brave Projects — empowering the next generation of artistic talent through studio subsidies, mentorship and editorial programming

In this special Spanish edition of the brave Podcast, guest host, Elena Rueda Ruiz de Austri speaks with artist Sebastián Espejo about his evolving painting practice, the transformative role of critique, and the relationship between material, memory, and time. Reflecting on his move from Chile to London, Espejo discusses how his experience at Turps reshaped his approach to painting, leading him to develop an intimate, layered practice in which works are revisited over months and years. He shares why he paints on wood, travels with his paintings between Chile and London, and treats them as objects that accumulate experience through time. The conversation also explores poetry, devotion, landscape, contemporary painting, and Espejo's recent exhibitions with Union Pacific and Interval, as well as the influence of mentorship, travel, and brave Projects on his artistic journey. Sebastián Espejo participated in chapter five at brave.

In this episode of the brave Projects Podcast, Victoria Comstock-Kershaw speaks with artist and educator Peter Davies about London's evolving art scene, the legacy of the YBAs, and the communities shaping contemporary painting today. Drawing on his experiences as both a painter and tutor at the Slade School of Fine Art, Davies reflects on artist-led spaces, emerging galleries, the renewed prominence of painting, and the importance of fostering possibility, generosity and experimentation within the arts. The conversation also explores Davies' own practice, his recent curatorial work at The Approach, and why he remains optimistic about the future of art in London.

Victoria Comstock-Kershaw speaks with collector and patron Selim Bouafsoun about instinct, mentorship, collecting, and the responsibility of supporting artists beyond the market. Together, they discuss building Nafas Collection, navigating the art ecosystem, the importance of curiosity and education, and what it means to create a lasting cultural legacy through patronage. From artist mentorship and collecting philosophies to institutional support, residencies, and the future of North African artists, the conversation explores how collections can become living systems of care, learning, and exchange. The chapter six residency at brave is in collaboration with Nafas Collection and L'Atelier by Selma Feriani.

Artist Melania Toma joins host Victoria Comstock-Kershaw for a conversation on skins, textiles, transformation, and the strange life of materials. Working between painting, sculpture, and textile, Toma reflects on collecting discarded objects, travelling with animal skins across borders, Catholic iconography, bodily memory, and the porous boundary between the self and the more-than-human world. Speaking through ideas of energy, intuition, and interconnectedness, the episode moves through questions of material agency, abjection, hierarchy, and the emotional weight objects carry over time. The conversation also explores London’s artistic ecology, residencies as transformative experiences, and the role of instinct in building a practice that continuously shifts.

Nick Hemming-Brown and Thomas Hjelm join Victoria Comstock-Kershaw for this episode of the brave podcast to discuss their collaborative practice and the thinking behind HBH Gallery. Working through a nomadic model, they reflect on building exhibitions outside of fixed spaces, using flexibility as a way to support emerging artists and experiment with new formats. From their first meeting to curating international group shows, the conversation traces how a shared approach to art and audience has shaped their partnership. They also discuss the limitations of the traditional white cube, the importance of narrative in exhibition-making, and how digital culture continues to reshape both the production and experience of art. Throughout, they emphasise a commitment to artist-led thinking, documentation, and creating exhibitions that feel both accessible and engaging.

Mike Silva joins Victoria Comstock-Kershaw for this episode of the brave podcast, recorded in his studio as he prepares for an upcoming exhibition in Copenhagen. Working primarily in painting, Silva reflects on his shift away from traditional portraiture towards more incidental, intimate moments, where light, memory, and observation take precedence over representation. Using photography as a starting point, he describes painting as a process of translation shaped by intuition, touch, and the act of looking. The conversation also touches on vulnerability in his work, the influence of analogue culture, and the balance between spontaneity and control in his process. Reflecting on his career, Silva speaks candidly about navigating the art world, from being dropped by a gallery to rediscovering visibility through social media, as well as the changing conditions of image-making today.