A Serendipitous Zoom Meeting: Leiti Hsu and the Art of Event Making
Photo: AREA15, Veronique Pittman, Michael Beneville
It all kicked off with a Zoom call—a chance meeting that turned out to be one of those unexpected, serendipitous connections. My friend, who’s organizing a roundtable event about beauty and sustainability, roped me in to participate. This was just a preliminary meeting with the organizing team, but it was pretty pivotal. On the call was Leiti Hsu, tasked with making sure the event ends up being something memorable. And let me tell you, Leiti knows her stuff—she creates events that she describes as works of art.
Leiti has a knack for connecting people that really amps up the emotional vibe of any gathering, turning what could be just another event into a genuinely transformative experience. After the official part of the meeting wrapped up, Leiti and I ended up talking for another hour, just swapping ideas and thoughts.
Now, the traditional art world might not see what Leiti does as art, but who are they to draw the lines? If you ask me, art is whatever the creator says it is—if they call themselves and artist, and have created a work with the intention of it being art, then it should be respected as a work of art. Larry Poons had it right when he questioned who gets to decide what’s good or what even counts as art. That shouldn’t be up to just a handful of people.
Photo: AREA15, Veronique Pittman, Michael Beneville
Before I started this newsletter, I co-ran The Commission Project. We oversaw collaborations between artists and retail brands which ended in the creation of a limited edition products—a real game changer in making art accessible and shaking up the traditional scene. Leiti’s work is in that same disruptive spirit. It’s not about breaking rules for the sake of breaking rules, but about making sure the art world is a place where more voices can be heard and more people can engage meaningfully.
So, we should continue to rethink this whole art world system—make it about intention, connection, and inclusivity. With people like Leiti leading the charge, we’re seeing that change is possible, showing that the art world can be inclusive and connected. It’s up to all of us—artists, curators, collectors, art lovers—to push this forward and ensure the art world is a place where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
Photo: Penelope Dario, Petit Mort Magazine