Amalgama: Expanding the Field for Latin American Women Artists

This interview is part of the series "In the Making: Conversations on Latin American Art in the UK".

Research, Interviews and Writing by Raquel Gonzalez Eizmendiz

Curatorial & Editorial Direction by Gabriela Román González & Mónica Núñez

Jane Soliman (L) and Daniela Galan (R) at the opening of the Hilo exhibition at Cromwell Place, March 2025

Artwork by London-based Peruvian artist, Lizi Sanchez

Founded by Daniela Galán and Jane Soliman, Amalgama is a non-profit cultural programme and digital platform dedicated to elevating the work of Latin American women artists. Through an interdisciplinary approach that brings together exhibitions, mentorship, education, and publishing, Amalgama aims to expand knowledge on art from Latin America, helping audiences to further appreciate and value artistic production by visual artists from the region. Through its online platform and educational initiative, Amalgama Academy, the organisation works to bridge institutional gaps, challenge gender biases, and foster visibility and understanding in both public and professional spheres. Based in the UK but working transnationally, Amalgama is shaping a space where Latin American women artists can be seen, studied, and supported on their own terms.

What is Amalgama’s role in the UK art field in relation to Latin American art?

Amalgama plays a vital role as both a cultural programme and a bilingual digital platform, with a clear mission to exhibit, promote, and publish the work of Latin American women artists. We aim to expand knowledge of the region’s art history and contemporary practices by creating pathways for audiences, collectors, curators, researchers, and the wider public to engage with the richness and diversity of Latin American artistic production. Alongside curated exhibitions and open calls, we produce digital content such as podcasts and video blogs, and offer structured learning through Amalgama Academy, which delivers online courses and masterclasses in English and Spanish. This dual-language model helps us reach a broader, more inclusive audience and break through traditional institutional barriers that often limit access to information and opportunity.

How do you support visual artists through your platform?

Recording the Podcast: Women Artists from Latin America, at Arco Madrid Art Fair, March 2025

Daniela Galan (R) interviews London-based Argentinian artist, Amalia Pica

Our support is designed to be comprehensive and impactful, offering artists multiple avenues for visibility, growth, and professional development. We have curated exhibitions in London, Bogotá, and online, often through open calls reviewed by a panel of respected curators, patrons, and cultural professionals. These exhibitions are typically accompanied by public programmes: talks, workshops, and collector-focused events that deepen engagement with the work and provide space for dialogue.

We also offer mentorship through Amalgama Academy, where artists, both emerging and established, can access tailored guidance, one-on-one portfolio reviews, and support in navigating institutional or market pathways. Beyond programming and education, we actively promote artists’ work through online collections and curated sales initiatives, connecting them with collectors and placing works in public and private collections. We have also directly supported artists in practical ways, for example, by advising on visa applications or connecting them with graduate programmes and institutional opportunities in the UK.

What criteria do you use to select artists for your programmes and exhibitions?

We work with visual artists whose practices align with our mission and values, and who are open to meaningful dialogue and collaboration. For our exhibitions, we focus on women-identifying artists with a personal connection to Latin America, whether through heritage, lived experience, or the development of their education and practice. Our interest spans a range of career stages; we work with established figures and emerging voices, aiming to create a multi-generational platform that reflects the full breadth of artistic production from the region.

In assessing artists, we look closely at the trajectory and depth of their practice, the rigour of their research, the development of their portfolio, and their engagement with conceptual and material concerns. For open calls, we ensure transparency and diversity by working with an external panel of jurors, including art historians, curators, collectors, and journalists, all of whom bring different perspectives to the selection process.

How does Amalgama collaborate with institutions in the UK to amplify the work of Latin American visual artists?

Collaboration is at the core of Amalgama’s ethos. We firmly believe in the power of community and partnership. We work hand-in-hand with institutions, museums, curators, embassies, as well as cultural and media partners to expand our mission and create a wider platform for Latin American visual artists to gain recognition and access new audiences in the UK, Europe, and beyond.

At the launch of Amalgama's first publication, Women, Identity & Diaspora, in association with Instituto Cervantes in London, within the framework of Amalgama's first exhibition in 2019.

Our partnerships also extend to advocacy and professional development: for instance, we support Latin American visual artists in their successful applications for Global Talent Visas; help them navigate the application process for the UK arts universities and colleges, and facilitate the placement of works in public and private collections.

Over the past few years, we have partnered with organisations such as The Koppel Project and Cromwell Place, where we curated exhibitions in central London showcasing works by Latin American women artists. We have also developed the Amalgama Forum in partnership with Instituto Cervantes, a series of public conversations and studio visits exploring the intersections of literature and visual art from Latin America.

Internationally, we have worked with Barcú Art Fair in Colombia to curate their women artists section and have collaborated with institutions like Los Andes University to introduce new audiences to the work of Latin American visual artists through exhibitions and talks.

Through each of these initiatives, we are expanding visibility and actively contributing to how Latin American art is positioned, valued, and exhibited in the UK art field.

Daniela Galan is the founder and director of Amalgama. She is a registered lecturer at the Arts Society in the United Kingdom and has over 17 years of research experience in art history and philosophy. Daniela has lectured at prestigious institutions such as the Barbican Museum, Instituto Cervantes, and Sotheby's. Her research focuses on underrepresented Latin American artists, especially female artists.

Jane Soliman is the Operations & Partnerships Director and Founding Adviser of Amalgama. As an art and travel adviser, with extensive experience in diplomacy, business and philanthropy, she is passionate about fostering ties, opening spaces and strategic opportunities for Latin American and global art in the UK and Europe.