Invitation

WACD is thrilled to be invited to an international touring mini- portrait exhibition 2025-2027, organised by Tisna Westerhof & Cristiana Bottigella, co-founders and directors of hARTslane gallery in South East London, exposing in different European Cities.

 

Initiative by

The Personal Relations project is produced by Tisna Westerhof & Cristiana Bottigella, co-founders and directors of hARTslane gallery in South East London. In 2016 they produced Personal Relations in collaboration with The London Group (UK), Pulchri (NL) and This Is Not Art (Italy). Tisna is an artist member of The London Group. Cristiana is an experienced art producer, a curator and an artist mentor.

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References

History of the Portrait Miniature

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/h/a-history-of-the-portrait-miniature/

 

Personal Relations, 1st Edition, 2016

https://personalrelationsblog.wordpress.com/

 

Concept

In an era of heightened political tension, where national identities and borders are increasingly reinforced, Personal Relations seeks to create meaningful cultural bridges. Through the universal language of art, the project aims to foster unity, collaboration, and artistic excellence across borders.

The exhibition will feature a collection of newly created miniature works—each the size of a mobile phone—produced by artist members of international artist associations. Together, these small-scale works will form a large and powerful collective statement: intimate in scale yet expansive in impact.

Historically, miniature portraits were often exchanged as political gifts between rulers and ambassadors, symbolizing connection and diplomacy. In this project, over 150 artists are invited to reinterpret this tradition for the 21st century, responding to the history of miniature portraiture while exploring the smartphone screen as today’s “portrait format”—an intimate, portable space for identity and connection.

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Producers

Cristiana Bottigella & Tisna Westerhof, London
www.hartslane.org

 

Partners:

•    The London Group, London, UK / https://thelondongroup.com/

•    La Medusa Cultural Association, Este, Italy https://centroculturalelamedusa.wordpress.com/chi-siamo-2

•    What Art Can Do, Amsterdam, NL https://www.whatartcando.com/

Amsterdam Exhibition
•    What Art Can Do Gallery, Tweede Tuindwarsstraat 4, 1015 RZ Amsterdam, NL
•    Dates: 6–27 December 2025
•    Opening Event: Saturday 6 December, 5–8 pm
•    Meet & Greet / Artist social: Sunday 7 December, 4–6 pm
•    Finissage: 27 December from 16.00 - 19.00 H.

Este Exhibition (Italy)
•    Gallery: Ex Pescheria Vecchia, Via Massimo D'Azeglio, 25, 35042 Este PD, Italia
•    Dates: June 2026
•    Other events and specific opening hours and duration of the show TBC

London Exhibition
•    hARTslane Gallery, 17 Harts Lane, SE14 5UP London (TBC)
•    November 2026