Jean-Michaël Maugüé
Founder and Curator
Jean-Michaël is the curator of the artworks in ‘The Back Room’. Over the summer of 2021, he spent two months travelling around Italy and France to purchase the paintings for the exhibition. He is passionate about old master paintings and has undertaken this project to make the old masters more accessible to those who would not traditionally collect them. He also hopes to support and promote the work of his young, artist friends by representing them in the exhibition. This is his first foray as an art dealer.
He is in his final year of reading English Literature (BA) at Christ’s College, University of Cambridge. He is published in The Cambridge Journal of Law, Politics, and Art. You can read his article ‘Art in Exile at Home: The National Palace Museum, Taiwanese Identity, and “China’s” Imperial Collection’ here.
Mary Holmes
Designer and Graphics
Mary Holmes is the graphic designer for The Back Room. Taking inspiration from the work of Aldo Giannotti, her simple and paired back designs articulate the process of putting together this exhibition. From sketched floor plans to reworked wall configurations, they find joy in the messiness behind elegant curation.
She is currently in her final year of reading Architecture at Christ's College, University of Cambridge. An interdisciplinary artist, her other design work encompasses film photography, zine making and illustration.