Capricious Presents is an ambitious project founded by Sophie Mörner seven years ago. Originally a gallery space dedicated to showing fine art photography to complement the publication of the biannual Capricious Magazine, it has since evolved into an ongoing nomadic curatorial project that has seen the work of renowned photographers along the lines of Ryan McGinley, Olaf Breuning, and Skye Parrot exhibited across the city. Capricious Presents is emblematic of a new approach to showcasing art, the lack of physical roots lets the project evolve organically and adapt to new environment and parameters as it roves New York.
How did you find your way into New York’s art world?
I don’t know if you find your way into the art world, you kind of just do your art, and follow your art mission, and you are part of the art world. I have always had many artist friends, you kind of become a community, creating your own world within the art world.
How would you describe your ethos?
Stay true to your integrity and intuition. We always have our missions, but it is hard to stay true to it, to follow it. Things always come at you, like other ideas, comments, commercialism. Every choice you make you have to question yourself, to be the most true to every situation.
New York has always been the premiere destination for art and culture, how do you stand out in a city full of galleries?
I think here again, you have to stay close to your own vision, and work with artists that inspire you.
Do you think New York City has a distinct artistic identity?
It’s fast.
How do you guys try and deviate from the traditional gallery model?
Capricious Space is an artist run gallery space. (But as you know we just closed the gallery so I can bring Capricious into the world more again, and not be so tied to Brooklyn). We do our best to have small costs, and we do our best to take the least from the artist.
How has the Internet changed the way you do business?
Not really, well, things are more accessible, but it’s not like you change your ways, it’s more part of the growth, and life. It’s not a statement really.
How has the city changed in the past decade?
Wow, that’s a big question. New York has always been the place to dream big.
Maybe it is more and more about consuming, even in the art world. Rents are so high, that you have to “sell yourself” to become something. Or you have to have lots of different jobs, so it takes away from the time as an artist, but then the art that comes out of that climate becomes a style almost.
Follow Sophie and her Capricious crew at becapricious.com