Christina
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Serial entrepreneur, Blockchain.art’s co-founder
and CEO, with more than 15 years’ experience
building art marketplaces
and CEO, with more than 15 years’ experience
building art marketplaces
Christina
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Serial entrepreneur,
Blockchain.art’s co-founder
and CEO, with more than
15 years’ experience
building art marketplaces
Blockchain.art’s co-founder
and CEO, with more than
15 years’ experience
building art marketplaces
Christina
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Serial entrepreneur, Blockchain.art’s co-founder
and CEO, with more than
15 years’ experience building
art marketplaces
and CEO, with more than
15 years’ experience building
art marketplaces
Christina
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Serial entrepreneur, Blockchain.art’s
co-founderand CEO, with more
than 15 years’ experience building
art marketplaces
co-founderand CEO, with more
than 15 years’ experience building
art marketplaces
Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt
Serial entrepreneur, Blockchain.art’s
co-founder and CEO, with more
than 15 years’ experience building
art marketplaces
co-founder and CEO, with more
than 15 years’ experience building
art marketplaces
About
About
Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, Blockchain.art’s co-founder and CEO, is an entrepreneur with more than 15 years’ experience building art marketplaces. Prior to Blockchain.Art (BCA), Christina co-founded the art fair ViennaContemporary in 2015, raising over $12 million and quickly securing the fair’s position on the global art circuit as a top 10 leading contemporary art event. Prior to ViennaContemporary, Steinbrecher-Pfandt was the artistic director of Art Moscow, and curated projects with institutions including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Palais de Tokyoin Paris, and the Moscow Biennial. Christina was named one of Apollo Magazine’s “40 Under 40 Europe 2018”; she currently sits on the boards of Armenia Art Foundation, Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, Artbat Fest, and is an advisor to Ars Electronica.
Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, Blockchain.art’s co-founder and CEO, is an entrepreneur with more than 15 years’ experience building art marketplaces. Prior to Blockchain.Art (BCA), Christina co-founded the art fair ViennaContemporary in 2015, raising over $12 million and quickly securing the fair’s position on the global art circuit as a top 10 leading contemporary art event. Prior to ViennaContemporary, Steinbrecher-Pfandt was the artistic director of Art Moscow, and curated projects with institutions including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Palais de Tokyoin Paris, and the Moscow Biennial. Christina was named one of Apollo Magazine’s “40 Under 40 Europe 2018”; she currently sits on the boards of Armenia Art Foundation, Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, Artbat Fest, and is an advisor to Ars Electronica.
Press
Press
Writing
Writing
Bio
Bio
Education
Education
09/2006–10/2007
Master of Science in Contemporary Art
Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Diploma by University of Manchester, UnitedKingdom
Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Diploma by University of Manchester, UnitedKingdom
09/2003–07/2006
Bachelor of Science in International Business (2:1)
Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Exchange semester at Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Exchange semester at Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
06/2003
German High School Diploma (Abitur)
Kaiserin Augusta Schule, Cologne, Germany
Kaiserin Augusta Schule, Cologne, Germany
Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, Blockchain.art’s co-founder and CEO, is an entrepreneur with more than 15 years’ experience building art marketplaces. Prior to Blockchain.Art (BCA), Christina co-founded the art fair ViennaContemporary in 2015, raising over $12 million and quickly securing the fair’s position on the global art circuit as a top 10 leading contemporary art event. Prior to ViennaContemporary, Steinbrecher-Pfandt was the artistic director of Art Moscow, and curated projects with institutions including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, and the Moscow Biennial. Christina was named one of Apollo Magazine’s “40 Under 40 Europe 2018”; she currently sits on the boards of Armenia Art Foundation, Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, Artbat Fest, and is an advisor to Ars Electronica.
Christina’s beginnings are humble. Originally from Taldykughan, Kazakhstan, Christina and her family emigrated in 1990 to Germany. They were part of an exodus of close to 2.4M ethnic Germans leaving the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1997 for Germany after the Kremlin accepted the German reunification. With Christina’s parents’ Soviet education not recognized in Germany, they were forced to turn to cleaning work and security labor to support their new life. From the age of 8, Christina worked with her mother cleaning homes and delivering newspapers; by 13, she was waitressing 30 hours a week in addition to her schooling.
Christina found refuge in art. From an early age, Christina learned to love art from afar, through images of international exhibitions in places she could only dream of visiting. The solace and education that Christina felt by consuming reproduced images of artworks left a lasting impression on Christina, one that would cause her to reject elitist theories about a supposedly irreplaceable “aura” that only brought magic to original works of art found in museums.
Christina saved and ultimately paid her way through graduate school studying contemporary art. And despite her privilege in being able to walk to the institutions that she formerly only admired in her uncle’s brochures, Christina has never lost her commitment to the idea that art can be democratized and appreciated, no matter where you are located.
Remembering, though, her experience as a girl in Kazakhstan, Christina returns to her belief that art can be democratized and appreciated even when art lovers are not privileged enough to physically visit the world’s leading museums or fairs. With BCA, Christina has realized her commitment to extend art’s reach.
Christina’s beginnings are humble. Originally from Taldykughan, Kazakhstan, Christina and her family emigrated in 1990 to Germany. They were part of an exodus of close to 2.4M ethnic Germans leaving the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1997 for Germany after the Kremlin accepted the German reunification. With Christina’s parents’ Soviet education not recognized in Germany, they were forced to turn to cleaning work and security labor to support their new life. From the age of 8, Christina worked with her mother cleaning homes and delivering newspapers; by 13, she was waitressing 30 hours a week in addition to her schooling.
Christina found refuge in art. From an early age, Christina learned to love art from afar, through images of international exhibitions in places she could only dream of visiting. The solace and education that Christina felt by consuming reproduced images of artworks left a lasting impression on Christina, one that would cause her to reject elitist theories about a supposedly irreplaceable “aura” that only brought magic to original works of art found in museums.
Christina saved and ultimately paid her way through graduate school studying contemporary art. And despite her privilege in being able to walk to the institutions that she formerly only admired in her uncle’s brochures, Christina has never lost her commitment to the idea that art can be democratized and appreciated, no matter where you are located.
Remembering, though, her experience as a girl in Kazakhstan, Christina returns to her belief that art can be democratized and appreciated even when art lovers are not privileged enough to physically visit the world’s leading museums or fairs. With BCA, Christina has realized her commitment to extend art’s reach.
Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, Blockchain.art’s co-founder and CEO, is an entrepreneur with more than 15 years’ experience building art marketplaces. Prior to Blockchain.Art (BCA), Christina co-founded the art fair ViennaContemporary in 2015, raising over $12 million and quickly securing the fair’s position on the global art circuit as a top 10 leading contemporary art event. Prior to ViennaContemporary, Steinbrecher-Pfandt was the artistic director of Art Moscow, and curated projects with institutions including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, and the Moscow Biennial. Christina was named one of Apollo Magazine’s “40 Under 40 Europe 2018”; she currently sits on the boards of Armenia Art Foundation, Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, Artbat Fest, and is an advisor to Ars Electronica.
Christina’s beginnings are humble. Originally from Taldykughan, Kazakhstan, Christina and her family emigrated in 1990 to Germany. They were part of an exodus of close to 2.4M ethnic Germans leaving the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1997 for Germany after the Kremlin accepted the German reunification. With Christina’s parents’ Soviet education not recognized in Germany, they were forced to turn to cleaning work and security labor to support their new life. From the age of 8, Christina worked with her mother cleaning homes and delivering newspapers; by 13, she was waitressing 30 hours a week in addition to her schooling.
Christina found refuge in art. From an early age, Christina learned to love art from afar, through images of international exhibitions in places she could only dream of visiting. The solace and education that Christina felt by consuming reproduced images of artworks left a lasting impression on Christina, one that would cause her to reject elitist theories about a supposedly irreplaceable “aura” that only brought magic to original works of art found in museums.
Christina saved and ultimately paid her way through graduate school studying contemporary art. And despite her privilege in being able to walk to the institutions that she formerly only admired in her uncle’s brochures, Christina has never lost her commitment to the idea that art can be democratized and appreciated, no matter where you are located.
Remembering, though, her experience as a girl in Kazakhstan, Christina returns to her belief that art can be democratized and appreciated even when art lovers are not privileged enough to physically visit the world’s leading museums or fairs. With BCA, Christina has realized her commitment to extend art’s reach.
Christina’s beginnings are humble. Originally from Taldykughan, Kazakhstan, Christina and her family emigrated in 1990 to Germany. They were part of an exodus of close to 2.4M ethnic Germans leaving the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1997 for Germany after the Kremlin accepted the German reunification. With Christina’s parents’ Soviet education not recognized in Germany, they were forced to turn to cleaning work and security labor to support their new life. From the age of 8, Christina worked with her mother cleaning homes and delivering newspapers; by 13, she was waitressing 30 hours a week in addition to her schooling.
Christina found refuge in art. From an early age, Christina learned to love art from afar, through images of international exhibitions in places she could only dream of visiting. The solace and education that Christina felt by consuming reproduced images of artworks left a lasting impression on Christina, one that would cause her to reject elitist theories about a supposedly irreplaceable “aura” that only brought magic to original works of art found in museums.
Christina saved and ultimately paid her way through graduate school studying contemporary art. And despite her privilege in being able to walk to the institutions that she formerly only admired in her uncle’s brochures, Christina has never lost her commitment to the idea that art can be democratized and appreciated, no matter where you are located.
Remembering, though, her experience as a girl in Kazakhstan, Christina returns to her belief that art can be democratized and appreciated even when art lovers are not privileged enough to physically visit the world’s leading museums or fairs. With BCA, Christina has realized her commitment to extend art’s reach.
Interests
Interests
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Hiking
- Designs own clothing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Hiking
- Designs own clothing
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Career
Career
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
05/2012–11/2018
Managing and Artistic Director
viennacontemporary, AKA viennafair, Vienna, Austria
Managing and Artistic Director
viennacontemporary, AKA viennafair, Vienna, Austria
- Successful positioning and management of new international brand
- Unique positioning in the international and local market
- Successful sponsorship and partner acquisition
05/2012–11/2018
Managing and Artistic Director
viennacontemporary, AKA viennafair, Vienna, Austria
Managing and Artistic Director
viennacontemporary, AKA viennafair, Vienna, Austria
- Successful positioning and management of new international brand
- Unique positioning in the international and local market
- Successful sponsorship and partner acquisition
Curation
Curation
2/2020 — 3/2021
Curator Hermitage Youth Library
Selection and curation of 3000 titles for the contemporary youth library of the Hermitage, in the areas of contemporary art, architecture, fashion and design.
2019/2020
Ars Electronica. Curator of the exhibitor section gallery spaces and moderator of the conversation series discussing the artistic production of digital art and its relevance to museums and collectors with regard to exhibition making, collecting and archiving.
Curator Hermitage Youth Library
Selection and curation of 3000 titles for the contemporary youth library of the Hermitage, in the areas of contemporary art, architecture, fashion and design.
2019/2020
Ars Electronica. Curator of the exhibitor section gallery spaces and moderator of the conversation series discussing the artistic production of digital art and its relevance to museums and collectors with regard to exhibition making, collecting and archiving.
2/2020 — 3/2021
Curator Hermitage Youth Library
Selection and curation of 3000 titles for the contemporary youth library of the Hermitage, in the areas of contemporary art, architecture, fashion and design.
Curator Hermitage Youth Library
Selection and curation of 3000 titles for the contemporary youth library of the Hermitage, in the areas of contemporary art, architecture, fashion and design.
2019/2020
Ars Electronica. Curator of the exhibitor section gallery spaces and moderator of the conversation series discussing the artistic production of digital art and its relevance to museums and collectors with regard to exhibition making, collecting and archiving.
Ars Electronica. Curator of the exhibitor section gallery spaces and moderator of the conversation series discussing the artistic production of digital art and its relevance to museums and collectors with regard to exhibition making, collecting and archiving.
08/2017- 11/2018
Curator — Talks Concept: Arts Meets Tech
Driving Radical Change: How Fast Start-Ups are Transforming the Art Industry?
Open Austria, San Francisco, USA
The panel aims to underscore the viability of and need for innovation in the cultural sector, art fairs, museums, opera, theater, performance and music. While startups and innovators have been rapidly changing all aspects of our life, the world of arts and culture with its long-standing traditions and stable, publicly funded institutional set-up were sometimes perceived as immune to transformation. This is no longer the case.
Startups fuelled by the latest digital technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, augmented and virtual reality are radically improving the way museums, opera houses, art galleries, and other cultural and artistic institutions operate and cater to their audiences. This will help artists and cultural organizations stay relevant for future generations.
Participants:
Moderated by: Nellie Bowles, The New York Times
Erik Bovee, the U.S.-based partner of Speedinvest
Brendan Ciecko, Founder and CEO of Cuseum
Michael D’Angelo, Co-Founder & CTO of Arthena
David Hirsch, Advisor to Leonardo Investments
Christopher Widauer, Head of Digital Development at the Vienna State Opera
Devang Thakkar, Head of Auctions at Artsy
Curator — Talks Concept: Arts Meets Tech
Driving Radical Change: How Fast Start-Ups are Transforming the Art Industry?
Open Austria, San Francisco, USA
The panel aims to underscore the viability of and need for innovation in the cultural sector, art fairs, museums, opera, theater, performance and music. While startups and innovators have been rapidly changing all aspects of our life, the world of arts and culture with its long-standing traditions and stable, publicly funded institutional set-up were sometimes perceived as immune to transformation. This is no longer the case.
Startups fuelled by the latest digital technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, augmented and virtual reality are radically improving the way museums, opera houses, art galleries, and other cultural and artistic institutions operate and cater to their audiences. This will help artists and cultural organizations stay relevant for future generations.
Participants:
Moderated by: Nellie Bowles, The New York Times
Erik Bovee, the U.S.-based partner of Speedinvest
Brendan Ciecko, Founder and CEO of Cuseum
Michael D’Angelo, Co-Founder & CTO of Arthena
David Hirsch, Advisor to Leonardo Investments
Christopher Widauer, Head of Digital Development at the Vienna State Opera
Devang Thakkar, Head of Auctions at Artsy
08/2017- 11/2018
Curator — Talks Concept: Arts Meets Tech
Driving Radical Change: How Fast Start-Ups are Transforming the Art Industry?
Open Austria, San Francisco, USA
The panel aims to underscore the viability of and need for innovation in the cultural sector, art fairs, museums, opera, theater, performance and music. While startups and innovators have been rapidly changing all aspects of our life, the world of arts and culture with its long-standing traditions and stable, publicly funded institutional set-up were sometimes perceived as immune to transformation. This is no longer the case.
Startups fuelled by the latest digital technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, augmented and
Curator — Talks Concept: Arts Meets Tech
Driving Radical Change: How Fast Start-Ups are Transforming the Art Industry?
Open Austria, San Francisco, USA
The panel aims to underscore the viability of and need for innovation in the cultural sector, art fairs, museums, opera, theater, performance and music. While startups and innovators have been rapidly changing all aspects of our life, the world of arts and culture with its long-standing traditions and stable, publicly funded institutional set-up were sometimes perceived as immune to transformation. This is no longer the case.
Startups fuelled by the latest digital technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, augmented and
virtual reality are radically improving the way museums, opera houses, art galleries, and other cultural and artistic institutions operate and cater to their audiences. This will help artists and cultural organizations stay relevant for future generations.
Participants:
Moderated by: Nellie Bowles, The New York Times
Erik Bovee, the U.S.-based partner of Speedinvest
Brendan Ciecko, Founder and CEO of Cuseum
Michael D’Angelo, Co-Founder & CTO of Arthena
David Hirsch, Advisor to Leonardo Investments
Christopher Widauer, Head of Digital Development at the Vienna State Opera
Devang Thakkar, Head of Auctions at Artsy
Participants:
Moderated by: Nellie Bowles, The New York Times
Erik Bovee, the U.S.-based partner of Speedinvest
Brendan Ciecko, Founder and CEO of Cuseum
Michael D’Angelo, Co-Founder & CTO of Arthena
David Hirsch, Advisor to Leonardo Investments
Christopher Widauer, Head of Digital Development at the Vienna State Opera
Devang Thakkar, Head of Auctions at Artsy
09/2014–10/2014
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
SmartCity, 5th Artbat Fest, Almaty, Kazakhstan
11/2012–12/2012
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
V_Museum Platform, Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany
06/2012–06/2012
Guest Curator — Exhibition concept
Katya Bochavar, Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, Netherlands
05/2009–10/2009
Co-Curator — Exhibition concept and execution
Unconditional Love Exhibition, Venice, Italy
Collateral Program 53rd Venice Biennale
02/2008–11/2008
Assistant-curator
Sound in Z, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
Part of the exhibition Jeremy Deller: From One Revolution to Another
Research with the Theremin Centre
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
SmartCity, 5th Artbat Fest, Almaty, Kazakhstan
11/2012–12/2012
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
V_Museum Platform, Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany
06/2012–06/2012
Guest Curator — Exhibition concept
Katya Bochavar, Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, Netherlands
05/2009–10/2009
Co-Curator — Exhibition concept and execution
Unconditional Love Exhibition, Venice, Italy
Collateral Program 53rd Venice Biennale
02/2008–11/2008
Assistant-curator
Sound in Z, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
Part of the exhibition Jeremy Deller: From One Revolution to Another
Research with the Theremin Centre
09/2014–10/2014
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
SmartCity, 5th Artbat Fest, Almaty, Kazakhstan
11/2012–12/2012
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
V_Museum Platform, Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany
06/2012–06/2012
Guest Curator — Exhibition concept
Katya Bochavar, Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, Netherlands
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
SmartCity, 5th Artbat Fest, Almaty, Kazakhstan
11/2012–12/2012
Curator — Exhibition concept and implementation
V_Museum Platform, Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany
06/2012–06/2012
Guest Curator — Exhibition concept
Katya Bochavar, Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, Netherlands
05/2009–10/2009
Co-Curator — Exhibition concept and execution
Unconditional Love Exhibition, Venice, Italy
Collateral Program 53rd Venice Biennale
02/2008–11/2008
Assistant-curator
Sound in Z, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
Part of the exhibition Jeremy Deller: From One Revolution to Another
Research with the Theremin Centre
Co-Curator — Exhibition concept and execution
Unconditional Love Exhibition, Venice, Italy
Collateral Program 53rd Venice Biennale
02/2008–11/2008
Assistant-curator
Sound in Z, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France
Part of the exhibition Jeremy Deller: From One Revolution to Another
Research with the Theremin Centre
Production
Production
01/2020
Producer Gelatin Performance
Gelatin Interactive Genigital Society Performance, Gray Area, San Francisco
02/2010–05/2012
Artistic Director
Development of fair concept and execution
Art Moscow Art Fair, Moscow, Russia
12/2009–01/2011
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Art+Art Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Gallery strategy & Sales
06/2008–12/2009
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Volker Diehl Gallery, Berlin & Moscow, Russia
Producer Gelatin Performance
Gelatin Interactive Genigital Society Performance, Gray Area, San Francisco
02/2010–05/2012
Artistic Director
Development of fair concept and execution
Art Moscow Art Fair, Moscow, Russia
12/2009–01/2011
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Art+Art Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Gallery strategy & Sales
06/2008–12/2009
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Volker Diehl Gallery, Berlin & Moscow, Russia
01/2020
Producer Gelatin Performance
Gelatin Interactive Genigital Society Performance, Gray Area, San Francisco
02/2010–05/2012
Artistic Director
Development of fair concept and execution
Art Moscow Art Fair, Moscow, Russia
Producer Gelatin Performance
Gelatin Interactive Genigital Society Performance, Gray Area, San Francisco
02/2010–05/2012
Artistic Director
Development of fair concept and execution
Art Moscow Art Fair, Moscow, Russia
12/2009–01/2011
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Art+Art Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Gallery strategy & Sales
06/2008–12/2009
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Volker Diehl Gallery, Berlin & Moscow, Russia
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Art+Art Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Gallery strategy & Sales
06/2008–12/2009
Director
Exhibition plan and execution
Volker Diehl Gallery, Berlin & Moscow, Russia
Board membership
Board membership
2016 — ongoing Armenia Art Foundation
2014 — ongoing Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art
2014 — ongoing Artbat Fest
2019 — ongoing Advisor to Ars Electonica
2014 — ongoing Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art
2014 — ongoing Artbat Fest
2019 — ongoing Advisor to Ars Electonica
2016 — ongoing Armenia Art Foundation
2014 — ongoing Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art
2014 — ongoing Artbat Fest
2019 — ongoing Advisor to Ars Electonica
2014 — ongoing Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art
2014 — ongoing Artbat Fest
2019 — ongoing Advisor to Ars Electonica
Prizes & Achievements
Prizes & Achievements
Apollo 2018
40 Under 40 Europe Contemporary Art Industry
40 Under 40 Europe Contemporary Art Industry
Contacts
Contacts
