Isolde Brielmaier, PhD
Brielmaier’s work as a curator and writer has paired her with some of the most prominent contemporary artists of our time, including Carrie Mae Weems, Wangechi Mutu, Richard Mosse, Tyler Mitchell, Fred Wilson, and Bharti Kher. She has held esteemed positions such as Curator-at-Large at the International Center for Photography (ICP) and Chief Curator of the SCAD Museum of Art.
A scholar and practitioner, Brielmaier earned her PhD from Columbia University and is an Associate Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is the author of I Am Sparkling (2022) and Culture as Catalyst (2020) and regularly contributes to various publications, including Air Mail, where she serves as Editor-at-Large.
Brielmaier’s deep commitment to social justice, particularly global women’s issues and criminal justice reform, informs much of her work. She serves on the boards of Prep for Prep and Another Tomorrow and advises organizations like the Women’s Prison Association and Malaika, an all-girls school in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Her leadership and contributions have been highlighted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, CNN, and Good Morning America, among other major outlets. Brielmaier lives in New York City.
Isolde Brielmaier, PhD, is the Chief Strategy Officer at Work of Art Holdings (WOAH), a female-founded art and culture firm where she leads the company's vision and initiatives at the intersection of art, business, and social impact. With over two decades of experience spanning the private, public, academic, and nonprofit sectors, her expertise has guided brands and organizations through cultural engagement strategies and contemporary art initiatives across the globe.
Previously, Brielmaier served as Deputy Director and Chief Innovation Officer at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City. As part of the executive leadership team, she played a pivotal role in the museum’s 60,000-square-foot expansion, which significantly increased its exhibition space and strengthened opportunities for both artists and the public. Brielmaier also anchored NEW INC, the museum’s flagship incubator program for art and technology.
Before that, Brielmaier was Executive Director of Arts, Culture & Community at Westfield World Trade Center. While there, she led transformative cultural initiatives, forged strategic partnerships, and developed large-scale artist projects and installations across Westfield properties nationwide, further cementing Westfield's reputation as a cultural destination.
As an independent consultant, Brielmaier has collaborated with an extensive range of Fortune 500 companies and global luxury brands and sectors, including Apple, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Peninsula Hotel Group, Gucci, COACH, Valentino, Versace, and Art Basel Miami.