Michael Thibault

My lessons are conversational and built around the individual rather than any fixed curriculum. I tend to treat each session as something that develops over time, shaped by your interests, level of familiarity, and what you want to get out of it. We usually move between close looking at specific works and opening that out into broader ideas in contemporary art, so that things feel both grounded and expansive.

A typical session might start with an artwork, an exhibition, or an artist, and then unfold into a wider discussion around context, references, and intention. From there we might move into how that work sits within a larger history or how it relates to current conversations in the field. I try to keep things clear and direct, without reducing the complexity that makes contemporary art interesting in the first place.

Depending on what you are looking for, lessons can focus on building a foundational understanding of key artists and movements, developing your own practice, or becoming more confident in how you look at and talk about art. For some people that means learning how to navigate galleries and exhibitions with more ease, for others it means working through ideas and references that feed directly into their own work.

I often draw on exhibitions I have curated and artists I have worked with, which helps keep everything connected to real situations rather than abstract theory. This can include discussing how shows come together, how artists develop projects, and how work is positioned publicly.

I have over a decade of experience as a curator, advisor, and gallery director, working across the US and UK with a range of institutions, artists, and collectors. What I try to offer is a way into contemporary art that feels accessible but still rigorous, and tailored enough that it actually sticks.