scale. This show, a sequel to Embodied Spaces: The Body as Architecture, is another bold step in that direction.

While Embodied Spaces Part I focused on how the body, clothing and movement interact, this sequel goes further into questioning how we interact with our surroundings. The works that are featured in the show ask us to consider the impact of architecture on identity and the environment. For example, Daniel Shieh’s large scale sculpture “Power Play” invites viewers to interact with the piece, distorting their perception of distance and space between fellow observers.

“One thing I aim to keep consistent with every exhibition is including elements that are not traditionally seen within most gallery spaces.” Hill says. “For this exhibition, we’re including architectural elements that draw viewers in to interact with the art in ways that most people are not anticipating. Viewers can expect to see a culmination of organized chaos designed to have them question their relationship with how their body moves throughout space and architecture."

Strada World has consistently challenged what it means to occupy space in the art world. “We have a gallery, but we’re much more than that,” explains Hill. “We’re motivated to create community-centered and tech-backed solutions to the high barriers of entry in the art world and the lack of support for emerging artists and galleries to grow their careers.”

Hill opened Strada’s first show in 2021 (at the ripe age of 21) as a pop-up in downtown Manhattan, with the mission to build a support system for people from marginalized communities to gain footing in the fine art world. Then in 2022, Strada was a recipient of a $100,000 Visionary Small Business grant from Instagram and The Brooklyn Museum.

“After a year of pop-up exhibitions, I learned first hand the obstacles emerging galleries are facing preventing them from expanding their reach beyond their local setting.” So in September of 2023, Hill and his team signed a lease on a permanent space in the Lower East Side. “Now we’re in the process of developing infrastructure for the art world specifically for increasing the audience and sales for galleries and art fairs. We do so through art sales, exhibitions, art news, and community building.”

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What makes Strada different from other traditional galleries in NYC?

What makes Strada different from other galleries is that we’re not a gallery, we just have one. Strada is an ecosystem, and Strada Gallery is just a branch of that ecosystem that intertwines with Design Lab, our video format art news, and our new online platform for galleries and art fairs launching in December during Miami Art Week.

On a gallery level, I’m proud that we’re one of the most exciting curatorial spaces in NYC with a strong community backing us. When I feel like we’re not exactly where I want to be yet, I find it comforting to hear from people who love Strada how refreshing it is and boundary pushing we are as an entity. I’m sure it’s partly due to me being the youngest gallerist in NYC, but I also have such a talented team dedicated to bringing out the best aspects of the art world that have been hidden for too long.

What's been the most surprising part about opening a permanent gallery space?

How quickly rent is due every month surprises me every time. Beyond that, the two-ish years of pop-up exhibitions have taught me the general operations behind having a gallery that prepared me for where I am now. I’m eternally grateful for the pop-up stage, we wouldn’t be where we are without it.

…what’s the most rewarding?

I always consider time a luxury. A permanent gallery location provides us the freedom to be more calculated and relaxed in comparison to pop-up exhibition spaces. We now have the ability to plan exhibitions months out instead of a couple weeks and having setting up the same day as the opening.

Which artists should we be watching right now?

I’m usually rooting for Strada alumni the most. I’m incredibly proud of Teezo Touchdown who’s receiving the love he’s so deserving of, and I’m grateful we were able to show him last year during Strada’s Culture II. Amanda Ba just had a moving show in her hometown in Ohio I’ve been watching online. Those are two examples, but generally I get most excited by artists who have the talent and technical skills to excel in the traditional and commercial route and choose to make their own unique path instead. It’s what I think people as individuals need and what we need as a society at large.

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Embodied Spaces: The Body as Architecture (Part II) is open at 329 Broome Street through November 18th, 2023.