33: Dr Mimi Nguyen—Disruptive Innovation in Contemporary Art with Peter Bauman

Episode page and full transcript: lerandom.art/episodes/dr-mimi-nguyen-disruptiv…

In this episode, host Peter Bauman (Monk Antony, Le Random's editor in chief) speaks with one of the most impactful forces in contemporary art, gallerist and curator Dr. Mimi Nguyen (lerandom.art/subjects/mimi-nguyen).

They discuss Nguyen's path from statistics and design engineering into art and NFTs, opening galleries in London and New York, and a whirlwind year across Paris Photo, Art Basel (lerandom.art/subjects/art-basel) Miami Beach’s new Zero 10 (lerandom.art/subjects/zero-10) digital section, and the global fair circuit.

They also cover the gap between crypto prices and on-the-ground energy, liquidity and taste, museums as signals, the technical realities of showing digital art, and what sustainable, future-ready gallery models might look like.

Monday's Editorial with Karl Sims (lerandom.art/subjects/karl-sims) & Alexander Mordvintsev (lerandom.art/subjects/alexander-mordvintsev): lerandom.art/editorial/karl-sims-alexander-mor…

Also in this episode: Lu Yang (lerandom.art/subjects/lu-yang), Simon Denny (lerandom.art/subjects/simon-denny), Andreas Gysin (lerandom.art/subjects/andreas-gysin), Anna Ridler (lerandom.art/subjects/anna-ridler), Jeff Davis (lerandom.art/subjects/jeff-davis), Lauren Lee McCarthy (lerandom.art/subjects/lauren-lee-mccarthy), Leander Herzog (lerandom.art/subjects/leander-herzog), Mario Klingemann (lerandom.art/subjects/mario-klingemann), Matt DesLauriers (lerandom.art/subjects/matt-deslauriers), Sofia Crespo (lerandom.art/subjects/sofia-crespo)

Listen next: Ep. 38, 2025 Art in Review with thefunnyguys, Conrad House & Peter Bauman (lerandom.art/episodes/2025-art-in-review-with-…), Ep. 25, Recapping Digital Art in 2Q 2025 (lerandom.art/episodes/recapping-digital-art-in…)

Chapters 📖:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 How did Mimi pivot into art?
06:09 Sentiment or reality in digital art?
10:33 Is the ecosystem sustainable?
14:01 What do institutions signal?
15:09 How big was Mimi's year?
16:48 What did a busy year teach her?
21:50 What is a gallery for now?
22:58 How do you show digital art well?
27:28 How will galleries adjust to new tech?
30:28 How does she choose artists?
32:53 Why does energy persist in a downturn?
33:55 Do gallery models need rethinking?
37:12 Closing Thoughts